Expectations from local government commission
THEORETICALLY, good governance means "Exercise of political power to manage a nation's affairs" (World Bank 1989:5); "How people are ruled, how the affairs of the state are administered and regulated -- in relation to public administration and law" (Landell Mills and Serageldin 1991:304); "The manner in which power is exercised in the management of a country's economic and social resources for development" (World Bank 1992:1); "A judgment on the quality of government" (Jahan 1992:3).
In third world countries like Bangladesh, the concept has recently been accepted through debate and development of subsequent ideas.
Good governance addresses governance for the people and by the people, transparency and accountability in administration, efficiency, timeliness and equity in public service delivery, availability of resources and finance, pro-people planning and budgeting, development of socio-economic affairs including improvement of law and order situation, and ensuring social justice. The aforementioned aspects of governance cannot be manifested without the intervention of a decentralised local government system.
Since the inception of local government in this land in 1870 by the "Choukidari Panchayet Act," many reforms have taken place, unlike most of the reforms that had narrow political motives resulting in a fragile local government system. Even during democratic regimes, many of the administrative and local government reform committees/commissions worked to produce reports manifesting the then government's desire, like the Huda Commision (1992) and Rahamat Ali Commission (1997).
The "Administrative and Services Reorganisation Committee" headed by late Professor Muzaffar Ahamed Chowdhury, known as "Chowdhury Committee" (1972), and to some extent the "Khan Committee" (1982) and the "Nurun Nabi Chowdhury Committee" (1996), produced high quality empirical findings and recommendations.
But many of their recommendations were not implemented. The "Chowdhury Committee" is noted for the reform of field administration as well as local government, focusing on Articles 9, 11, 59 and 60 of the Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. The committee recommended transformation of then mohokumas to districts, and abolishment of the divisional unit from local government structure. It focused on a three-tier local government, consisting of union, thana and district, and the district was addressed as the focal point of administration.
Though the Chowdhury Committee (1972) emphasised extension of the ministries' and agencies' works to thana level, the Khan Committee (1982) empowered thana level of local government in many cases. Undesirably, the report of the Chowdhury (1972) was not published for the people. Though some reports have been published, proper action has not been taken.
Hopefully, Dr. Akbar Ali Khan, Chairman of Regulatory Reforms Commission, will produce a holistic report addressing both central and local government, and advocate proactive as well as innovative recommendations. But the people's concern is the fate of the likely report. Will it be published for the people? Will it get implemented?
The people are eagerly waiting for a Local Government Commission. UNDP, Bangladesh organised a roundtable discussion on the proposed Local Government Commission Ordinance 2008 on the March 18. Participants from civil society, think tanks, political parties, media, development partners and the NGO sector attended the roundtable. The keynote paper was presented by Dr. Salauddin M. Aminuzzaman, Professor of Public Administration Department, Dhaka University. The participants suggested that the commission should reflect the expectation of the people.
As there is a Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, the commission should not work in opposition to the government, but should be self-governing. The commission should be both a think-tank and action orientated. The government's role should be promotion of the Local Government Commission. The commission should be accountable to a Parliamentary committee.
The prime business of the commission should be to ensure governance by local governments, which would ensure effective and timely delivery of goods and services to people in a transparent and accountable manner, mobilise local resources and human capacities for development of local economic affairs, and to ensure social peace and justice.
At least 50% members of the commission should come through local elected representatives' mandate. A search committee will propose 10 names, and the parliamentary committee will nominate the chairman and two other members. The secretary of local government division, secretary of finance, and secretary of Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs Ministry will be part- time honorary members. There will be six nominated members, including the chairman.
The search committee will put forward to the Election Commission 20 names from a cross section, out of which at least 10 persons should be/had been directly involved with local government. Then the Election Commission will hold an election among representatives of local governments for the other six persons. As the parliament is not functioning now, the caretaker government can propose the ten names.
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