NEWS report said Union Parishad Chairmen and members demanded the government to take effective actions to keep lawmakers and other politicians from meddling in the affairs of local government institutions. Not that the predicament is a new phenomenon, in fact, successive governments of the country have deliberately weakened the local government mechanism in Bangladesh so to practice full control over them. Quite often our lawmakers coupled with Chairmen of District Councils and Upazila Parishads have illegally attempted to influence Union Parishads’ activities with hidden political and financial agendas. They have even tried to exercise political authority to get hold of development projects awarded to their selected contractors by dubious means.
As a dire repercussion, it has become increasingly complex to ensure accountability and transparency of actions taken by MPs’ – thus affecting the overall development in our unions. The fact is, however, failures and weaknesses of our local institutions will continue unabated until autonomy to function is granted. Sadly, the local government bodies had never been, ‘self-governing’ bodies in the true sense in independent Bangladesh. They are mere extension of the political government with guided and limited local participation. Consequently, local governments have always been institutionally and financially weak, poorly managed and lacking in social, administrative and political credibility.
Quite shockingly, no room has been left open to hold our local institutions accountable and transparent. Misuse of resources is going unabated while corruption is unchecked individually or jointly. With regard to political interference, a recent trend has been reportedly the government to suspend UP chairmen and members on political consideration – purely based on vindictive and questionable grounds. Had a legal framework existed to ensure that no elected representative of UPs can be suspended until they are convicted by the court the prevailing vice could have been evaded. Most significantly, according to our constitution, the government should encourage the local government institutions, and not control them, but in reality administrative officials are reportedly running some Local Government Institutions, which is a clear violation of the Constitution.
Last but not least, the government will have to take full responsibility for intruding in local government affairs for turning it into a political and corrupt affiliate. It cannot get away with violating the Constitution either.
As a dire repercussion, it has become increasingly complex to ensure accountability and transparency of actions taken by MPs’ – thus affecting the overall development in our unions. The fact is, however, failures and weaknesses of our local institutions will continue unabated until autonomy to function is granted. Sadly, the local government bodies had never been, ‘self-governing’ bodies in the true sense in independent Bangladesh. They are mere extension of the political government with guided and limited local participation. Consequently, local governments have always been institutionally and financially weak, poorly managed and lacking in social, administrative and political credibility.
Quite shockingly, no room has been left open to hold our local institutions accountable and transparent. Misuse of resources is going unabated while corruption is unchecked individually or jointly. With regard to political interference, a recent trend has been reportedly the government to suspend UP chairmen and members on political consideration – purely based on vindictive and questionable grounds. Had a legal framework existed to ensure that no elected representative of UPs can be suspended until they are convicted by the court the prevailing vice could have been evaded. Most significantly, according to our constitution, the government should encourage the local government institutions, and not control them, but in reality administrative officials are reportedly running some Local Government Institutions, which is a clear violation of the Constitution.
Last but not least, the government will have to take full responsibility for intruding in local government affairs for turning it into a political and corrupt affiliate. It cannot get away with violating the Constitution either.
