SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS 2014: AN

OVERVIEW

S. M. Mehedi Hasan
MA ( DU), MPP( Australia), PGC( UK)

Director
(Deputy Secretary)

Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre

 SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS 2014
 SecretariatInstructions: At a Glance
 Chapter- based Discussion
 ORIGINS OF SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS

 The President shall make rules for the allocation and transaction of the

business of the Government.

[ -- Article 55(6) of the Constitution of Bangladesh]

 Rules of Business, 1996

 Allocation of Business

 Transaction of Business
PROVISION IN RULES OF BUSINESS

 “Secretariat Instructions and other instructions on the

manner of disposal of business in the Ministries/Divisions
and Attached Departments shall be issued by the Ministry
of Public Administration.”
 Rules of Business, 1996- rule 4 (vii)
 INFORMATION TO KNOW

1st Issued in 1976

Translated in Bengali in 1978
Republished in 2008
Last Published in 2014 (Election Manifesto 2008, RTI
2009, Citizen’s Charter were accommodated)

 CHAPTERS

 Title& Definitions
 Organization & Distribution of Work
 Office Procedure
 Disposal of Business
 Meeting
 General
 Permanent Security
 Providing Services to the Citizen
CHAPTER -1 : TITLES AND DEFINITIONS

 Business: All work done be the govt.

 Case : A specific issue and papers presented for decision

 Grading of Security :Restricted, Confidential, Secret, Top Secret

 Letter: Medium of expressing opinion of any person/institution

 File: Both hard & soft copy of a specific issue

to its disposal A specific issue and the papers related to its disposal
 CHAPTER 2:SECRETARIAT ORGANIZATION &
DISTRIBUTION OF WORK

 Minister: Executive Head

 Secretary: Administrative Head and the & Principal Accounting Officer

 Wing: Headed by JS/Add. Sec

 Branch: Headed by DS

 Section: Headed by SAS/AS

 AO- Administrative Officer

 PO- Personal Officer

OFFICE WORK PLAN (INSTRUCTION-14)

Immediately-Disposable within 3-6 months

Short Term- Disposable within 6-12 months

Mid-Term- Disposable within 3 years

Long Term-Disposable within 5 years

 USING ICT (INST.15)
 File Management- Highest use of ICT, Unicode font, E-filing, Using electronic signature
 Preservation of Records- Existing paper based method with electronic back up
 E-mail- Main tools in government communication, Email Account within Identical
Domain
 Meeting and Conference- Video conferencing, E-notice, E-resolution
 Website- Bengali & English format.
 Electronic Application- Taking application both in Bengali and English format from the
citizens and providing acknowledgement
RECEIPT
DESPATCH
OPENING NEW FILE

On the basis of fresh receipt

On the basis of fresh notes

When the notes or letters of a file are more than 100

pages
 DIGITAL FILE NUMBER – 40(7)

 Digital File Number is used both in manual and E-filing system.

 It is 18 digit number; also contains 07 codes and 07 full stops

DIGITAL FILE NUMBER – 40(7)
 1st Code (00)- Secretariat Code: Ministry/Division
 2nd Code (00)-Attached Department/Directorate/ Autonomous
Body/Divisional Office/other Jurisdictions
 3rd Code (0000)-Geographical Code (District- 00, Upazila- 00)
 4th Code (000)- Section/Subordinate Institution
 5th code (00)- Subject-based Classification
 6th Code (000)- Serial Number of File
 7th Code (00)- Opening Year of File
 REFERENCING

 Reference Number- pencil or electronically in margin

 Using Number Slip/“Flag” indicating required area
 Using (*) sign- both in note & margin
 Not more than one flag to indicate same case in a file
 FILE PRESENTATION
Recording of notes and send it to higher authority maintaining
hierarchy
Preparation of draft if needed
 Identity of sender
 No use of fluid

 File name in Footer

 Signature of Steno Typist –cum-Computer Operator and AO …. Far left

of down edge
Dispatch
 ‘PLAIN SLIP’ OF DIFFERENT COLORS TO INDICATE ITS
RELATIVE URGENCY

 ‘Plain Slip’ of different colors to indicate its relative urgency

 Yellow- ‘Top Priority’:

 Dealt with immediately.

 Red- ‘Immediate’:
 Requiring instant attention

 Blue- ‘Urgent’:
 Requiring attention without delay.
 CLASSIFICATION OF RECORDS (INST.-90)
 Category A-Permanent Records:
• such as Act, Policy, Legislation, rules and regulations, State documents etc.
 Category B-Semi-permanent Records:
• To be retained for 10 years or more. Such as- service record, development project, budget etc.
 Category C- Ordinary Records:
• To be retained for 3-5 years. Such as- PPR related files, creation of temporary post, transfer and training
files of the officials etc.
 Category D-Routine Records:
• To be retained for one year. These papers will not be indexed and will be destroyed after one year.
 DESTRUCTION OF RECORDS (100)
 The Administrative Officer will consult the ‘Register of Files Due for
Destruction’ in January each year and prepare a list of files which are to be
destroyed during this year.
 He will submit the list to the section officer together with the files to be
destroyed.
 Section officer will go through the files and give instruction in writing before
they are destroyed.
 CHAPTER-4:
DISPOSAL OF BUSINESS
 Recording of Notes

 No elaborate note- when disposable by section officer

 Written in Ink or typed

 Margin- one fifth

 Paragraph Number
 No pasting of notes in file
 Initial in case of using more than one page
 Manner of signature in notes
 Mention the stage where note is to be disposed off
 SUMMARY

 When a file is presented before Hon’ble President/HPM; a brief and

comprehensive summary with reference is mandatory
 Written on green paper
 Specific recommendation at the last part of the summary
 Initialed by Secretary and Minister
 “Summary for Hon’ble President” or “Summary for Hon’ble Prime
Minister” have to be written on file cover
 Consecutive serial number for each paragraph
CONTD...

 If more than one page is used, Secretary will initial each of the page

 Copy of the summary will be attached in the ‘letter part’ of the file

 Approved summary will be attached with note sheet

 ‘Paragraph number’ of summary will have to cut off and write new

number in red ink maintaining the serial of the note

CONTD...

 If more than one page is used, Secretary will initial each of the page

 Copy of the summary will be attached in the ‘letter part’ of the file

 Approved summary will be attached with note sheet

 ‘Paragraph number’ of summary will have to cut off and write new

number in red ink maintaining the serial of the note

PREPARATION OF DRAFTS (130-134)
 Draft of any communication made with the intention of obtaining approval of
higher authority for its issue.
 Section officer will prepare and submit drafts with note to higher authority.
 The name, designation, telephone number of the officer, over whose
signature the communication is to issue will consistently be specified on the
draft.
 A slip bearing the expressions ‘Draft for Approval’ will be attached to the
draft.
 The appropriate priority marking will be indicated on the draft.
 TYPES OF LETTER (135-147)

 Official Letter  Copy circulated/ Endorsement

 Office Memorandum  Notification
 Office Order  Resolution
 Circular  Press communiqué/ Press Note
 Demi-official Letter  Fax, email, SMS etc
 Unofficial Note  Notice
TIME LIMITS FOR DISPOSAL (176-180)

 Officers at all levels will decide cases quickly.

 The following time limits will be observed for the disposal of a case:
 Section Officers- 72 hours
 Deputy Secretaries- 48 hours
 Other Senior Officials- 24 hours

1st Reminder!!! Within 15 Days

2nd Reminder !!! D.O. Letter- DS
Decision Taken by JS or Above
 MEETING: MINUTES & WORKING PAPERS
 Different Meetings:
 such as- Monthly Co-ordination Meeting, ADP Review Meeting, Budget
Review Meeting, Inter-ministerial Meeting, Video Conference etc.
 Working Paper:
 Relevant elaborated points to be discussed in a meeting.
 Minutes:
 Aggregated written documents of decisions and discussions of a
meeting.
 Minutes is to be approved and issued within 3 working days of holding a
meeting.
 CHAPTER 6: INSPECTION (192-199)

 Inspection means careful examination of an office or section with

reference to its working condition, standard of discipline, out-put of
work and other allied matters.
 Section officer -- once in every month.
 Deputy Secretary -- once in every four months.
 Joint Secretary or equivalent -- in logical time interval.
CONTD…..

Points to be considered in inspection:

a) Office arrangement and Performance

b) Use of Government Property

c) Working Conditions

d) Security and Discipline

e) Cash and Accounts

f) Receipt and Dispatch Inspection Report followed by

Broadsheet Reply
COMMUNICATION WITH FOREIGN GOVERNMENT ETC.

 Communication with Foreign Government

 Any written communication through Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 Communication of International Agencies
 Direct written communication if there is no policy issue
 Communication with Diplomatic Mission of Bangladesh in abroad
 Generally through MoFA
 Communication with Foreign Diplomatic Mission in Bangladesh
 Generally through MoFA
LAW MAKING PROCESS ( INS.227- 241)

 Initiative for law making

 Sending proposal to Legislative and Parliamentary Division

 Preparation of draft by LPD

 Examination of draft Bill by the Administrative Ministry

 Submission before the cabinet for sending to Parliament

 Minister of the Administrative Ministry raise the Bill to the Parliament

CHAPTER 7: PERMANENT SECURITY
 Using security related equipment and creating awareness (CCTV, Hand Metal Detector, Scanning
Machine etc.)

 Arrangement for Fire Protection (Fire Extinguisher, Alternative Exit, Essential Phone Numbers
etc.)
 Standard Security Pass for Officers/Staffs

 Security Pass for the visitors

 Using security sticker of Ministry of Home Affairs

 Car Parking in a specified place and security checking

 Security monitoring at the time of leave especially quite long leave
 Electronically monitoring
 CHAPTER 8: PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY

Citizen’s Charter( Ins.-295):

 Raising Voice by the Citizen

 Commitment of the Service Providers

 Treating Citizens as Customers

 SAMPLE CC

CC-CNTD..
 ISSUES RELATED TO SERVICE
DELIVERY(INS.260-263)

 SPS

 HELP DESK

 PUBLIC FEEDBACK MANAGEMENT

 RTI
 COMEDY DIALOGUE BETWEEN SECRETARY AND
MINISTER IN ‘YES MINISTER’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qzg11OSLLGQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmOvEwtDycs
THANK YOU