Reintroducing `basic democracy` in District Councils

THE government is set to elect their blessed candidates as the chairman of District Councils in 61 districts, except three hilly districts, in the country. News media reported that the election, indirect in nature, where the citizens are not eligible to vote rather electorates from Union Parishads, Municipalities, Upazilas and City Corporations will elect the 21-member Council comprising one chairman, 15 members, and five women members. As per the amended District Council Act 2016, the council would be elected by the local government representatives, though the provision itself is contradictory to the spirit of democracy. The District Council election law has revived the infamous Ayub’s ‘Basic Democracy’ where selected electorates were eligible to vote. We see no importance of the District Council as the body could create contradiction with civil bureaucracy and deter the development activities at district level.

The Ministry of Local Government has fixed the Election Day on December 28 and advised the Election Commission to arrange the event. Now the Commission has nothing to say except honouring the order. It seems, as per government version, the Council is nonpolitical in nature though the electorates are politically identified and elected. The politically elected representatives of different layers of local government will elect the council in an indirect exercise of people’s voting power. It goes against the very concept of democratic exercise. Reports said that ruling party blessed candidates are already set to be elected as there is no oppositions. Even other parties of the 14-party alliance are not opposing the government decision. It implies that a mocking election is ahead of.

According to Election Commission, in the 61 districts, there are 65000 elected representatives who are the electorates of the District Council election. Of the electorates, around 400 are from BNP, 55 from Jatiya Party, a small numbers are independent and the rest numbers belong to ruling Awami League. Among the electorates, more than 90 percent are from UP and Municipalities. Considering the fact it can be said AL supported people are set to be elected.

The government formed through January 5 election which was rigged unprecedentedly and non-participatory in nature has conducted several local government elections following the same manner.

The ruling Awami League earlier appointed 61 persons from amongst its local level leaders or loyalists as Administrators of the District Councils (with the rank and status of Deputy Minister). In effect, these Administrators have no functional jurisdiction or effectiveness, whatsoever, in the present centrally control bureaucracy run District Administration.

In our view, this new exercise of reintroducing ‘basic democracy’ in the country is simply an attempt to distributed favour to the local party leaders or loyalists so that they can lead a luxurious life at the cost of the state. In a country where the government is not accountable can do whatever they wish.