Graft, red tape obstacle to development

Municipal mayors of Rajshahi division yesterday said corruption, bureaucratic tangles, and lack of economic strength of the municipalities are still hampering the progress of planned urbanisation.
They suggested the government stop arbitrary formation of municipalities, help municipalities increase tax collection rate, introduce urban microcredit, and above all empower the local government for meaningful urbanisation.
The municipality administrators also urged to hand over responsibility of khas lands, ponds, and water reservoirs to respective municipal authorities so that they can raise revenue and protect them from occupation as well.
Some 50 municipal mayors shared their problems and made recommendations at a discussion on "Role of Bangladesh municipal development fund (BMDF) in planned urbanisation" at Rajshahi Nagar Bhaban in Rajshahi city yesterday.
Mayor Shushanta Kumar Sarker of Nandigram said his municipality has not "any concrete road" let alone streetlights. About 75 percent of Nandigram people are left without electricity, he said.
Some mayors blamed their predecessors for plunging the municipality in huge debt to BMDF without implementing the development projects properly.
Moklesur Rahman of Tanore and Golam Rabbani of Mundumala said revenues at their municipalities are so little that they cannot decide now whether they will now pay off the loans first or do the deployment works they promised before election.
Bagha Mayor Akkas Ali pointed at the corruption in obtaining BMDF credits while Mayor Abdul Aziz Mollah of Joypurhat complained of delay in receiving the loans, which, he says, ultimately affects development.
Mahbubur Rahman of Bogra recommended for increasing skill of mayors for helping urban people contribute to GDP.
BMDF Managing Director KM Nurul Huda said his organisation assisted by the World Bank has already loaned Tk 450 crore to 114 city corporations and municipalities when the loan recovery rate stands at 98 percent.
He said under second phase Tk 280 crore loans will be distributed among 71 municipalities soon.
Rajshahi City Corporation Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton spoke as the chief guest at the discussion with KM Nurul Huda in the chair.
Prof Amirul Islam Chowdhury, former vice chancellor of Jahangirnagar University, World Bank representative Jahed H Khan, Additional Divisional Commissioner Swapan Kumar Roy, Municipal Association of Bangladesh President Abdul Baten and General Secretary Shamim Al Raji also spoke.