Dhaka: LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan today urged officials of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) to ensure optimum use of limited resources by preventing wastage of public resources. "Government officials are custodians of public resources. They must have responsibility, proper plan and effective mechanism to implement a project effectively," he said.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the minister made these remarks during a discussion on the development activities of LGED at the LGED Bhaban in the city's Agargaon area, as stated in a press release. State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam was present as the special guest.
Dr Moyeen emphasized that making a plan is not sufficient; effective implementation is the most crucial aspect. He noted that due to the limited resources available, it is necessary to strike a balance between needs and capacities to achieve maximum results at minimum costs. "All development plans should be undertaken considering the benefit of the people and the realities at the grassroots level," he added.
The minister highlighted that under the initiative of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, LGED initiated a new era in the development of rural infrastructure in the country. "As a result, Bangladesh's rural infrastructure has gone through a significant transformation," he opined.
Dr Moyeen expressed optimism that people would benefit from the development plans being undertaken by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, emphasizing that the key to the development of Bangladesh's rural infrastructure and settlements remains in the hands of LGED officials. He urged everyone to work together to prioritize the welfare of people at the grassroots in implementing government development plans.
State Minister Mir Shahe Alam, speaking at the meeting, advocated for reducing the use of bricks in rural road development and increasing the use of uni-blocks and CC blocks. He recommended using RCC materials and locally available stones for roads carrying heavy vehicles. Additionally, he instructed officials to use 'binya grass' to prevent soil erosion on riverbank and flood-prone roads.
Shahe Alam further stressed the need to increase solar power generation by installing solar panels at local government institutions. He suggested that surplus electricity generated through such systems could be supplied to the national grid through net metering to reduce costs and increase local institutions' income. He instructed officials to prioritize installing solar panels at their respective offices.
Local Government Division Secretary Shahidul Hassan, LGED Chief Engineer Belal Hossain, senior officials of the ministry, executive engineers from different districts, project directors of ongoing LGED projects, and upazila engineers were present at the meeting.