New telecom state minister Tarana Halim says her ministry will remain corruption-free

Tarana Halim (File Photo)

After assuming charge at her Secretariat office, new State Minister for Post and Telecommunications Tarana Halim has said her door will always be closed to the lobbyists.

She went to the Secretariat on Thursday, two days after taking oath.

The ministry was without a minister for nearly 10 months since the removal of the then cabinet minister, Abdul Latif Siddique, for his controversial remarks on Hajj.

Halim, a reserved-seat MP, refused to sit on the chair used by Siddique. Another chair was arranged for her at the office.

The former actress, however, told journalists not to interpret the matter ‘wrongly’.

“Please don’t misunderstand me. The chair on which I sat is not that of the [cabinet] minister. The minister’s chair has been kept aside,” she said.

“I cannot use the minister’s chair. I am using this office temporarily. I have sought another office for me. This is the place for a cabinet minister,” she said.

“A state minister’s chair should be smaller,” Halim told reporters with a smile.

She later met ministry officials.

She also said she would not allow any corruption in the ministry.

“I won’t say that entry is restricted for the private telecom operators because they may have legitimate work.

“The ministry’s door will always be open for legitimate work and shut for illegitimate ones,” Halim said.

She said the ministry was free of corruption and it would remain so.

The new state minister said she would prepare a 90-day work plan based on priority.

“I will strengthen those divisions under the ministry that need to be revamped to prevent drain of revenue from the country. This revenue will then be used for development work,” she said.

Steps would be taken to strengthen state-owned mobile phone operator Teletalk and collect the dues of the telecom sector, she added.

– See more at: http://bdnews24.com/politics/2015/07/16/new-telecom-state-minister-tarana-halim-says-her-ministry-will-remain-corruption-free#sthash.ToBNyfMi.dpuf

Source: Bd news24

1 COMMENT

  1. Its like a fresh breeze of sanity as Tarana vows to keep her Ministry corruption free. Good luck to the Minister. She for sure carries a positive image.

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