Senior Secretary Md Mokhlesur Rahman of the Ministry of Public Administration on Monday said all government employees, including the advisers of the interim government, must submit their wealth statements.
While talking to the media at his office at the Secretariat in Dhaka, the senior secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration also said that a five-member committee has also been formed to determine how to submit the statement.
Earlier on Sunday, a circular was issued asking all government employees to submit their wealth statement, the senior secretary added.
Asked about the submission process and deadline, he said, "We have around 15 lakh employees. Initially, we thought only the tax-paying officials would need to submit statements. However, we discovered that employees, like drivers and fourth-class workers, have amassed significant sums, sometimes as much as Tk 400 crore or Tk 9 crore. Therefore, we will implement a system that allows everyone to submit their financial statements."
The senior secretary said a five-member committee, led by the secretary of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), has been formed to ensure transparency and accountability among government employees. The committee includes representatives from the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the Finance Division, the Office of the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), and the Ministry of Public Administration.
He further said: "This committee will develop a form where employees can mention all wealth statements, including bank accounts, lands, savings certificates, and asset details. The form will be unified. This initiative aims to reduce corruption. It's a significant undertaking, but it will be effective."
Mokhlesur Rahman said, "Once the format is finalised, it should take not more than seven days. If all goes as planned, it will take seven more days to be fully operational. We will then announce the submission deadline, and these statements will need to be submitted annually. The form will be created in Bengali and will clearly outline what should be included apart from movable and immovable property declarations."
Regarding the provision of punishment for non-compliance, the senior secretary said, "We will determine the penalties and actions to be taken against those who fail to submit their statements."
Replying to another question, the senior secretary also confirmed that advisers would have to submit a complete statement of assets.
