Upazila chairmen warn of agitation

Upazila chairmen and vice-chairmen yesterday asked the government to meet their 10-point demand by January 20 and otherwise threatened to announce tough action programme from a rally on January 21.
Saturia upazila Chairman Adv Abdul Majid Fotu announced the decision at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity.
The 10-point demand includes establishment of Upazila Parishad as autonomous body by amending relevant rules, filling up of one-third reserved posts for women immediately to make the Upazila Parishad effective, and removal of obstacles to exercising responsibility and power of upazila chairman as chief executive and exercising power by vice-chairman in absence of chairman.
Abdul Majid said the ministers had assured them that the Upazila Parishad would be made effective by December last year but the circular issued on December 30 was nothing but a jugglery of facts.
The circular defined the powers and authority of Upazila Nirbahi Officer, he said, and demanded amendment to the circular.
Abdul Majid Fotu said though they were elected in January last year, but they were kept non-functional through bureaucratic conspiracy.
Biswanath Upazila Chairman Mohibur Rahman, Nabinagar Upazila Chairman
Ziaul Huq, Manikganj Upazila Vice-chairman Ataur Rahman, Gazipur
Upazila Vice-chairman Jahangir Alam and Anwara Upazila Vice-chairman
Rehana Ferdous were present at the press conference.