DCs appeal for more powers rejected

LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam talks to reporters at Secretariat in the capital on Wednesday. Photo: TV grab

The LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam today rejected the proposal of deputy commissioners for seeking authority to remove the public representatives at the lowest tier of local government if they are found involved in illegal and anti-people activities.

"An elected representative should be punished or rewarded by another elected representative. All public representatives favour it. And now the minister concerned is entrusted with it and existing law will be as before," he said adding that government has no plan of changing the existing law upon the DCs’ proposal.

He was talking with reporters after having discussion with deputy commissioners on the second day of the three-day DC conference at Secretariat in the capital.

In a written proposal to the Cabinet Division, the DCs of Pabna, Sirajganj, Mymensingh, Gazipur, Jamalpur and Rajbari have called for empowering the divisional commissioners and/ or the director of local government to remove the public representatives at the lowest tier of local government in cases of illegal activities.

The proposal was on the agenda of the second day of the conference when the LGRD minister, the secretary and other officials of the Cabinet Division were present.

Ashraf also said that the government has no plan to hold the zila parishad election at this moment.

"Before holding election, we all have to determine the jurisdiction of the zila parishad. We also have to consider the necessity of the zila parishad," Ashraf said.

Meanwhile, the Awami League-led grand alliance government in 2011 appointed administrators to 61 zila parishads without three hill districts with a promise to hold the election within next six months. Most of the administrators were top Awami League district level leaders.

The LGRD Minister said the DCs had proposed a total of 27 proposals and most of the proposals were logical and his ministry would implement the proposals in future.

"This ministry is not sexy one and it doesn't get high publicity... But this ministry is related with every people of the country," Ashraf said.