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Stop interfering in dev affair of UP

Chairmen, members urge lawmakers

Staff Correspondent
Union Parishad chairmen and members from across the country at a national convention yesterday demanded that lawmakers stop their interference in the development affairs of union parishads.
They also demanded the government increase their budgetary allocation in order to strengthen the local government system.
President of Bangladesh Union Parishad Forum Mahbubur Rahman Tulu said they had decided to wage a movement if the government
keeps any provision in the proposed bill with a motive to directly control the union parishads.
Earlier in the last session of the parliament LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Syed Ashraful Islam placed a bill in the House proposing to enact a lawon Union Parishad.
The deputy commissioners, in the proposed bill, were empowered to remove the UP chairmen from their positions if allegations are found against them and they will be removed after investigation.
All the successive governments have
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weakened the union parishads, the lowest tier of the local government system, though the UP representatives keep the closest contact with local people, speakers at the convention lamented.
Lawmakers, on the odier hand, said they are not the opponents' of UP representatives rather they complement each other and will place their logical demands before the parliament.
Bangladesh Union Parishad Forum organised the National Convention 2009 at a city hotel where around one thousand UP chairmen and members were present.
Bazle Rezby Al Hasan, chairman of Haripur union under Rajshahi, said the lawmakers were elected under political banners but they were elected without any political identification.
"Why do lawmaker^ hold a" share in the money being distributed in the food for work programmes?" questioned the Sylhet divisional representative.
"Don't prevent us from serving the hungry people by taking away the allocation of test relief and food for work programmes."
Hossain Sikder, chairman of Kashipur Union in Barisal sadar, said the hundred-year-old local government system is gradually being weakened.
He also said local markets, water bodies, ferryghat and khas lands are being leased out, thus crippling the union parishads financially.
Kazi Khorshed Alam, chairman of Purnimagati UP in Siraiganj, complained that their authority is being curbed day by day.
"We will seek legal help, if needed." he said, adding that the bureaucrats are trying to replace public representatives, which should be resisted.
He demanded the government allocate fund directly to union parishads so that they can do their development works.
Ataharul Islam Bulbul, general secretary of Bangladesh Union Parishad Forum, termed
the bill black law and read out their 12-point demand at the convention.
Expressing solidarity with the demands of UP chairmen and members, the lawmakers said the UPs should be financially independent
However, a commotion was caused when lawmaker Mahfuza Mandal denied the allegation of meddline into UPs' affairs and demanded shares in different allocations.
Tarana Halim MP urged the UP representatives to be united and place their demands before the parliamentary standing committee.
Justice Ghulam Rabbani said many laws are being formulated for UPs but still they cannot work independently.
He suggested introducing the local government system as per Articles 59 and 60 of the constitution immediately to
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Chairman M Hafizuddin Khan said much has been talked about the local government body on different occasions still the parishad is riddled with many problems due to lack of political sincerity.
The duty of MPs is enacting laws, not distributing rice, he said, adding that no problem would arise if everyone follows the working norms. The development of the local government bodies is not possible unless the interference of the MPs is stopped, he added.
Monowar Hossain Chowdhury, member of the parliamentary standing committee on local government, said there would be no provision of administrative interference in the functions of chairmen in the proposed bill.