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Download PDF Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday hoped the government will soon be able to build a strong, transparent and accountable local government on the basis of the recommendations made by a committee to effectively provide desired services for the grassroots people.
He mentioned some of the recommendations like preventing unwanted interference in local government institutions by members of parliament and formation of a permanent and neutral local government commission.
The CA made the remarks while inaugurating the “Elected Representatives of Local Government Institutions Conference 2008″ organised by the Local Government Division of LGRD and cooperatives ministry at National Parade Square in the city.
The conference was organised to mainly disseminate the recommendations made by the committee for accelerating and strengthening the local government. A summary report of the committee was also delivered to the audience and participants.
Advisers to the present caretaker government, distinguished personalities and high civil and military officials were present at the function.
On June 3, 2007, the government constituted a seven-member committee on “Accelerating and Strengthening Local Government”, headed by former Secretary AMM Swakat Ali, and the committee has already submitted a report with recommendations to the government.
Member secretary of the committee and Joint Secretary of the Local Government Division Mizanur Rahman presented the summary of the report at the function chaired by LGRD and Cooperatives Adviser M Anwarul Iqbal.
Committee Chairman AMM Sawkat Ali also spoke on the occasion.
About 10,000 chairmen, ward commissioners and members of union parishads, municipalities and city corporations from across the country attended the conference.
The CA said apart from expediting local development, the government through effective decentralisation will be able to build a strong and partnership-oriented democratic system which will intensify the nation’s struggle against poverty, illiteracy, malnutrition and corruption.
The head of the caretaker government informed that he has already directed the authorities concerned to review the recommendations of the committee and implement it quickly.
He told the elected local government representatives that they would help further advance the reform activities of the government by making valuable suggestions and recommendations on problems and prospects of the local government institutions through open discussion in the conference.
Referring to the government’s anti-corruption drive to rid the society of the curse of corruption, the CA said enough successes have already been achieved from the drive and a good number of corruption suspects have been punished by courts.
He hoped that local government and representatives of local government would play a stronger role in preventing corruption and building a social movement against the corruption across the country.
About general election by 2008, the CA said the Election Commission is working as per its announced roadmap to hold a free, fair and credible election and the government is extending all-out cooperation in implementing the roadmap.
In this regard, he mentioned completion of enrolling over 20 million voters with photographs by the Election Commission.
Appreciating the activities of the local government representatives in facing the two back-to-back floods and Cyclone Sidr, he said the government has successfully faced the aftermath of the cyclone with the help of all.
He said the relief operation was carried out fairly and hoped that rehabilitation programme would also be completed smoothly and properly.
The recommendations of the seven-member committee on “Accelerating and Strengthening Local Government” also include raising the number of wards in nnion councils to 15 from 9, fixing the number of directly elected members of district councils at between 20 and 35 on the number of upazilas in a particular district, raising the reserved seats for women members from the existing 30 percent to 40 percent for the next three elections on rotation basis, recognising the elected chairman at municipality level as “mayor” and the elected commissioners of municipalities and city corporations as “Councillors”.
It also recommends that all local government institutions will bring out “Citizen Charter” and update it every year.
As per the recommendations, if a candidate is found guilty of criminal offence by court and imprisoned for at least six months and five years have not passed after his release, he will not be eligible to contest the election.
If any loan of a candidate taken from the council remains outstanding or if the candidate has any financial liability with the council and if he is a member of another local government institution or national parliament, if he was dismissed from service of a semi-government organisation, autonomous body, cooperative society due to moral turpitude, corruption, misconduct so on and five years have not passed since his dismissal, he will be disqualified for contesting the election.
January 6th, 2008 at 7:48 am
[...] Strong local govt soon to serve the grassroots financial liability with the council and if he is a member of another local government institution [...]
January 12th, 2008 at 7:43 am
[...] Strong local govt soon to serve the grassroots financial liability with the council and if he is a member of another local government institution [...]