DCs now want bank, special force, univ

Deputy Commissioners want more power and benefits to have a stronger grip on the field-level administration.

They have proposed that the government allow them to give executive magistrates powers that stem from some sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Besides, they want a separate special force for maintaining security at DC offices, circuit houses and for the operation of mobile courts. 

They have also demanded a bank solely for administration cadres, specialised universities for civil servants and special quota for government employees’ children at public schools.

The deputy commissioners, who are the chief administrative and revenue officers of districts, have prepared some 333 such proposals for this year’s DC conference beginning in the capital today.

The Daily Star has a copy of the list of the proposals.

The other proposals include empowering upazila nirbahi officers to write the annual confidential report (ACR) of Upazila Project Implementation Officers, allocating Tk 1 crore for each district for observing “special” days and withdrawing the ceiling on fuel use for the DCs.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina opens the event at her office this morning. The conference will have at least 24 working sessions where the proposals would be discussed. 

This year, for the first time, the DC conference -- a yearly conference of divisional and deputy commissioners -- is being held for five days, instead of the usual three.

During the conference, the DCs will meet the president and the prime minister at their offices. They will also have separate sessions with the Speaker, the chief justice, and chiefs of the three forces.

Ministers, state ministers, deputy ministers and senior secretaries of 54 ministries and divisions will also participate.

The list of the proposals shows that the deputy commissioner of Chattogram has proposed giving the DCs the authority to em-power executive magistrates to deal with sections 98, 108, 110, 144, 145 and 147 of the CrPC. Currently, the authority is vested in the government.

The DC also proposed to give them the power to appoint administrators for the union parishads that could not go to polls after the end of their tenures.

In their proposals, the DCs from Cox’s Bazar, Cumilla, Bagerhat and Chuadanga proposed a special police force under the district administrations for maintaining security at DC offices, circuit houses and for the operation of mobile courts. 

Narsingdi DC recommended establishing a specialised university for civil servants following the model of Civil Service College of Singapore.

Noakhali DC recommended establishing “Janaprashasan Bank” for administration cadres.

The deputy commissioner of Barishal wants withdrawal of the ceiling on the use of government fuels for DCs, citing increased responsibilities and VIP movement in their respective districts. Currently a DC gets money from public exchequer for 200 litres of fuel per month.

Gopalganj DC proposed empowering UNOs to write ACR of upazila project implementation officers for the sake of “checking irregularities and maintaining administrative discipline”.

Dhaka DC sought a policy on the use and sale of antibiotics and punishment for those who sell antibiotics without prescriptions from registered doctors.

DC of Gaibandha proposed having a specific guideline for the journalists of online news portals. “In absence of database of journalists, it has become tough to recognise those engaging in yellow journalism,” says the proposal.

Rangpur DC proposed sending the best teachers from schools in urban areas to rural schools as guest teachers for improving the quality of education there. 

Narayanganj DC sought a policy for stopping provocative sermons by some religious leaders on social media. The DC said the sermons were available on YouTube and Facebook and in some cases, the sermons were anti-women.

Habiganj DC proposed hiking licence and licence renewal fees for brick kilns for discouraging the business which harms the environment.  

Currently, the licence fee for a brickfield is Tk 1,000 and it includes a VAT of Tk 100, while the renewal fee is Tk 500 with VAT of Tk 75.

The DCs of Pirojpur, Barguna, Lakshmipur, Madaripur and Shariatpur said food assistance for each fisherman during fishing bans should be increased.

DC of Jashore proposed providing freedom fighters with smart cards so that they have easier access to different government benefits.

The DCs also proposed setting up Education TV, renovating risky primary school buildings, introducing stipend for pre-primary students, ensuring permanent attorney service and set-ting up food safety authorities at divisional and district levels.

The DCs will meet President Abdul Hamid at the Bangabhaban tomorrow. The next day, they will meet Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain.

A separate session with the CJ has been kept on the basis of recommendations from DCs as it is their responsibility to comply with Supreme Court directives on field administrations, said a cabinet division official.

A total of 366 decisions were taken at the previous DC conference held in July last year and 92.90 percent of them were implemented, the official said.