EC grants Euro 30m for electoral roll, local govt reform
Thursday, 22 November 2007
FE Report
The European Commission (EC) is providing Euro 30 million under two financing decisions for voter registration, local government reform and activation of village courts in Bangladesh, according to an EC press release.
Improving access to justice for the poor and delivering public services efficiently through accountable local government institutions is among the top priorities on the reform agenda of the government of Bangladesh, the EC stated in the press release Wednesday.
"The Commission directly supports these reform efforts through the annual action programme 2007 for Bangladesh," it added.
Euro 10 million are made available for the activation of village courts in 400 Union Parishads (UP) throughout the country, while another Euro 5.0 million will be spent for strengthening the capacity of Union Councils and enhancing their accountability to local residents.
In response to a funding request from the Bangladesh government, the EC provides Euro 15 million for the preparation of a digital electoral roll with photographs, which will be used for local and Parliamentary elections in 2008.
This measure has been taken to restore public confidence in the electoral process.
Parliamentary elections had originally been scheduled for January 22, 2007 but were cancelled following an opposition boycott amidst allegations that the voters' list was seriously flawed.
The European Commission (EC) is providing Euro 30 million under two financing decisions for voter registration, local government reform and activation of village courts in Bangladesh, according to an EC press release.
Improving access to justice for the poor and delivering public services efficiently through accountable local government institutions is among the top priorities on the reform agenda of the government of Bangladesh, the EC stated in the press release Wednesday.
"The Commission directly supports these reform efforts through the annual action programme 2007 for Bangladesh," it added.
Euro 10 million are made available for the activation of village courts in 400 Union Parishads (UP) throughout the country, while another Euro 5.0 million will be spent for strengthening the capacity of Union Councils and enhancing their accountability to local residents.
In response to a funding request from the Bangladesh government, the EC provides Euro 15 million for the preparation of a digital electoral roll with photographs, which will be used for local and Parliamentary elections in 2008.
This measure has been taken to restore public confidence in the electoral process.
Parliamentary elections had originally been scheduled for January 22, 2007 but were cancelled following an opposition boycott amidst allegations that the voters' list was seriously flawed.