Reforms in local bodies for ensuring benefit for people, says Law Adviser
Wednesday, 26 March 2008
CHITTAGONG, March 25 (BSS): Law, Justice and Religious Affairs Adviser AF Hassan Ariff said the government was working for strengthening the local government bodies and bringing qualitative changes in approaches of governance so that real stakeholders could avail themselves of the government facilities.
He said the current endeavour to bring reforms in the various tiers of the local governments was to ensure accountability, transparency and maximum participation of the people.
AF Hassan Ariff said this while speaking as the chief guest at an interactive session on "New Direction for Local Governance in Bangladesh" organised by the International Business Forum of Bangladesh (IBFB) at a local hotel in Chittagong Tuesday.
IBFB President Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury presided over the session.
Dr Mahfuzul Haq Chowdhury, teacher of the Department of Political Science of Chittagong University, Sheikh Amena Halim Baby, commissioner of the Khulna City Corporation and Rehena Kabir Ranu, commissioner of Chittagong City Corporation, among others, took part, in the discussion.
Apart from further strengthening the local government, the discussants at the function advocated formation of division-wise elected local governments like unions, upazilas and districts to ensure maximum participation of the people at the decision-making level as well as in development activities.
They also called upon the government to delegate more power to the local government bodies, including collection of local taxes, for making every unit of the local government self-reliant lessening the administration control over those.
Speaking on the occasion, the Law Adviser said the government was giving priority to the process of reforms in the local government. It also was aware of whether the interest of the stakeholders was protected and allocated public funds to the local bodies would be distributed among the real recipients, he added.
He said provisions would be incorporated in the new local government system so that the local government bodies could work smoothly and take decisions independently for the greater interest of the people.
He said the current endeavour to bring reforms in the various tiers of the local governments was to ensure accountability, transparency and maximum participation of the people.
AF Hassan Ariff said this while speaking as the chief guest at an interactive session on "New Direction for Local Governance in Bangladesh" organised by the International Business Forum of Bangladesh (IBFB) at a local hotel in Chittagong Tuesday.
IBFB President Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury presided over the session.
Dr Mahfuzul Haq Chowdhury, teacher of the Department of Political Science of Chittagong University, Sheikh Amena Halim Baby, commissioner of the Khulna City Corporation and Rehena Kabir Ranu, commissioner of Chittagong City Corporation, among others, took part, in the discussion.
Apart from further strengthening the local government, the discussants at the function advocated formation of division-wise elected local governments like unions, upazilas and districts to ensure maximum participation of the people at the decision-making level as well as in development activities.
They also called upon the government to delegate more power to the local government bodies, including collection of local taxes, for making every unit of the local government self-reliant lessening the administration control over those.
Speaking on the occasion, the Law Adviser said the government was giving priority to the process of reforms in the local government. It also was aware of whether the interest of the stakeholders was protected and allocated public funds to the local bodies would be distributed among the real recipients, he added.
He said provisions would be incorporated in the new local government system so that the local government bodies could work smoothly and take decisions independently for the greater interest of the people.