Local government institutions

Good governance a must for the grassroots� welfare

RAJSHAHI: Speakers at a discussion underscored the need for ensuring good governance in the local government institutions (LGIs) to make those fully functional, democratic and transparent entities for welfare of the grassroots people, reports BSS.
They said that most of the rural people are largely dependent on the local government bodies especially Union Parishad and Upazila Parishad to meet up their basic needs so the roles and responsibilities of the union and upazila parishads must be realistic.
Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation-Bangladesh under its ‘SDC Local Governance Programme- Sharique’ organised the advisory committee meeting at a city hotel on Tuesday.
Zerina Rahman Khan, professor of Department of Public Administration of Dhaka University, and Garhard Van‘t Land, Expert of Local Governance and Public Sector Management, attended the meeting as observers. They were sharing views on various local governance issues.
In his presentation, AFM Amir Uddin, regional coordinator of the project, gave an overview of the role of advisory committee, present local government bodies and its activities, problems and prospects. He observed that proper and effective functioning of the Union Digital Centre could supplement implementation of the Rights to Information Act at the rural level.
Upazila Chairmen Prof Mokbul Hossain, Union Parishad Chairmen Sazzad Hossain Mukul, President of Rajshahi Union of Journalists Akbarul Hassan Millat, Regional Manager of Prip Trust Saiduzzaman Sipon and Programme Facilitator of DASCOH Jahangir Alam Khan also spoke.
The discussants said all the existing services being delivered towards the grassroots people need to be more coordinated and accelerated.
Many government and non-government organisations are now implementing projects for public welfare. So, there is no alternative to contributing to the empowerment of local citizens through a democratic, transparent, inclusive and effective local government system, they added.
Apart from this, the meeting discussed some key issues including enhancing capacity for women leadership roles in local government institution structures, mobilising citizens groups to influence their service delivery, mainstreaming pro-poor and pro-women local governance practices and ensuring collaboration and interaction.
They stressed on providing training on tax assessment and collection, financial management and record keeping, participatory planning and budgeting, roles and responsibilities of UPs and UZPs and standing committees and creating strategic planning.
Awareness of local population about their rights, roles and responsibilities and orienting local governance issues to media people and local government institutions need to be focused properly, they opined.

Local government institutions

Good governance a must for the grassroots� welfare

RAJSHAHI: Speakers at a discussion underscored the need for ensuring good governance in the local government institutions (LGIs) to make those fully functional, democratic and transparent entities for welfare of the grassroots people, reports BSS. They said that most of the rural people are largely dependent on the local government bodies especially Union Parishad and Upazila Parishad to meet up their basic needs so the roles and responsibilities of the union and upazila parishads must be realistic. Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation-Bangladesh under its SDC Local Governance Programme- Sharique organised the advisory committee meeting at a city hotel on Tuesday. Zerina Rahman Khan, professor of Department of Public Administration of Dhaka University, and Garhard Vant Land, Expert of Local Governance and Public Sector Management, attended the meeting as observers. They were sharing views on various local governance issues. In his presentation, AFM Amir Uddin, regional coordinator of the project, gave an overview of the role of advisory committee, present local government bodies and its activities, problems and prospects. He observed that proper and effective functioning of the Union Digital Centre could supplement implementation of the Rights to Information Act at the rural level. Upazila Chairmen Prof Mokbul Hossain, Union Parishad Chairmen Sazzad Hossain Mukul, President of Rajshahi Union of Journalists Akbarul Hassan Millat, Regional Manager of Prip Trust Saiduzzaman Sipon and Programme Facilitator of DASCOH Jahangir Alam Khan also spoke. The discussants said all the existing services being delivered towards the grassroots people need to be more coordinated and accelerated. Many government and non-government organisations are now implementing projects for public welfare. So, there is no alternative to contributing to the empowerment of local citizens through a democratic, transparent, inclusive and effective local government system, they added. Apart from this, the meeting discussed some key issues including enhancing capacity for women leadership roles in local government institution structures, mobilising citizens groups to influence their service delivery, mainstreaming pro-poor and pro-women local governance practices and ensuring collaboration and interaction. They stressed on providing training on tax assessment and collection, financial management and record keeping, participatory planning and budgeting, roles and responsibilities of UPs and UZPs and standing committees and creating strategic planning. Awareness of local population about their rights, roles and responsibilities and orienting local governance issues to media people and local government institutions need to be focused properly, they opined.