Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday asked the newly elected District Council chairmen to discharge their duties with honesty, sincerity and devotion.

‘I want you to perform your respective responsibilities with honesty, sincerity and devotion. Your main aim will be to serve people,’ she said.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing the District Council chairmen after they were sworn in at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

She said her government has been working to ensure services for mass people through decentralisation. ‘

District Council have enough power to ensure services for people and overall development of the respective districts,’ she said.

Earlier, 59 chairmen of the District Council took oath. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina administered the oath.

Cabinet members, PM’s advisers and leaders of different political parties and senior officials were present.

The election was held on 28 December.

Only the elected representatives of other local government bodies—upazila councils, union councils, municipalities and city corporations – were the electorate in the district council elections.

Some 63,143 voters, including 14,800 female ones, exercised their franchise at 915 centers across the country to elect a chairman and 20 members, including five from reserved women seats, for each District Council in one district.

A total of 3,938 candidates—146 for the post of chairman, 806 reserved women seats and 2,986 general members—contested the district council election.