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 at Circuit House conference hall in Rajshahi. 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 eight line departments and members of the civil society joined the meeting. Deputy Commissioner Hamidul Haque addressed the meeting as chief guest with deputy director of Local Government Division Parvej Raihan in the chair. Upazila Chairmen Anil Kumar Sarker and Abdus Salam, Upazila Nirbahi Officers Sanwar Hossain and Sharif Ahmed and Upazila Vice-chairmen Mahmud Russel, Md Asaduzzaman and Momtaj Akter and District Facilitator of EALG Project Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal also spoke on the occasion. Hamidul Haque 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). Haque also said strengthening local governance has been a key focus of the government of Bangladesh and called for greater youth participation in local governance for attainment of the SDGs. “Youth participation is very important for local governance in attaining SDGs, and leaving no one behind, you have to work for it,” he added. Taking took part in open discussions the other participants put forward a set of recommendations on how to make the local government bodies effective accountable.
