Free UP from interference by bureaucrats

A group of Union Parishad representatives yesterday demanded enactment of a law to make the Union Parishad (UP), the lowest tier of the local government, free from interference by bureaucrats and lawmakers.
They also called for steps to increase the budgetary allocation for UPs and create new sources of income for them in order to strengthen the local government.
Leaders of Swashasito Union Parishad Advocacy Group Bangladesh, a platform of UP chairmen and members, placed the demands at a press conference at National Press Club.
They urged the government to bring changes to the proposed Union Parishad bill in line with the Articles 59 and 60 of the Constitution and a Supreme Court verdict of 1992 (Kudrat-e-Elahi Panir vs Bangladesh), which mention that the UPs should be free from interference by external authorities.
The group also threatened to launch a movement and also a legal battle if their demands go unheeded.
Speaking at the press conference, noted economist Prof Muzaffer Ahmad said the local government bodies should solve local problems and work for the development of local areas on their own and there should not be any interference by lawmakers in these activities.
The people don't want to see any interference by lawmakers in the local government and also want assurance that the local government would have the control of resources, he said.
Stressing the need for decentralisation of power, he said, "The lawmakers think that they have every authority to interfere, but we have objection to this."
"We want to see an accountable government," he added.
"The role of Union Parishad in building a democratic society is immense," Prof Muzaffer said, adding that not only the chairman candidates but also the member candidates must submit affidavits containing their personal information before the election to the Union Parishad.
"We also want the Union Parishad to remain accountable to the people," he added.
Dr Badiul Alam Majumder, country director of The Hunger Project-Bangladesh, said there is no alternative to strengthening the Union Parishad to make a strong local government system.
The loan defaulters and bill defaulters should not be allowed to take part in any elections, he said.
Abul Hossain Khan, president of the Advocacy Group, said the lawmakers should not be the advisers to the Union Parishads as they would take this advantage to impose their decisions.
In his keynote paper, Matiur Rahman Tapan, general secretary of the advocacy group, demanded formation of a local government commission and an independent local government finance commission.
The allocation should be sent directly to the respective Parishad's accounts and the UP should have the authority to lease out markets and water bodies, he added.