Officials Must Remain in Offices for Morning Period

The Cabinet Division of Bangladesh has issued a directive requiring all officials and employees of government, semi-government, autonomous, and semi-autonomous organisations to remain present in their offices daily from 9:00 am to 9:40 am. The move aims to enhance citizen services, ensure administrative efficiency, and strengthen inter-departmental coordination.

According to the recent circular, this 40-minute mandatory presence period is designed to prioritise public convenience and accountability. Officials are expected to be seated at their desks and ready to address administrative tasks or respond to citizen queries. While they may leave for official or personal work after this period, prior permission from relevant authorities is required.

This directive represents a reinforcement of earlier regulations issued between 2019 and 2021, highlighting the government’s ongoing focus on punctuality and workplace discipline. Field offices, including those under District Commissioners and Upazila Executive Officers, are expected to implement the policy rigorously. Any violation may result in disciplinary measures under the Government Employees (Regular Attendance) Regulations, 2019 and other relevant conduct rules.

Officials are also instructed to arrive at their workplace before 9:00 am and remain in the office until the official closing time, typically 5:00 pm. Attendance must be recorded through digital registers, which are now mandatory across government departments, ensuring proper monitoring of punctuality and presence.

The Cabinet Division emphasises that this step is intended to improve service delivery and reinforce accountability. By ensuring that all staff are present at the start of office hours, the government aims to prevent delays in administrative processes and provide citizens with a reliable and responsive public service experience. Officials in offices serving high volumes of public visitors, such as revenue offices, civil administration units, and licensing authorities, are expected to implement these rules strictly.

Experts note that such measures, if effectively enforced, can lead to enhanced administrative coordination, smoother inter-departmental communication, and a reduction in service delays. Moreover, by combining mandatory presence with digital attendance tracking, the government hopes to promote a culture of responsibility, punctuality, and transparency among employees.

Morning Office Presence Directive Summary

By formalising a strict morning attendance period and integrating digital tracking, the government seeks to foster discipline and accountability, ensuring that officials are fully engaged during key office hours. Citizens are expected to benefit from improved responsiveness, while departments are better positioned to achieve timely execution of administrative duties.

This directive reflects the government’s broader effort to modernise public administration, balancing structured oversight with enhanced service delivery, thereby strengthening trust between the state and its citizens.