Dhaka: Stressing the importance of stamping out corruption from the country, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday laid out a 23-point guideline for the Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to ensure people’s welfare and directed them to be more active in implementing development programmes.

‘You’ll have to work together with public representatives in establishing good governance at the grassroots, strengthen the rural economy further and develop the infrastructures in villages, implement SDGs and face natural disasters,’ she said.

The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating a three-day Deputy Commissioners’ Conference at her office.

Sheikh Hasina asked the public servants to take a strong stance against corruption to root out this menace from society at any cost to deliver the benefits of the country’s development to all. ‘We’ll have to eliminate corruption at any cost. We’ll have to create public awareness and take a strong stance against the menace.’

Hasina said the mass people will not get the benefits of any development project if there is any corruption in it.

Terming the DCs the representatives of the government at the district level, she asked them to accomplish the responsibilities with the mentality of serving people and protecting their interests by standing firm on the path of truth and justice.

The Prime Minister said the DCs will have to ensure that service receivers are not harassed in any way and remain tough against the food adulteration, and directed them to know the details about local problems and prospects and inform the Central Administration timely as the development plans are prepared on the basis of their reports and information.

Praising the initiatives of a number of district administrations and police for making their districts free from begging, Sheikh Hasina assured them of providing assistance from her relief fund to make their drive even more successful.

She also urged them to come up with more such innovative ideas for the benefits and welfare of the country’s common people.

About the steps of her government to establish 100 economic zones across the country, the Prime Minister directed the divisional and district level top officials not to allocate any land in any unplanned manner for setting up industries.

‘Industries need to be set up only at economic zones where all kinds of services will be ensured.’

Sheikh Hasina said special initiatives will have to be taken for disabled and autistic patients as well as for those lagging behind in society. ‘And must make Village Courts active to ensure justice for the common people and reduce the backlog of cases.’

Directing the DCs to lead the development and expansion of ICTs to take the services to the doorsteps of people, she said they will have to take measures to raise the rate of female education and bring back the drooped-out students to the main stream education.

The prime minister also directed the divisional commissioners and DCs to move ahead with a greater dynamism in their works instead of confining themselves to the routine works.

The Prime Minister said DCs are playing a very important role in reaching the benefits of the government’s development efforts to people and contributing towards ensuring the overall progress through their tireless and sincere efforts.