Whither local government

WHEN the diagnosis of a disease is rendered impossible by its conflicting symptoms finding its cure is really difficult. It may be as impossible like searching out an oasis in a large hazy desert where floating sands whipped up by wicked winds have driven the visibility to near zero. The extensive use of these metaphors here is intended to unmask the layers of wicked covers concealing the real character of the lowest level local government body, called the union parishad (UP) in this country. While a few exceptions may be there, such exceptions are very far between. The examples of the rare ones would only confuse the concerned in planning a strategy for the recovery of the UPs, which were supposed to be the bed-rocks for rural development but have actually become the agents for decadence.
A recent discourse in Dhaka on the role of union parishads in preventing corruption, held in the conference room of local government engineering department has, for the obvious reason, heard conflicting opinions about the current state of the UPs. One speaker -- the Chairman of the Transparency International Bangladesh, said UP chairmen and members should be brave enough to resist dishonest moves of local lawmakers and public servants for which people have to suffer in the long run. Apparently, he has suggested that the elected leaders of these local parishads may not be courageous; but they are not corrupt. On the contrary, another speaker -- a lady professor of the public administration department of the Dhaka University (DU) -- argued that if UP chairmen and members are to fight corruption, they should first establish that they are above the vice. She said currently records kept in the UPs are in most cases either false or fabricated. Obviously, hers is an accusation of downright dishonesty, which implies that most of those berthed in the UPs as elected leaders are not themselves honest. If the theory of widespread criminalisation of politics in this country, as has been having currency over many years, is correct, her perception should receive wider acceptance in all concerned circles, particularly among those who are at the helms and pledge-bound to perfect democracy in this country.
Constructing a building from the roof, instead of from the foundation, is a weird proposition. No less astonishing is an idea that democracy, which relies on a mass base, can be perfected from the top. Only a monarchy, where law is the command of the supreme authority, may not require a mass base. It can be raised and installed at the top without the consent of the people concerned. For the obvious lack of a foundation, it also crumbles like a house of cards whenever a wind of change builds up and strikes it hard. Massive dishonesty in the lowest level local government institutions, called the UPs, as noted by the professor of public administration department, DU, serves as an indicator about the weak foundation of democracy in this country.
The interim government, being led by a group of highly intelligent and educated individuals, may not ignore the long-held belief that "People get the government they deserve". If they really accept the validity of this view, they ought to clean the stable from where the garbage has built up and flown in. They should set quite a good number of examples of such cleaning across the country in order to pluck off the roots of the rot that plagued democracy in this country. Waters collected from sweet water rivers need not be desalinated before consumption. Strengthening the local government institutions prior to the proposed cleansing would be worse than consuming saline waters.