Experts at a participatory discussion mentioned coordinated development planning can be a vital means of making the existing local government institutions and the Upazila Parishad and Union Parishad (UP) in particular effective and accountable. They also observed effective and meaningful UZPs and UPs is the precondition to reasonable improvement of living and livelihood condition of the grassroots population.
So, there is no alternative to make those up to the mark, they added while addressing the annual coordination meeting of “Policy Formulation for Upazila Integrated Development under Efficient and Accountable Local Governance (EALG) Project” held recently at Circuit House conference hall in Khulna. District administration arranged the meeting in association with the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
More than 100 persons comprising UZP Chairmen and Vice-chairmen, Upazila Nirbahi Officers, UP Chairmen, upazila officials from all departments and members of the civil society joined the meeting.
Deputy Commissioner Md. Helal Hossain addressed the meeting as chief guest with deputy director of Local Government Division Ishrat Jahan in the chair.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Ziaur Rahman, Dakop Upazila
Chairman Monsur Ali Khan, Upazila Nirbahi Officer(UNO) of Rupsha upazila
Nasrin Akhter, UNO of Dakop upazila Abdul Wadud, among others, also spoke on the occasion.DC Helal said ensuring transparency, accountability and citizens’ participation in different development works is very urgent to establish good governance in local government institutions.
He stressed the need for strengthening local government institutions for strong democracy and its institutionalisation at the grassroots level which is important for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
