Next elected govt won't hold upazila polls on schedule

Dr Tofael Ahmed speaks at a roundtable at Cirdap auditorium in the city yesterday. On his right is Prof Akhter Hossain and on his left are Mohsin Ali and Dr Salahuddin M Aminuzzaman.Photo: STAR

Speakers at a roundtable yesterday apprehended that the next elected government would not hold upazila election on scheduled time.
They called on the political parties to pledge in election manifestos that they would hold upazila polls on time.
The speakers said this at the roundtable on 'Peoples' expectation in establishing strengthened local government and democratic decentralisation' organised by Governance Advocacy Forum at Cirdap auditorium in the city.
They said the local government commission that lacks the power to look into financial necessities required by respective local areas will not be a big help in establishing a strengthened local government in the country.
The existence of financial commission, whish plans budget allocation for local areas in accordance with their requirements, especially considering ecological vulnerability and peoples' status of deprivation, has strengthened local government system in India effectively, they added.
Member of the commission Dr Tofael Ahmed said, “Financing the local government is a major problem. Separate budget must be allocated for local government, not as a whole budget allocation for local government and rural development ministry.”
“Financing is a major issue for the decentralisation of power,” he added.
Noted economist Prof MM Akash said, “Decentralisation is not enough to ensure people's rights. Enhancing capacity of the deprived and poor people through participatory democracy would work in this regard. And actual decentralisation of power will largely depend on economic independence of the individuals.”
Prof Atiur Rahman, Jatiya Party (JP-Manju) Secretary General Sheikh Shahidul Islam, Associate Editor of the daily Jugantor Sohrab Hasan and Programme Officer HRGG-PSU of Danida Sarder M Asaduzzaman also spoke at the programme moderated by Prof Dr Salahuddin M Aminu-zzaman. Coordinator of the Forum Mohsin Ali presented a keynote paper.