While receiving the final report from the Local Government Reform Commission at the State Guest House Jamuna on Sunday, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus underscored the need to translate local government reform proposals into action, adding reforms must not merely remain confined to paper only.
However, the Local Government Reform Commission, led by Professor Tofail Ahmed, submitted a comprehensive report after months of research, fieldwork and stakeholder consultations. It contains a series of far-reaching proposals and recommendations aimed at improving efficiency and accountability of local government institutions.
We welcome the latest reforms report with much enthusiasm with full agreement to the CA's call. Such crucial report is meant to translate its recommendations into action rather than just remain in papers gathering dust in some confined cabinet.
Formed in last year's November, the 8-member reform commission was tasked with examining and proposing reforms across various tiers of local government including Union Parishads, Municipalities, UpazilaParishads, ZilaParishads and City Corporations.
Nevertheless, a robust and pro-people local government in Bangladesh is essential for effective service delivery, promoting democracy at grassroots level while facilitating sustainable development. It enables balanced regional development and improved participation of women in economic activities by decentralizing power besides empowering local institutions. Strong local government also plays a key role in ensuring needs and concerns of local communities and design plans and strategies corresponding to local contexts.
In our circumstances, a stable and functioning Union Parishad is crucial for long-term development of rural communities and strengthening democratic practices. In addition, Union Parishads can play important role by responding to local demands. For instance, they can provide a framework for women's participation in political decision-making thus, incorporate women to the heart of local development. In Bangladesh, it has been witnessed thatwhen elected as chairpersons or general members, our women are frequently ignored during decision-making processes due to gender disparity. Moreover, women'sregular participation in local government will create a pluralistic and integrated society.
The problem, however, administrative authorities at our local government offices tend to be bureaucratic and estranged from the people. As a result, our local communities for too long have been unable to fully participate in numerous local government activities. Fragility of local government's socio-economic base also continues to be a major impediment to democratic education.
To cut a long story short, our bureaucrats at the local government level needs to be more proactive and bring all stakeholders under a single umbrella, so to put papers into practices.
We look forward to quick and effective local government reforms to be implemented soon.
