Staff Correspondent

Housing and Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher announced that executive engineers of the Public Works Department (PWD) are being transferred and posted through a lottery system to eliminate transfer syndicates, ensure transparency and accountability, and place qualified personnel in appropriate positions.

The minister made the remarks on Tuesday at the conference room of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works in the Bangladesh Secretariat while participating in the lottery-based transfer and posting drive for PWD executive engineers.

State Minister for Housing and Public Works Ahammad Sohel Monjur, Housing and Public Works Secretary Md. Obaidur Rahman, Chief Engineer Md. Khalekuzzaman Chowdhury, and Additional Secretary Md. Sarwar Alam were present, among other officials.

Highlighting previous postings, Minister Zakaria Taher stated, "Earlier on July 30, 767 sub-assistant engineers were transferred through a lottery, followed by 254 sub-assistant engineers in August. On August 16, 219 assistant engineers and 190 sub-divisional engineers were posted using the same method. To date, a total of 1,430 officials have been transferred and posted through lotteries."

Addressing executive engineers' postings, the minister explained that ministry and PWD officials conducted extensive background reviews before categorizing positions based on strategic merit. Under the current drive, 155 executive engineers are being posted via lottery across various zones, barring three to four sensitive locations such as the Prime Minister’s Office, the President’s Office, and the Parliament Secretariat.

"Our goal is singular: to stop the transfer business, restore good governance, and rebuild the department into a transparent, dynamic, and accountable body. We particularly want to overcome the reputational damage the Public Works Department suffered regarding the Rooppur project," Taher asserted, adding that a zero-tolerance policy against corruption will be enforced. He indicated that similar reform drives will follow for Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK)

Responding to queries about relocating the Bangladesh Secretariat to the former international trade fair grounds in Agargaon, Minister Zakaria Taher stated that initial conceptual plans encompass approximately 30 to 32 lakh square feet.

State Minister Ahammad Sohel Monjur commended the lottery system, noting that previous iterations received widespread praise and significantly boosted administrative dynamism.