Ministers and secretaries are getting so exasperated with undue requests at the end of the government’s tenure that their tempers often flare as they try to cope with pressure from unwelcome visitors.
The lobbyists and other visitors are making frantic efforts to make requests as it is the last opportunity before the power changeover.
Communications Minister Obaidul Quader Thursday said: “It’s really hard for ministers and secretaries to cope
up with the pressure from lobbyists and visitors alongside our regular routine works. We are about to lose sleep over the many requests.”
If their requests are entertained it will cause severe embarrassment to the government and the ministers. It’s really hard to be transparent and honest towards the end of a tenure, he said.
“My secretary and I myself are really in trouble. Despite the will to do something good it is really hard to do so once you are in the office,” he added.
Expressing his appreciation of the officials in his ministry, Obaidul said it was very challenging and tough, but the officials had never allowed the ministry corridor to turn into a kitchen market.
According to officials, the ministries of communications, local government, food, disaster management and relief, housing and public works, finance, public administration, power and energy, commerce, health and family planning, land, education and information remain crowded with visitors nowadays.
Officials who ensure the security of the secretariat told the Dhaka Tribune that the number of people visiting the secretariat is now three times more than usual.
Sometimes, the visitors enter the secretariat on pass-free days by convincing the officials of the ministries and security guards.
Lobbyists try to have transfers and postings of police officials done and some people even visit the secretariat to get arms licenses.
Some of the lobbyists come to get the payments for contractors who completed construction work for the communications ministry, with some even trying to get payments released before completing their work.
People visiting the local government division have been lobbying for special allocation of funds for road repairs and development work. They have also been making all efforts to have certain projects approved by the ministry high-ups.
As the disaster management and relief ministry is allocating special funds for ministers and lawmakers, several influential quarters are frantically trying to get those allocations for their areas.
The public administration ministry officials are fed up with meeting demands for transfers, postings and promotions of civil servants.
The process of promoting some joint secretaries to additional secretaries and upgrading the posts of department chiefs to the status of secretaries is continuing. Lobbyists and officials are thus pushing for their candidates to be included in the lists.
In most cases, people come with requests for ministers or secretaries to arrange jobs for their spouses and siblings.
The officials concerned told this correspondent that the lobbyists do it all in exchange for bribes.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdul Latif Bishwas said people trying to derive some benefits and get allocations from the government is a common phenomenon. He said they have already given some benefits to dedicated workers and leaders of the party and 14-party alliance.
He, however, expressed his annoyance over the pressure from lobbyists, saying it was too much to bear as the number of visitors was increasing as the tenure of the government nears its end.
