Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, is one of the most populous and most polluted cities in the world. For a long time, it has faced challenges in providing fundamental citizen rights because its multiple—but uncoordinated—service‑oriented organizations, such as the City Corporation, WASA, DPDC, DESCO, BRTA and DMP, have operated independently.
To address the growing challenges of delivering basic civic services and protecting citizen rights amid rapid population growth and mismanagement among these agencies, the Local Government Reform Commission (LGRC) has proposed creating a two‑tier City Government in Bangladesh, modeled on the local‑government structures of London, Los Angeles County, Melbourne, Singapore and Toronto.
The Commission recommends piloting this City Government initially in the country’s largest cities, Dhaka and Chittagong, and empowering the City Corporation—by amending the Local Government (City Corporation) Act of 2009—to coordinate and supervise other service providers such as WASA, DESCO, BRTA, DMP and RAJUK.
LGRC, headed by Prof Tofail Ahmed, submitted its 515‑page report to Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Sunday, aiming to strengthen local government and make it more effective. This plan appears on the Commission’s list of long‑term recommendations.
LGRC suggests merging the existing Dhaka North and Dhaka South City Corporations into a single entity and forming at least 20 independent City Councils by combining all the wards of the two corporations. Each City Council would provide community policing, fire safety, mosquito control, primary healthcare, education, waste management, footpath, road and culvert maintenance, trade‑licence issuance, and the upkeep of parks and water bodies within its area. Initially, the LGRC proposes councils for Banani‑Baridhara‑Gulshan, Uttara East‑West, Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Tejgaon, Bashundhara, Ramna, and others.
Mayor election system
In each City Council, there will be roughly nine to fifteen wards. Councillors will be elected by the direct vote of local residents, and one‑third of the seats in each council will be reserved for female councillors, also chosen by direct vote.
Once elected, all councillors will vote to select the city corporation mayor. Any citizen meeting the eligibility criteria may contest the mayoral post; however, district commissioners and other government officials within the City Corporation’s jurisdiction—though considered equal to councillors—will neither be eligible to stand for mayor nor to vote in the mayoral election.
How does this System work in other countries?
The Commission report also offers a brief overview of established city‑government systems in London, Los Angeles County, Melbourne, Singapore and Toronto.
In London, the Greater London Authority (GLA) oversees strategic governance across 1,579 km², sharing local‑government responsibilities with 32 London borough councils and the City of London Corporation. The GLA was established to enhance coordination among these authorities.
The mayor of London serves as the capital’s primary representative, setting policy direction, proposing the GLA’s budget and appointing key officials to citywide bodies such as Transport for London.
In the United States, Los Angeles County—located in southern California—is the most populous county, with over 10 million residents. Covering approximately 4,753 square miles, it encompasses 88 cities (including Los Angeles) as well as unincorporated areas. Governed by a five‑member Board of Supervisors, it maintains its own sheriff’s, fire and public‑health departments.
In Australia, Greater Melbourne covers over 9,900 km² and is home to around 5 million people across 31 local government areas (LGAs), including the City of Melbourne, City of Yarra and City of Greater Dandenong.
These councils oversee services such as waste management, planning permits and community programs, while metropolitan planning and strategic coordination fall under the Victorian State Government’s Department of Transport and Planning, guided by long‑term frameworks like Plan Melbourne.
In Canada, Toronto operates as a single‑tier municipality responsible for all local services without an upper municipal body.
The Toronto City Council—comprising the mayor and 25 city councillors—is directly elected; the Mayor serves as the city’s chief executive, setting priorities and representing Toronto at all levels. A City Manager administers service delivery through various departments and divisions.
What the commission leaders are saying
On November 17, 2024, the interim government formed the eight‑member LGRC, which includes Prof Dr Ferdous Arfina Osman (former chair, Public Administration, Chittagong University), AMM Nasir Uddin (former chair, Public Administration, Dhaka University), Advocate Abdur Rahman (Supreme Court), Dr Mahfuz Kabir (director, BIISS), Mashuda Khatun Shefali (executive director, Nari Uddug Kendra), Prof Dr Md Tariqul Islam (Government and Politics, Jahangirnagar University), and a student representative.
After submitting the report, LGRC head Prof Tofail Ahmed remarked: “We recommend that the Consensus Commission review and reflect on the report. In the first part, we focused on structural reforms, and in the second part, we proposed a framework that ensures practical and scalable change. Our goal is to make local governments smarter and more efficient in providing public services.”
