Bangladesh News

Chief Adviser to the Caretaker Government Iajuddin Ahmed has been under tremendous workload as huge number of files from the 10 ministries and divisions under his supervision await his approval on a daily basis.

Bangabhaban sources said the condition of the chief adviser’s health does not permit over work and his personal physician suggested tolerable workload for him.

The chief adviser has to sign more than 500 files and letters every day.

Sources said over 2,000 files from the education ministry alone have been stockpiled in the Bangabhaban awaiting the chief adviser’s perusal.

“The education ministry every day needs signature of its minister on more than 200 files which now awaiting the chief adviser,” an official of the ministry told The Daily Star requesting anonymity.

He said files related with all kinds of recruitment, project-approval and fund-release need the chief adviser’s signature, which is impossible for him to do alone.

A similar number of files from other ministries, including those for home affairs, foreign affairs and establishment, have also been awaiting the chief adviser’s approval.

The situation has forced most of the ministry officers sitting idle.

President Iajuddin Ahmed alone took the advisory responsibilities of the ministries for defence, establishment, foreign affairs, home affairs, and education, and the Armed Forces Division, Cabinet Division, Election Commission Secretariat, NGO Bureau, and Public Service Commission.

Meanwhile, officers at all levels of the administration are worried about transfer and posting and they cannot concentrate even in their routine work for this.

The previous caretaker government brought all transfers and postings to effect within the first week of taking office, but the current caretaker government is yet to bring any significant changes in the administration.

In the past two weeks after taking office, the caretaker administration has so far transferred a dozen secretaries, a few additional secretaries and over 100 other officials, most of them having no direct involvement in the holding of the upcoming general elections.