Autonomous, efficient and decentralised local government needed

Public representatives are neglected and deprived of the facilities of the local government due to the influence of the central government and politicisation. There’s no autonomy here and the people also are not comfortable with the services.

If a change in the local government system is to be brought about, it has to be freed from central control and a balance of power has to be struck between the posts of councilors and mayors or chairmen. Plus, instead of going on throughout the year, the local government elections should be held simultaneously.

These observations came up in a roundtable titled ‘Towards Effective, Transparent and Accountable Local Governance’ held at Prothom Alo office in Karwan Bazar area of the capital on 24 November 2024.

It was jointly organised by UNDP’s Strengthening Institutions, Policies, and Services (SIPS) project and Prothom Alo, supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), with research support from the Centre on Budget and Policy (CBP), University of Dhaka.

During the roundtable head of the Local Government Reform Commission Tofail Ahmed said, “The local government is neglected here. Some institutions have been established but a system has not been created. There has been no decentralisation.”

“There has to be a singular local government act and the collective leadership method has to be adopted here. Plus, there a major change has to be brought into the financial system. It’s not certain in what amount will they collect taxes. If needed, they have to go for sharing the revenue.”  

Speaking on the village court, Tofail Ahmed said that the local government comes under the executive and the task of judiciary cannot be given to them. But, there can be arbitration with accountability. It’s not right to trust an elected political leader with judicial authority.

Mentioning the days following the mass-uprising of 5 August as highly significant, Tofail Ahmed said that it’s time to paint a new picture. After reforming the relevant features of the law, local government election can be held within a year.

Another member of the local government reform commission, Mahfuz Kabir said that the area of service is huge in the local government but there is dissatisfaction regarding their services. He also stated that many of the public representatives are reluctant to collect holding taxes in fear of becoming unpopular. This should be a change in this.

Mentioning that it’s necessary to hold local government elections going beyond the party symbols professor at the Development Studies department of Dhaka University Kazi Maruful Islam stated that the central government has a lot of control over the local government.

The sphere of the local government, which is an autonomous government, gets shrunken. The parliament members as advisors under various names had control over it in the past years. There needs to be a change here as well. The local government needs to be autonomous, efficient and decentralised, he added.

Additional secretary at the local government division AKM Tariqul Alam said if it has to be decentralised it needs to be done only properly. Issues regarding the removal of the local government representatives can just remain in the hand of the district administration. There’s no need to come to the ministry for that.

Deputy director of the local government in Sirajganj, Tofazzal Hossain said that cashless transaction can be introduced for the services at the local government. This would ensure accountability.

Assistant resident representative at UNDP Bangladesh Anwarul Haq said that the role of the parliament members at the local government needs to be clarified. The idea of balanced authority for the councilors can be thought of in case of electing mayors or chairmen. The local government in the city should be given importance.

Women are included in the local government just for the show, commented Manusher Jonno Foundation executive director Shaheen Anam. She added that the women get elected with the influence of their relatives, father, brothers, husband or father-in-law. Basically, women are not the one being empowered.

Member of Sadaha Union Parishad in Shatkania of Chattogram, Hamida Begum also said that women are not encouraged to work in the reserved seats and they do not get the opportunity either.

On the issue of holding local government elections before the national elections, coordinator of Students against Discrimination Nazifa Jannat said that the procedure of local government elections can be started within a year after carrying out necessary reforms. Apart from that people needs to be made aware of the accountability of the local government, she said.

Member of local government reform commission and human rights activist Ilira Dewan said that every time there’s an excuse for complexities regarding the voter list in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The election commission can think about that this time.

Another member of this reform commission, Ferdous Arfina Osman said that the activities of the local government should not be repetitive. Everyone’s duty needs to be specified.

In addition to the relation between the local government and the central government should not be like that of the king and the subject, stated member of the commission Mashuda Khatun Shefali. She also called for direct election by rotation system for electing women representatives.

Member of the National Citizen’s Committee, Mohammad Miraz Mia proposed that the local government elections should be held simultaneously within the span of a month instead of going on for five whole years.

Wave Foundation executive director Mohsin Ali, youth development representative Zahid Hossain Khan, member of Kharnoi Union Parishad in Kalmakanda if Netrakona Subodh Hajong, chairman of Dhankati Union Parishad in Damudya of Shariatpur Golam Maola Ratan and Comilla University teacher Krishna Kumar Saha also spoke during the roundtable moderated by Prothom Alo assistant editor Firoz Choudhury.