Give financial, political power to local govts
NGOs urge govt
Governance Advocacy Forum (GAF), a coalition of 35 non-government organisations (NGOs), yesterday called for decentralisation of administrational and financial and political power to the local government units to ensure development and reach its benefits to the people.
Announcing a weeklong campaign programme at a press conference at the National Press Club, GAF coordinator Mohsin Ali also stressed the need for setting up of a 'National Democratic Decentralisation Commission' to ensure effective decentralisation and self-governance at the local government institutions.
The speakers said articles 9, 11, 59 and 60 of the constitution clearly mentioned that establishing local government through elected representatives at all administrative units could implement development and financial policies, impose tax for local purpose and maintain their fund.
But in reality the local government could not carry out their responsibilities, they added.
They also called for formulating coordinated national democratic decentralisation policies with relevance to the constitution.
The local development could be expedited by handing over responsibility and duty with enough financial support to locally elected public representatives, they said.
At every stratum of local government, they urged the government to make provision for women as they could by rotation compete in one-third of the seats in election.
Speakers also recommended the government to put the Upazila Parishad in action, defining the logical role of MPs and upazila nirbahi officer.
Professor of the Institute of Social Welfare and Research of Dhaka University Atiqur Rahman said the clauses of the constitution related to empowerment of local government have not been implemented. “If the demands are fulfilled, local government will be powerful and our image will also be upheld in the international arena”, he added.
The recommendations from the campaign will be presented in the “Democratic Decentralisation National Convention 2010” which is likely to be held in September, said Mohsin Ali.
The campaign will be held in divisional cities, 38 districts and 23 upazilas.
Justice Golam Rabbani, a former Supreme Court judge also spoke at the press conference.
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