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Zila parishads turn AL's political offices

TIB study finds properties of many parishads grabbed by some leaders

Staff Correspondent
The zila parishads have turned into political organisations of the Awami League as they are run by partisan administrators instead of elected representatives, says a study conducted by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).
The parishads (district councils) are being used as political offices of ruling party men and their tea and breakfast expenses are being paid by zila parishad funds. They even use official vehicles of the councils for personal purposes, it said.
Besides, properties of zila parishads in many cases have been grabbed by a section of politicians, according to the findings of the study, revealed at a press conference at BIAM Foundation in the capital yesterday.
Lack of political will and limitations in legal and administrative framework have caused zila parishads
to become ineffective, the study said.
The parishad, which is considered a vital component of the local government system, has become completely dependent on the government since the existing law gives it authority to control all activities of the district councils.
Exercise of political control on zila parishads and the influence of lawmakers have turned the bodies into organisations showing absolute obedience to the government, it said.
Besides, government officials do not want public engagements in the power structure at the district level.
All these factors have turned the zila parishads into institutions without teeth, notes the study presented by TIB official Nahid Sharmin.
Addressing the function, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said it was very urgent to hold zila parishad elections immediately to ensure people's representation in and good governance through the local government system.
TIB Trustee Board Member M Hafizuddin Khan said, "The country's local government system has been weakened due to the influence of the central government. We want an effective local government system free of the influence of the central government."
TIB has also placed nine recommendations aimed at making the district councils effective.
The recommendations include holding elections to district councils, proper distribution of work
jurisdiction between zila parishad chairmen and deputy commissioners, amending some sections of Zila Parishad Act-2000 and ensuring coordination among different local government bodies such as municipalities, city corporations and upazila parishads.
The Zila Parishad Act was formulated in 2000 to strengthen the local government system. But no election to that end has been held till now.
In 2011, the then government moved to appoint administrators to 61