The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Public Administration has recommended investigating projects under the Ministry of Public Administration that are progressing slowly despite budget allocations, seeking to identify the reasons behind delays in implementation.

The committee also called for the identification of officials found negligent or uncooperative in executing government activities under the overarching ‘Bangladesh First’ policy, urging swift administrative action against them.

The recommendations were made at the maiden meeting of the committee under the 13th National Parliament, held at the Jatiya Sangshad Bhaban on Wednesday.

The committee chairman Sayeed Ahmed, MP, presided over the meeting, while it was attended by State Minister for Public Administration Md Abdul Bari, the committee members and MPs ABM Ashraf Uddin Nizan, Shahjahan Chowdhury, Md Amirul Islam Khan, Fakhr Uddin Ahmed, Rehena Akter Ranu and Md Nurul Islam Bulbul.

Secretary of the ministry, senior officials of agencies under the ministry and officials of the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat were also present at the meeting.

Officials presented detailed reports on the activities of various departments and agencies under the ministry. The agencies include the Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre, BCS Administration Academy, Bangladesh Employees Welfare Board, Department of Printing and Publications, Directorate of Government Transport, Government Employees Hospital, BIAM Foundation, National Academy for Development Administration (NADA) and National Academy for Planning and Development (NAPD).

The committee called for coordinated efforts at the field level to implement the government’s 31-point reform agenda, emphasising patriotism and a change in mindset as part of efforts to reform the state.

Addressing officials, committee chairman Sayeed Ahmed, MP, stressed transparency, accountability and cooperation in implementing government decisions. He asked officials to clearly present any legal, administrative or practical obstacles to implementation, along with relevant information and documents, rather than withholding details.

The meeting also adopted a condolence motion following the death of Salahuddin Ahmed, a former BNP MP from Dhaka-4 and a member of the party’s central executive committee.