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Upazila Parishads

New ones to remain meaningless too

Experts tell discussion, referring to MPs' interference

Staff Correspondent
The upcoming upazila parishads will remain as ineffective as ever unless the members of the parliament stop controlling the local government body, eminent local government experts told a discussion yesterday.
They also expressed frustration over the Election Commission's silence despite rampant violation of the electoral code by major political parties ahead of the upazila elections beginning today.
SHUJAN, a movement for good governance, organised the discussion on "the upazila parishad polls and local government reform" at the capital's Mukti Bhaban.
The upazila parishad is already a disempowered body, and the fresh elections will give birth to yet another set of toothless parishads, said Badiuzzaman Badsha, general secretary of Bangladesh Upazila Chairman-Vice Chairman Association.
As per the law, the local lawmaker is the adviser to the parishad, and it is bound to take his/her "advices", he said.
Badsha said the government had not yet resolved the clash of power among the upazila chairman, local MP, and upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) though the prime minister gave directives to the cabinet secre-
tary regarding this around three years ago.
SHUJAN General Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said, "The parishad will not be able to play its expected role unless the local MP stops exercising his/her control and the clash with the UNO is resolved."
As per the constitution and a High Court judgment, the upazila parishad is to run the affairs of an upazila, he said.
Tofail Ahmed, a noted local government researcher, said the advisers did not give advice; they issued orders.
On average, each upazila gets a Tk 50 crore budget annually, of which only Tk 1.5 crore is earmarked for the parishad, while the rest is spent by the local MP and UNO, he said.
Ahmed said the EC had remained silent while the ministers and MPs were taking part in the election campaign, enjoying the full protocol of the local administration.
Nominating candidates for the nonpartisan elections, expelling rebel candidates, and forcing applicants to withdraw candidacy are some of the blatant electoral violations, hesaid.
Former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder also spoke at the discussion, chaired by retired justice Kazi Ebadul Hoque.