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Ashraf for partisan local govt elections

Staff Correspondent
Local government elections should be held politically where candidates would compete under the respective political parties' banners, LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam said yesterday.
"They should also have an election manifesto,” he said, adding that this would allow grassroots-level leaders to enter national politics through their participation in community development work.
As per the existing local government laws, Union Parishad, Pourashava, Upazila and City Corporation elections should be held under non-political banners.
The Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda, however, has recently said the existing laws need to be changed to allow holding of
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local government elections under political banners, adding that the government can do so if it wills.
Ashraful, also the Awami League general secretary, urged the local bodies to find new sources of revenue from their respective areas.
"The best form of local government is one that can function on its own revenues," he said while addressing the national seminar on the importance of participatory service delivery of Pourashava and Union Parishad.
Relying heavily on the central government for financial support may incapacitate the local government bodies for administrative and decisive work, the minister added.
The Municipal Association of Bangladesh (MAB) and the Bangladesh Union Parishad Forum (BUPF) with support from the USAID PROGATI jointly organised the seminar at the Sheraton Hotel in the city.
Union Parishad and Pourashava chairmen, municipal mayors, urban experts, members of the civil society, politicians and lawmakers attended the seminar.
Speakers pointed out that the local government organisations are responsible for providing the local people with many emergency supports
including health, legal and administrative among others.
"But we lack adequate skills, manpower, fund and logistic resources to provide these services to the people," said BUPF Secretary General Ataharul Islam Bulbul.
He also urged the government to empower local government bodies and increase the budget allocation for them.
Speaking as a special guest, eminent urban expert Prof Nazrul Islam said the function of local government bodies should not be confined to providing services alone.
"They should lead and guide people. All development activities in their areas should be taken under their supervision as well,” said Nazrul, who is also Chairman of the University Grants Commission.
Other speakers suggested ensuring transparency in the activities of local government bodies and bringing all their services under the roof of upazila complex to provide 'one-stop' service.
State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Jahangir Kabir Nanak, MAB President advocate Azmat Ullah Khan, General Secretary Prof Shamim Al Razi, and BUPF President Mahabubur Rahman Tuku, among others, spoke on the occasion.