Allocate 40 pc of development budget for Union Parishad
The UPs received only 1.04 percent of the Annual Development Project funds, which is not only inadequate but also completely unreasonable, the Jote leaders said at a roundtable styled 'Rural development and national budget' at the National Press Club in the city.
The Union Parishad has turned into a very weak institution due to lack of resources, bureaucratic control and unwarranted interference from the lawmakers, the speakers said.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Presenting a keynote paper, Matiur Rahman Tapan, secretary general of the Oikya Jote, said that although a municipality and a Union Parishad have an equal number of population, the municipality gets Tk 28 to 30 lakh and the Union Parishad gets only Tk 3 to 5 lakh.
Tapan regretted that there are no steps to generate new sources of income for the UPs. Moreover, the Union Parishad has been deprived of the revenue from the lease on rural markets, he added.
Md Abul Hossain Khan, president of Swashashito Union Parishad Advocacy Group, said the Union Parishad is implementing development activities at the local level, but the policymakers have never consulted with the UP while adopting any development plans.
Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, co-ordinator Gonoshashthya Kendra, called for ensuring empowerment of the Union Parishad. "We have forgotten the villages where around 11 crore people are living."
Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Shujan and adviser to the Oikya Jote, said the prevailing fragility of democracy is due to the flaw in the system of governance, which is highly centralised.
Dr Belal Hossain Joy, a lawyer of the Supreme Court, said there is no clear demarcation in responsibilities of the central government and the local government.
He also stressed the need for performance-based budgeting.
The speakers also emphasised that the Union Parishad should be empowered so that it does not need to depend on foreign aid.
Columnist Syed Abul Maksud, CPB leader Ruhin Hossain Prince, Manobadhikar Samannya Parishad President AHM Noman, woman leader Noor Taj Parveen also spoke at the roundtable moderated by Golam Sarwar Milon.