Ehsanul Haque Jasim :
The Upazila Parishad is still now functioning nominally even after three to four months of the elections for the second time since its restoration. Instead, MPs and the civil administration play vital role in local development. Elected representatives in upazila level local government system was restored in 2009 after dissolution in 1991.
Several Upazila chairmen and vice-chairmen alleged that they are ‘powerless’ although the people have elected them for functioning in the local body. The practice is contradictory to the constitution and the ruling Awami League’s electoral pledge, which speak for a strong local government system.
According to the Upazila Parishad Act, the function of the Parishad include dealing with local administrative and establishment issues, ensuring law and order and services related to public welfare, and formulation and implementation of local economic and social development plans. But the local MP, who is adviser
to the Parishad, and the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), who is secretary, are controlling almost all Parishad functions with the central government’s blessing.
“The MPs and the UNOs are controlling everything in the Parishad. The Parishad is functioning nominally. We have no work to do,” Hasadul Islam Heera, Chairman of Chatmohor Upazila in Pabna, told The New Nation. In favour of his allegation, he said, the UNO of his upazila recently allocated fund for a government project, but he knew about the project after the fund distribution. “You can imagine how the UNO play vital role defying us. The UNO has the blessing of local MP as well as central government,” he said.
Ataur Rahman Khan, Awami League-backed chairman of Beanibazar Upazila in Sylhet, want power. Saying that the elected representatives of the Upazila Parishad have not enough power to administrate the local body, he, however, hoped that the present government would work to strengthen the local government body.
Under such circumstances, over 1,400 elected chairmen and vice-chairmen of Upazila Parishads across the country have not received any fund till now for running their offices although the elections were held in the beginning this year. The frustrated chairmen and vice of the Upazila Parishad said that the situation is quite humiliating for them.
Local government experts said that the present scenario of the Upazila Parishad is totally different from the constitution and AL’s election manifesto, as the Upazila Parishads are not yet self-reliant.
Dr Badiul Alam Majuder, secretary of Susashoner Jonya Nagorik (Sujan), said that according to the constitution, each and every upazila should be an administrative unit of the Republic. But it is not allowed to work without consulting respective MPs. According to the Upazila Parishad Act, the UNOs exercise more power, he added.
He also said that it seems the latest version of the law (as of 2011) is quite comprehensive under which the upazila system can flourish as a democratic institution but the problem lies in implementation of the law.
According to the law, accepting suggestions of the local MP is mandatory, as the Upazila Parishad will send a copy of each of the plans to the government upon accepting the suggestions recommended by the MP. On the other hand, the central government ensured the supremacy of the UNO, as nothing in the Upazila Parishad will happen without the knowledge and concurrence of the UNO. Dr Tofail Ahmed, a local goverment expert, said there would be no problem if MPs are made advisers to Upazila Parishad, but it should not be mandatory to implement the advices of MPs. Dr Reazul Hasan, another local government expert, said that there are problems in the formation of the Upazila Parishad. To make a dynamic local government, the constitution should be amended.
