- Local body polls possible in June: commission
- 84pc people want independent local govt聽commission: BBS
The Local Government Reform Commission has submitted a primary report to the government, recommending a comprehensive overhaul of the country鈥檚 local government system.
The reform commissions in its preliminary report also suggested two uniform laws for local government bodies and said that holding elections to all local government bodies simultaneously in June was possible.
The preliminary report along with a household survey report was published by the chief adviser鈥檚 press wing on Saturday.
The proposals aim to streamline governance, address legal complexities, and enhance the effectiveness of local governance in Bangladesh.
The preliminary report highlighted the current state of local government institutions in Bangladesh, which operate under a three-tier structure 鈥� the Union Parishads, the Upazila Parishads and Zila Parishads, as well as the municipalities and city corporations.
The report noted that, after the July mass uprising, local government institutions had been effectively non-operational, leaving a significant governance gap.
In this context, the commission said that simultaneous elections for all local government institutions by June 2025 were possible.
The commission recommended to merge the five laws for local government elections into two uniform laws-- one for Union Parishad, Upazila Parisahd and Zila Parishad and the other for municipalities and city corporations.
It said that the two unified laws can be introduced through an ordinance between March and April this year.
The elections for local government bodies in both plain lands and hilly areas may be conducted by June 2025, the commission said.
However, this will be possible only if a consensus is reached between the government, political parties, and the Election Commission, it said.
The commission led by retired professor Tofail Ahmed suggested simplifying the administrative procedures through these unified laws to reduce redundancy, improve coordination, and ease the election process.
The proposed reforms also advocated for a shift toward a parliamentary-style system within local government institutions.
This approach is intended to decentralise power further and ensure that local governance structures are more responsive to community needs, the commission said.
It suggested that local government bodies should operate similarly to the national parliamentary system,
with clear distinctions between legislative and executive roles.
The legislative aspect would be led by a 鈥楽abhadhyakha,鈥� akin to the Speaker of the National Parliament, while the executive arm would be headed by a chairman or a mayor.
A key element of the proposed reforms is the establishment of a five-member permanent Local Government Commission by giving constitutional recognition.
This commission would oversee the implementation of the reform measures and ensure that local government structures are strengthened.
The report also proposed the creation of a 鈥楲ocal Government Service,鈥� providing career pathways and professional opportunities for local government employees and addressing manpower issues within these institutions.
A household survey conducted in January 2025 by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics revealed that approximately 84 per cent of people support the formation of an independent and powerful Local Government Commission through new legislation.
This survey, which covered over 46,000 households in rural and urban areas across 64 districts of the country, also highlighted that 77 per cent of respondents favour the introduction of a single, unified law for local government bodies to replace the existing complex framework of five laws and over 100 notifications and orders.
In terms of electoral preferences, 71 per cent of the survey participants believe that local government elections should not involve political party symbols, while 24 per cent support their inclusion.
The survey also found strong support for ensuring minimum educational qualifications for candidates of local government candidates.
Among respondents, 38 per cent favoured a Secondary School Certificate as the minimum qualification, while 30 per cent suggested the requirement of an HSC, and 25 per cent advocated for a university degree.
The survey also revealed that the public is increasingly concerned about the growing urbanisation in Bangladesh.
Approximately 85 per cent of the respondents expressed support for establishing urban planner offices at the upazila level to manage urban growth effectively.
Besides, 80 of those surveyed recommended the establishment of full civil and magistrate courts at the upazila level to serve local communities in a better way.
