So the present government, which has initiated reforms in local government, should ensure representation of grassroots people in local government institutions, they added.

The roundtable was organised by Local Government Policy Advocacy Forum (PAF) in association with DemocracyWatch, Democratic Local Government Programme, RTI International and USAID at Cirdap auditorium in the city.

At the roundtable, PAF also put forward recommendations for reforms in the local government institutions that it prepared in consultation at the divisional level.

"If we really want reforms and create a true democratic environment in the country, we should go for participatory democracy and ensure representatives' accountability to people," said Prof Muzaffer Ahmad.

Many are talking about autonomy of the local government institutions, but it will not work if the backward people are not represented there, he said, adding that 40 percent people of the country are poor and it is 60 percent in case of rural areas.

Prof Ahmad said it is important to make clear how the local government will be financed.

The central government may collect all types of taxes and allocate a percentage of it to local government, he noted.

Chairing the roundtable, Prof Ahmad said services like education, health and even land use plan of respective areas could be brought under the local government.

"Local government is not a mechanical issue. For its transformation, we need to change our mindset," he observed.

Local Government Strengthening Committee Member Dr Badiul Alam Majumder said strengthening local government means empowering local people, but unfortunately power has been centralised.

"Local government system should get a new shape," he said, adding that these institutions should be given functionaries and finance from the central government and necessary autonomy to solve the local problems locally.

Vested interests of UP chairmen, lawmakers and political parties in the local government institutions should be curbed for the sake of the interest of people and democracy, he added.

Another member of the committee Prof Dilara Chowdhury said a mechanism should be there to elect honest people as the representatives in the local governments.

"Specific strategies should also be formulated to ensure transparency of local government institutions," she said.

Speaking as chief guest at the roundtable, Local Government Division Secretary Safar Raj Hossain said the government is interested in allowing the local governments to work independently for solving their problems at local level.

Gazi Khorshed Alam, chairman of Purnimagati union in Sirajganj district, and AKM Mozammel Haque, chairman of Gazipur Municipality, presented the recommendations on reforms of local government institutions.

They recommended cancellation of all the laws in the local government institutions that contradict the constitution and stop intervention of the lawmakers in the activities of the local government.

Democracywatch Executive Director Taleya Rehman, Dr Tofael Ahmed of Chittagong University, and Tongi Municipality Chairman Advocate Azmatullah Khan also spoke at the programme moderated by Prof Dr Salahuddin Aminuzzaman of Dhaka University.