Why political administrators?

The government has initiated a move to appoint “political administrators” in 11 city corporations across the country.

According to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives, the decision is aimed at accelerating civic services.

A senior official said a gazette notification appointing the political administrators will be issued within this week.

There are currently 12 city corporations, including Dhaka South City Corporation and Dhaka North City Corporation.

By court order, BNP leader Shahadat Hossain is serving as mayor of Chattogram City Corporation. As a result, political administrators will be appointed in the remaining 11 city corporations. At present, bureaucrats are serving as administrators in these bodies.

Following the government’s decision, there has been strong interest among leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to become administrators. Discussions are ongoing within the party over who will be appointed, and several names are being widely circulated.

Officials at the Local Government Ministry said the political administrators will serve on a temporary basis until city corporation elections are held. After elections, elected mayors will assume responsibility.

However, local government experts argue that instead of appointing political administrators, the government should hold prompt elections in city corporations and other local government bodies.

Section 25(1) of the Local Government (City Corporation) Act states that upon expiry of a city corporation’s tenure, the government may appoint a suitable person as administrator. The appointments are being made under this provision.

After the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024 following a student-led uprising, the interim government removed mayors of city corporations, district councils, upazila parishads and pourasavas in the same month. Most elected representatives had reportedly fled.

As a result, government officials in the service of the republic were appointed to these posts. Since then, local government bodies have been run by bureaucrats in addition to their regular duties.

Two additional secretaries of the Local Government Ministry are serving as administrators of Dhaka South and Dhaka North City Corporations alongside their primary responsibilities.

In Cumilla City Corporation, Rangpur City Corporation and Narayanganj City Corporation, three ministry officials are similarly serving as administrators in addition to their regular roles.

In Gazipur City Corporation, Rajshahi City Corporation, Khulna City Corporation, Barishal City Corporation, Sylhet City Corporation and Mymensingh City Corporation, divisional commissioners are carrying out administrative duties in addition to their main responsibilities.

Officials at the ministry said that government officers are struggling to manage their primary responsibilities and are unable to devote sufficient time to additional duties. As a result, service delivery has been disrupted and public suffering has increased. 

Repairing damaged roads, protecting citizens from mosquito infestation, restoring order in waste management, safeguarding city corporation assets, and easing public hardship in obtaining birth registration certificates and other documents — all these activities are progressing slowly. Consequently, urban residents are becoming increasingly frustrated with local government institutions.

A similar situation prevails in district councils, upazilas and pourasavas. The government is also considering replacing serving officials in those bodies with political administrators.

As the terms of office have expired, the Local Government Ministry has written to the Election Commission of Bangladesh to arrange elections in Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Chattogram City Corporation.

The letter was sent on 14 February, two days after the 13th national parliamentary election.

According to ministry data, the first meeting of elected representatives of DSCC was held on 2 June 2020, followed by DNCC the next day. The first meeting of Chattogram City Corporation was held on 23 February the following year.

The five-year tenure is calculated from the date of the first meeting of elected representatives.

Elections must be held within 180 days prior to the expiry of the term.

Accordingly, the tenures of the three city corporations have ended, prompting the ministry to request necessary steps from the Election Commission.

At the same time, the ministry also intends to hold elections in 204 union parishads where polls were conducted in the first phase in 2021. It has written to all deputy commissioners to inquire whether there are any legal barriers or pending cases that could obstruct those elections.

Meanwhile, on the day after assuming office, Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the government would take initiatives to hold district council, upazila and municipal elections at the earliest possible time.

However, the Election Commission is awaiting a decision by the national parliament regarding amendments to provisions on party nominations for mayoral posts in local government elections. 

The interim government abolished the use of party symbols in local government elections through an ordinance. The commission will take further steps based on parliament’s approval or amendments.

BNP standing committee member and Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said the first session of the 13th national parliament will sit on 12 March, when a decision on the matter could be made.

Commenting on the move to appoint political administrators, former head of the Election System Reform Commission Badiul Alam Majumdar told Prothom Alo that while appointing party-based administrators may reflect democratic representation, it can also open the door to patronage and political gain.

 “If administrator appointments begin now in city corporations, party discipline may also deteriorate,” he said, adding that the government should complete city corporation and other local government elections as quickly as possible.