Leaders of the newly elected upazila parishad vice chairmen at a view exchange meeting yesterday urged the government to amend some provisions of the Upazila Parishad Act to make the upazila parishad an autonomous body.

They also called upon the government to take measures to give charge of the parishad to vice chairmen and power to convene meeting in absence ofchairman.

They said the government also should meet their seven-point demand to end discrimination in power sharing between chairman and vice chairman at the upazila administration to make the parishad fully functional.

They also sought prime minister s interference in this regard.

They threatened a tougher agitation if their demands were not met within the shortest possible time.

The leaders said the Ministry of Local Government and Cooperatives had under mined the post of vice chairman through a gazette notification.

“We have been elected by the people through general election. We cordially want to cooperate with the Awami League (AL)-led grand alliance government to strengthen the local government, one of the key election pledges," they said.

The seven-point demand includes amendment to certain provisions of Upazila Parishad Act, power of vice-chairmen to convene meeting in absence of chairmen, cancellation of rules that undermine the authority of the vice-chairmen to ensure direct and

effective participation in different development and financial activities, declaration of the designation of vice-chairmen according to the Warrant of Precedence and Protocol, power to preside over upazila parishad meetings in absence of chairmen and allocation of cars.

Md Hossain Faku. vice-chairman of Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha, presided over the meeting.

Jahangir Alam of Gazipur Sad ar upazila, Razaul Karim of Parbatipur upazila of Dinajpur, Farzahana Wahab of Babuganj upazila of Barisa!, Joyonti Rani Sarkar of Da Kop upazila of Khulna, Nasima Akthar Bakul of Cox's Bazar upazila also spoke at the meeting.

Around three hundred of vice chairmen form all over the country attended the meeting.