UZ chairmen threaten tough movement

Upazila chairmen and vice-chairmen will go for tough movements if the government does not meet their demands.
Leaders of Bangladesh Upazila Chairman and Vice-chairman Oikya Parishad yesterday at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters' Unity announced a course of action as part of their programme including formation of human chain to realise their 10-point demand.
Their demands include formation of strong local government commission by enacting a law and a provision of separate budgets for upazila parishads.
The leaders also condemned the attack on Chairman of Biswanath upazila of Sylhet Mohibur Rahman, also co-convener of the parishad.
They said a human chain will be formed in every district of the country at 11:00am on March 15 while they will form a human chain in front of the National Press Club at 11:00am on March 30. The same day, they will submit a memorandum to the prime minister.
Convener of the parishad advocate Abdul Mazid read out a written statement at the conference.
He said bureaucrats are working against building a strong upazila parishad.
Mazid, also chairman of Saturia upazila parishad in Manikganj, said they have not yet been assigned any work since the upazila election around 14 months back, and the government failed to make a guideline in this regard so far.
The Oikya Parishad has been trying to draw the government's attention through different programmes aiming to strengthen the local governments to ensure their proper service to people but failed to do so, he added.
Their other demands include balanced distribution of funds for different tiers of local government under specific guidelines, immediate reformation of Zila Parishad by enacting a law and withdrawal of all the circulars issued by different ministries in contravention of the constitution and Upazila Parishad Act 2009.
UP chairmen Ataur Rahman, Afzal Hossain and Amirul Islam, among others, attended the press conference.