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Strengthening
Local Governance in Bangladesh: Issues and Agenda for Reforms
and Reorganization
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Professor
Dr. Salahuddin Aminuzzaman
Department of Public Administration
University of Dhaka
saminuzzaman@yahoo.com
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| History
of local government in Bangladesh has a long tradition and legacy.
However, the experiences over the years indicate a greater level
of "pessimism" about the role and potential of local
government system, with particular reference to rural and small
town urban local government system. An objective assessment
would reveal that none of the political regime gave due importance
to the local government system. Though two reform commission
namely Local Government Structure Review Commission 1993, Local
Government Commission 1997, and a Committee for Recommendation
of Financial Powers and Sources of Financing LG Institution
1999 were set by the political regime, but unfortunately no
substantive reform or meaningful changes took place in the role,
structure and, management of the LG in Bangladesh. Ironically
most the substantive changes and reforms of LG system took place
during the martial law regimes and or period of authoritarian
rule.
Bangladesh
at present in cross road to wards her journey to democracy.
Let us all move forward and collectively demand some meaningful
and substantive reform to develop the LG system and strengthen
the root of democracy in Bangladesh.
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| Major
Issues of Local Government Reform in Bangladesh |
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Setting
the tiers right
Upazila and Union Parishad provide both the proximity to citizens
- government close to the people-and offer the appropriate size
for scale efficiencies to be captured in the delivery of rural
services. A third tier above the Upazila, at the district level,
therefore needs to be reviewed critically. Too many tiers could
also create functional and jurisdictional conflict. |
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Review
of Reserved, Transferred and Residual Functions
Time has come for the government to review the range of functions
being carried out by the national and local government. There
should be a critical and objective assessment of the existing
three categories (Reserved, Transferred and Residual) functional
allocations between the national and local government.
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Intergovernmental
fiscal transfer policy
There should be a clear inter-governmental fiscal transfer policy
for diving resources among tiers eliminating uncertainty and
scope for political manipulation. |
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Permanent
Local Government Finance Commission.
In order to ensure objective distribution and allocation of
national government allocation to the LG bodies, there should
be a permanent Local Government Finance Commission. The
Commission will also look after auditing and financial monitoring
system of the LGs. |
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Taming
the Political Actors
The Members of Parliament (MPs) must not be involved in any
manner with the affairs of the LG units because this violates
the Principle of Separation of Power. |
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| Constitutional and Regulatory reforms |
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Take
measures for enactment of laws and if necessary amend
the constitutional provision of having local governments
at all tiers of administration. |
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Selected
sections of the Local Government Ordinances/Act related
to UP/ PS / Upazila / Zila Parshads with particular emphasis
to accountability, responsibility, transparency, relationship
with the central bureaucracy, rule making, and management
and supervision should immediately be reviewed and amended.
Local Government Legal framework must make provision to
ensure transparency and social auditing and accountability.
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Formulate
an Integrated LG legislature covering all levels of Local
Government to get an complementary relationship between
and among the levels of local bodies. |
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The
LG Act should provided legal authority to supervise and
monitor the activities of NGOs and other development actors
operating within their territorial jurisdictions. |
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Development
of procedural, legal and financial systems/ incentives
to encourage the private sector to further involve in
local level development. Make provision to allow the Local
Governments to generate funds from external sources through
negotiations and designing fund worthy projects. |
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Capacity
building
Reorganization and building capacities of the national training
institutes like NILG, BARD and RDA should be initiated to cater
the demand side of the capacity. |
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Strengthening
Local Government Association/ Forum
Efforts should be made to establish leadership forum
for the local government elected representatives to serve as
a platform for exchange and sharing of information regarding
development and other activities impacting on the community
and bilateral negotiation with the central government. The forum,
in the long run, could also provide capacity building support
as well. |
