Councillor Posts in CCC Polls: The mad race for ‘unwritten perks’
By nature, a city councillor's job is not that attractive. On paper, elected councillors may enjoy some local repute but have little power to exercise. All they get to do is sign certificates and monitor civic services like waste management and street light maintenance in wards.
Despite that, 168 councillor candidates are competing to secure one of the 40 councillor posts in this year's Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) election. A total of 57 women councillor candidates are also battling for 14 reserved seats for women.
In this fierce competition, two supporters of Awami League (AL) died and several were injured during clashes between AL-supported and AL-rebel councillor candidates.
After witnessing such violence, the question that arises is why are candidates so zealous about getting such a minor position?
According to local government experts, a councillor has many unofficial benefits, including establishing dominance in their respective area and controlling tenders for development work to make money.
Under the law, councillors are empowered to issue 17 types of certificates, including those for birth, death, citizenship and inheritance. They get a gross monthly pay of Tk 37,500.
In addition, they attend general and standing committee meetings of city corporations, and can formulate development plans for their wards and submit them for inclusion in development programmes.
Asked why councillor posts are so attractive, Jannatul Ferdaus, a former councillor of reserved seat for women under CCC, said although a councillor's duty is limited to routine service-oriented work, those from big political parties use their position for self-interest.
They can be seen overseeing development work in respective wards, although that is not under their jurisdiction. Many of them were accused of embezzling funds allocated for their wards, she said.
As most of them are involved in a brand of politics that misuses power, it is easier for them to control an area, if they are councillors, said Jannatul, adding that they even vie in polls, defying decisions of their respective parties.
Prof Iftekhar Uddin Chowdhury, a social scientist and former vice chancellor of Chittagong University, pointed out some other reasons. He told The Daily Star that all councillors are members of general meetings of city corporations, where all sorts of policies, budgets and projects are passed.
Every councillor has the right to vote in the meetings to pass an agenda, and so they are powerful in that sense, he said. Moreover, councillors conduct arbitrations in wards. Therefore, they have unofficial scope to exercise power. Considering all this, a section of candidates is crazy for the post.
Talking to this newspaper, Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujan) Secretary Badiul Alam Majumder, also a local government expert, said the councillor post is a part time job, and councillors virtually have no power, as per the city corporation law.
"But the main reasons behind the large number of councillor contestants is nothing but their desire to establish authority in their respective areas and make a fortune by getting illegal benefits using that power," he said.
Badiul also said if a councillor belongs to the party in power, they have much more scope to exert influence and gain benefits. But it is not possible if they are from opposition parties.
Sources said councillors' main source of income is development activities in their localities, as none can usually carry out development projects without their consent. To make them happy, contractors have to pay them money.
The polls day is scheduled to be held on January 27.
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