Strong local government imperative for development

Chief Adviser Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed's statement (November 6) that the government is working "to strengthen the local government so that it can take its services to people's doorsteps and bring transparency and accountability in all sectors" is a very welcome one, and every sensible person would look forward to seeing the government keeping the pledge.
No central administration can function well without strong local government. In western democracies, this base administration is a powerful organisation that effectively and smoothly governs the country. Here, I would like to take this opportunity to explain the Swedish model. Most of the Western countries have more or less the same type of administrative system as Sweden's. However, I certainly do not suggest that Bangladesh blindly adopt the Swedish version for her own administration, neither do I expect the Swedish system to work perfectly well in Bangladesh .
Nonetheless, we can learn much from such an advanced system, and by adopting it with minor adjustments a far better administrative system can be established in Bangladesh, whereby peace and prosperity to our people could be ensured.
Sweden has three levels of administrations -- national, regional and local. At the national level, the Swedish people are represented by the Swedish parliament (Riksdag), which has legislative powers. The government presents proposals for new laws, and when the Riksdag accepts a proposal the government implements it.
A number of ministries and some 300 central government agencies and public administrations execute administration at national level. The administration at regional level is called Länstrrellcen, "Counties" in English. The people of the County directly elect County Council members. They have specific and limited tasks and responsibilities, which are mostly health-related.
The administration at local level in Sweden is Kommun (municipality); it is the most important organ of the administrative system of the country. Sweden has 290 Kommun, and each Kommun has an elected assembly (the municipal council), which takes decisions on municipal matters, and a Kommun executive board (appointed by municipal council) which leads and co-ordinates municipality works.
Swedish towns or cities are also divided into small Kommun, and each and every Kommun takes care of education, healthcare, housing, day-care centre, care for the senior citizens, and other socio-political activities of its population. A Kommun is also the training ground for politicians, and it is mostly through Kommun politics that national leaders emerge. A Kommun chairman in Sweden is a powerful person, and the decision of the Kommun is what matters most in local administration.
Now, if we look at the administrative system in Bangladesh we find that our Union Parishad, the lowest tier, is also the most neglected and most inefficient unit of the administrative system. Often, a police officer in a thana is more powerful than a Union Parishad chairman.
At present, it appears to me that the chairman of a Union Parishad is nothing but a subordinate to look after the personal interests of the DC, the thana nirbahi officer, and even the OC of the thana. This needs to be changed. A total overhauling of Bangladesh's administrative structure should be undertaken, and all administrative powers should be transferred to the Union Parishad.
Our Union Parishads should be re-organised in such a way that each Union Parishad will have an elected body with an independent administrative unit to execute the decisions at this level. Union Parishad members should have a reasonable salary. The executive branch of the Union Parishad should be independent, but only to carry out or execute the Union Parishad's decision.
The Union Parishad shall be responsible for primary and middle school education, healthcare, law and order, housing, care for the destitute, and employment (of men or women). In short, the Union Parishad should do everything that has to do with the welfare of its inhabitants. The Union Parishad shall even act as a primary court of justice, and all local disputes shall be mitigated in this court.
There should even be a small police force (3/4 policemen) and a jail in the Union Parishad. The DC or upazilla officer shall have no function whatsoever, and these posts may be dissolved as soon as possible. To co-ordinate activities of the central government and the Union Parishad a co-ordinating office can be established at district or divisional level.
The benefits of making the Union Parishad all-powerful will be great, and it will have tremendous consequences not only in the administrative system but also in the whole structure of the country. Rule of law, and an effective, corruption free (I mean less) administration can be established by giving power to this micro-level authority.
Union Parishad members and the chairman are local leaders, everybody knows them, and these leaders also know well who their followers are. Thus, crime levels will fall sharply in the villages, towns and cities. Unnecessary litigation organised by the local leaders, in most cases to the full benefit of some people in the towns and cities, will be settled by the local leaders at the local level.
The very fact that a group of educated people will be brought to the village by this reform will make village life more colourful and interesting. To cater to the needs of the people, lots of entrepreneurs and businessmen will also emerge in the countryside, making it more affluent and well-off.
Finally, I will cite an example on how effective the local government can be in a census. Bangladesh can count every individual, every cow, and even every goat, within a week through effective Union Parishads. The Union Parishad can find out, without much effort, how many people are employed, underemployed or starving in the union.
This body can be made responsible for assessing the food requirement in the union, the availability of food, stocking, procuring etc. etc., in a more effective way than anybody else. Giving them responsibilities means making them responsible and accountable, and, if not for the privileges but for the power, many educated people will get into local politics and do a good job.
How to finance this administrative reform? Though it may appear too expensive, it is not really. The whole new administrative apparatus can be financed easily by selling to the public all the land and buildings that the government owns in each district town. Slowly but steadily, the face of the countryside will change, adding to our development fund for restructuring local government and its activities.
Tayeb Husain is a freelance contributor from Lund, Sweden.