Appointment of administrators: 'Accommodation' of party leaders in local government
The government led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has appointed administrators to 11 city corporations and 42 district councils across the country. All those appointed to these positions are BNP leaders.
Some of them contested in the 13th national parliamentary election and lost, while others were denied party nomination. In effect, the move is being viewed as a form of “political rehabilitation.”
Despite a return to normal conditions after the parliamentary election, the decision to appoint administrators in local government bodies instead of holding elections has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP).
Leaders of these parties say the BNP is attempting to establish control over local government institutions through such appointments and gain an advantage in upcoming local elections.
During the tenure of the interim government, administrators were appointed to local government bodies under special circumstances. Following that precedent, the BNP government has appointed administrators to city corporations and district councils under the Local Government (City Corporation) Act, 2009 and the District Council Act, 2000. Both laws stipulate that an administrator cannot remain in office for more than 180 days.
In its election manifesto, the BNP had pledged to ensure that representatives at all levels—from local government to parliament—would be elected through direct voting. However, after forming the government, questions have arisen as it has started appointing administrators instead of moving toward elections, despite the country’s situation being normal.
10 of 42 administrators defeated or denied nomination
Most recently, on Sunday, the Ministry of Local Government appointed new administrators to 42 district councils. Until then, deputy commissioners (DCs) had been serving as administrators of the district councils.
Among those appointed, at least 10 are individuals who contested the national election as BNP nominees and were defeated. They include Sohel Hossain Kaikobad of Kurigram-2, Harunur Rashid of Chapainawabganj-3, Obaidul Haque Nasir of Tangail-3, Syed Emran Saleh of Mymensingh-1, Saiful Islam of Rangpur-6, Syed Moinul Hasan Sadiq of Gaibandha-3, Sheikh Mohammad Zakir Hossain of Bagerhat-2, SM Monirul Hasan of Khulna-6, Masud Rana Pradhan of Joypurhat-1 and Abdul Majid of Jhenaidah-2.
Sohrab Hossain, a former member of parliament who was denied party nomination in Kushtia-3, has been appointed administrator of the Kushtia District Council. In Bhola, district BNP convener Golam Nabi Alamgir has been appointed administrator. Although he initially received party nomination for Bhola-1, he later withdrew in support of Andaleeve Rahman Partha of the Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP).
Same pattern in city corporations
A similar pattern is evident in the 11 city corporations, where those appointed as administrators include BNP leaders who either lost in the election or were denied nomination.
In the latest phase, administrators have been appointed to Barishal, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Rangpur and Cumilla city corporations. Those appointed are Bilkis Akter Jahan Shirin in Barishal, Mahfuzur Rahman in Rajshahi, Ruknuzzaman Rokon in Mymensingh, Mahfuz Un Nabi Chowdhury in Rangpur and Md Yusuf Mollah in Cumilla. All five are BNP office-bearers.
Earlier, on 23 February, the government appointed administrators to six city corporations, including Dhaka North and Dhaka South. In Dhaka South, BNP leader Md Abdus Salam, who did not receive party nomination, was appointed. In Dhaka North, Md Shafiqul Islam Khan, who lost in Dhaka-15, was appointed after contesting against Jamaat ameer Shafiqur Rahman. In Khulna, Nazrul Islam Manju, who contested as a BNP candidate in Khulna-2, lost to a Jamaat candidate. In Sylhet and Narayanganj, Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury and Md Sakhawat Hossain Khan were denied party nomination. In Gazipur, Md Shawkat Hossain Sarkar had been a parliamentary candidate for Gazipur-2 following an increase in constituencies, but later could not contest after the High Court declared the expansion invalid.
On the issue, Salahuddin M Aminuzzaman, a former professor of Public Administration at the University of Dhaka, told Prothom Alo that appointing party-affiliated individuals as administrators is not only a way to control local government institutions but also to bring party’s own people to the forefront. He added that many of those appointed lack relevant experience.
He noted that there was a special context during the interim government, but now an elected government is in power. In such a situation, appointing administrators instead of taking initiative for elections represents a deviation, and holding elections would have been the better course of action.