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UZ system may stay with new name and few changes

By Mahfuz Ullah and Nurul Kabir
The now-defunct Upazila system is likely to be retained with minor changes under a different title.
Although a bill that seeks to scrap It was introduced in the Jatiya Sangsad yesterday. Ihe ruling party is contemplating the retention of the system amid growing support for It from party man.
It Is not the pressure from the opposition parties in parliament. rather a reflection of growing consensus within the party on the issue. BNP insiders say.
Observations and comments of the BNP MPs, as gathered by The Dally Star. Indicate that the basic structure, apart from
the Judiciary, will be retained.
The system is likely to be renamed as Thana Council'.
Under the revised system, party sources say. one of the union parishad chairmen will head the organisation at thana level where the unions will be focal point of development.
Besides, the ruling party is contemplating to allocate some Judicial functions to the union parisliad.
The party is also considering an option to appoint one of the MPs from each district as district coordinator.
The administrative set-up at thana will be a federating unit of the unions, the sources say.
The upazila system was in-
troduced in 1982 through an ordinance by the former government with the objective of 'ensuring people's participation in administration and the active participation of their representatives In formulating development plans and overseeing their implementation.'
Since the introduction of the system, two electlops—one in 1985 and the other in 1990—were held to elect the upazila chairman.
The system came amid strong criticisms from the then opposition parties Including the BNP and especially the lawyers, Critics argued the system decentralised corruption when the objective was decen-
traltsatlon of administration.
In the 1985 elections, local level leaders of almost all pollt leal parties participated In the elections, although officially the parties boycotted. In the 1990 elections, the Awaml League took- part officially saying it would not let the elections go unchallenged.
The reigning Jatiya Party got the highest number of seats In the election of 1990 while Awaml League trailed behind.
The upazila system was repealed by the government through an ordinance on 23 November last year. All political parties opposed the deciston of the government and the opposition MPs blamed
1 the government for bypassing the Parliament.
The government was also quick in forming a commission with Information Minister Barrister Nazmul Huda as Its chairman to suggest measures for restructuring the local government bodies The commission is yet to finalise Its report.
Insiders'claim the decision of the government to repeal the system was a big surprise even to many of the party MPs and district leaders. BNP decided to get rid of the chairmen apprehending their intervention during the union parlshad elections, they added.
The MPs, who talked to The Daily Star, said the system would be retained primarily for two reasons: give institutional shape to democracy and create more provisions for party leaders at grass-roots level.
Barrister Nazmul Huda, chairman of the 14 member commission, when contacted, said the commission would submit its report to the government by April.