UP chairmen blast MPs for interference in local govt
Twenty union parishad chairmen, a ruling party MP, and local government experts yesterday blasted lawmakers for their “shameful†interference in test relief, food-for-work, and other social safety net programmes carried out at union level.
They also criticised the government for showing “double standard†regarding strengthening the local government bodies.
The government says many things about empowering local bodies but did very little to make the UPs effective, several UP chairmen told a discussion in the capital's Cirdap auditorium, where they also shared the obstacles they face for interference.
A three-time UP chairman and current Awami League lawmaker from Gazipur, AKM Mozammel Huq, said, “There is no other country in the world except Bangladesh where lawmakers' main interest is in test relief, food-for-work programmes, appointments in local educational institutions, and other money-related activities at local level.â€
Lawmakers should attend to making laws, for what they are elected, but unfortunately, they just do the opposite and show interests in different "grants", he said.
“Why an MP will meddle in development activities at local level? Huq wondered. "If he wants to do so, he can participate in the local level elections.â€
Huq, also chief of the parliamentary body on the law ministry, said the government talked about empowering local government and parliament also passed laws to this effect, but nothing more was done so that the UPs could work or take decision independently.
Amid huge support from the UP chairmen and members, he said that according to the union parishad law, seven ministries were identified, local level activities of which should be run by the UPs. “But [works of] not a single ministry were handed over to union parishads ever after four years of the law's passage."
The fact is the government wants that the local government bodies should remain subservient to the central government, he observed.
Krishnalal Guho, chairman of Amra Jhuri union parishad in Kaukhali Upazila, said due to interference of local MPs, he could not implement development plans of his UP.
Another UP chairman said he could not give tube wells to the right persons in his areas due to interference from the local lawmaker. “The MP sent me a note asking me to give a tube well to a man of his choice,†he added.
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