Government Targets Balanced Development Across 503 Upazilas

The government aims to ensure balanced development across Bangladesh’s 503 upazilas, regardless of political affiliation or region, while expanding solar power in urban and rural areas through cooperative societies. The initiative seeks to reduce energy costs, address constraints in conventional energy sources and improve living standards by promoting renewable energy.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan outlined the priorities on Saturday, October 10, at a discussion meeting on strategies for installing solar power in urban and rural areas through cooperative societies. The Rural Development and Cooperatives Division organized the meeting at the Multipurpose Hall of the Cooperative Building in Agargaon, Dhaka. State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shah Alam attended the event.

Moyeen Khan said development must remain balanced across all 503 upazilas. No upazila should receive benefits that are denied to people in neighboring areas. As a government elected by the people, he said, the administration has a responsibility to implement development projects in the interests of all communities.

Public service and development priorities

Addressing the responsibilities and benefits of government officials, the minister said public servants are not merely employees; they serve the country’s 180 million people. The government has considered proper recognition of their work and adjustments to salaries and allowances in line with the cost of living.

He acknowledged that limited resources make it difficult to implement every measure at once. However, the government would try to introduce changes in phases over the next several years.

He also said the issue of adjusting government employees’ salaries annually in line with inflation had been raised with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at a cabinet meeting.

Emphasizing the role of public officials in grassroots development, the minister said their primary goal, alongside elected representatives, must be to ensure that ordinary people benefit from government activities. Officials must also play an effective role in implementing Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s grassroots-focused development plans.

Cooperatives to support solar expansion

Highlighting the potential of solar energy, Moyeen Khan said the use of renewable energy must increase as conventional energy sources become more limited. Proper use of solar power can benefit communities, reduce costs and improve living standards.

He urged officials to work responsibly to implement the government’s plans and targets so that the benefits of solar power reach people across the country.

On strengthening institutional capacity in rural development and cooperatives, he said the government would consider improving the administrative structures, responsibilities and benefits of relevant institutions. Proposals raised by officials, including converting the Rural Development Board into a directorate, would be reviewed seriously.

The minister stressed that increasing the number of registered cooperative societies alone was not enough. The societies must operate effectively and serve the public interest. He noted that Bangladesh currently has around 250,000 registered cooperative societies.

He called on officials to assess the activities of societies in their respective areas and encourage them to work for public welfare.

The registration process for cooperative societies should also be simplified, he said, so that rural residents can establish and operate societies more easily. Collective initiatives through cooperatives can help strengthen the rural economy and advance public welfare.

State minister calls for a solar movement

Speaking as a special guest, State Minister Mir Shah Alam expressed hope that solar power generation would soon become a social movement.

He said decisions had already been made to install solar panels on the rooftops of educational institutions under the Ministry of Education, as well as institutions and marketplaces under the Ministry of Local Government.

Installing solar panels through societies under the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division could also help address the country’s temporary electricity shortages, he said.

The state minister instructed cooperative and rural development officials to encourage rural residents to generate solar power and provide them with the necessary support.

He also said Tk 3.9 billion had already been released to local government institutions for installing solar panels and procuring related services.

Addressing government officials and employees, Shah Alam said the absence of salary increases over the past 15 years had created financial and family-related difficulties for public servants. He assured them that the current government would be able to take responsibility for addressing these concerns.

He urged everyone to work together to implement government programmes, regardless of political affiliation.

The meeting was chaired by Dr Rafiqul E Mohamed, secretary of the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division. Officials and employees from the ministry and its departments attended the event.

//DBTech/HMCL/SMP/BPO//