Activities of district council offices are being influenced by local MPs while council funds are being exploited by local leaders, a TIB (Transparency International Bangladesh) study has found.
Findings of the study styled “District councils in local government system: Challenges and solutions for good governance” were revealed at a press briefing held in the capital’s New Eskaton Road yesterday.
The study found that local MPs assert their influence over many development projects and local leaders use council funds for personal expenditure. They spend around Tk150-200 from the fund daily just on tea, and illegally occupy council property like trees, land, markets, roads, ponds and so on.
Speaking at the briefing, TIB executive director Iftekharuzzaman said: “We need an elected body to ensure that administrator represents the people and not the political parties, which is why an indirect election is a must. Incumbent and previous governments have failed to hold elections to district councils since 2000 when a law (District Council Act 2000) was passed containing the provision for indirect elections to the councils.”
An administrator recruited politically spends around Tk3,000,000 for personal usage from the fund, which otherwise could be used for development projects. An administrator receives Tk27,500 in monthly honorarium, Tk3,000 for facilitation and Tk19,000 for car fuel, though the cars are used by politicians.
“According to the District Council Act 2000, there will be a chairman, 15 members and five reserve-seat women members. The indirect election is supposed to be held by city corporation authorities, union parishad mayors, upazila parishads, municipalities and deputy commissioners,” Iftekharuzzaman said.
TIB researcher Nahid Sharmin said: “District councils take and implement projects according to the decision of the central government. The central government decides the role of administrators. For instance, the government has allocated Tk4,500,000 (annually) to the Natore district council office for development work, where the administrators were ordered to spend Tk1,100,000 (annually) on it, and the rest of the sum will be allocated for specific projects of the MPs.”
Around seven permanent committees were supposed to be formed for helping the council but none had yet been formed, she added.
Speakers said the act comes with many limitations that poses a challenge when it comes to establishing good governance. They said the law contains no provision for disciplinary action in case of a lapse in duty.
The local government has not specified the extent of power of the administrators, speakers observed.
Sharmin said the administrators have to depend on government aid for implementing any development project because of limited funds.
“On top of that, the lack of coordination between the chief executive officer and the administrators is a major reason for the inefficiency of the district councils,” she added.
TIB officials suggested an increase in council funds to lessen dependency on the government and fair distribution of work among administrators. They also recommended monthly meetings with local governments in order to form an active council.
