Conflict with ministry weakens local govt

Speakers disclosed this at a two-day meeting organised to exchange opinion at Satkhira district scout office on May 14 and 15.

A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Uttaran arranged the meeting in assistance with USAID-funded Local Government Initiative (LGI) and implemented by ARD Inc USA. Civil society members, teachers, lawyers and journalists took part in the meeting.

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Speakers identified other factors such as non-co-operation of law makers with local government representatives, violation of the UP manual by both the law makers as well as the central government, tendency to keep woman representatives non-functional, apathetic attitude towards the representatives of the opposition political parties and insolvency of administrative institutions at the grass roots level as other major obstacles.

Participants stressed the need for strengthening the local government bodies in accordance with the law and UP manual for uplift of rural people as well as to institutionalise democracy.

Rezaul Islam, Selim Morul, Abu Musa and Kazi Shahidul Haq Raju were the main discussants while civil society members Anisur Rahim, Editor, of local daily The Satkhira Chitra, advocate Shah Alam, former general secretary of the bar association, Ashraf Ali Siddique, Headmaster, Dhulihar High School, Shahnaz Parvin, Director, Labanya moyee Mahila Sangstha, Tahmina Islam, Director, Ananya Mahila Sagstha and Sheikh Farid Ahmed Moina addressed.