For the first time in the country, the government will hand out Civil Service Awards to keep bureaucrats in good humour. The event will be held on June 23. Either Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina or public administration minister Syed Ashraful Islam will present the awards to a few bureaucrats who are believed to be playing a vital role in the development of the nation. The public administration ministry is yet to decide on the number of awardees, even though 44 bureaucrats have applied for the honour.
Sources in the ministry said that at least five civil servants and organisations are likely to get the award in three categories—person, team, and organisation. All the awardees will get a gold medal, cash, and a certificate.
Senior secretary of the public administration ministry, Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, told The Independent that the number of awardees would be finalised in a meeting today. “We're introducing the award to motivate our civil servants and to bring more enthusiasm in the bureaucracy,” he said as the world celebrated International Civil Services Day yesterday.“Currently, there is no national award for bureaucrats, though they play a vital role in the development of the nation. That’s why we've decided to introduce it,” he added.
The senior secretary said a person, or a bureau, department, division or directorate can earn the award only if they have shown significant achievements and outstanding contribution to public welfare.
According to the policy prepared by the public administration ministry, the awardees have to prove their services in terms of poverty alleviation, administrative reforms, encouraging team initiatives, good governance, e-governance, increased efficiency, curbing corruption, organisational development, or women’s empowerment.
Former cabinet secretaries Dr Sadat Hosaain and Ali Imam Majumder agreed that the introduction of the Civil Service Award is a good initiative.