The New Nation - Internet Edition

Tayeb Husain

Chief Adviser Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed's disclosure on 6th of Nov 2007 that the government is working "to strengthen the local government so that it can take its services to people's doorsteps and bring transparency and accountability in all sectors" is a much desired step and every sensible person should look forward to seeing the government keeping the pledge. No Central administration can function well without a strong local government. In western democracies this base administration is the most powerful organisation that effectively and smoothly governs the country. Here I would like to take this opportunity to explain things from the Swedish model. Most of the Western countries have somewhat the same type of administrative system as Sweden. However, certainly I do not suggest that Bangladesh blindly adopts Swedish version for her own administration, neither do I expect that a Swedish system to work in Bangladesh perfectly well. Nonetheless, much we can learn from such an advanced system and by adopting it with minor adjustments a far better and superior administrative system can be established in Bangladesh and thereby peace and prosperity to our people could be ensured.

Sweden has 3 levels of administrations; National, Regional and Local levels. At the national level the Swedish people are represented by the Swedish parliament (Riksdag) which has legislative powers. The Government presents proposals for new laws and when the Riksdag accepts a proposal, the government implements it. The administration in national level is executed by a number of ministries and some 300 central government agencies and public administrations. The administration at regional level is called "Länstrrellcen" or in English Counties. The people of the County directly elect County Council members. They have specific and limited tasks and responsibilities and they are mostly in health-related matter.

The administration at local level in Sweden is 'Kommun' (Municipality); it is the most important organ of the administrative system of the country. Sweden has 290 'Kommun' and each Kommun has an elected assembly (the Municipal Council) which takes decisions on municipal matters and a Kommun Executive Board (appointed by Municipal Council) which leads and co-ordinates municipality works. Swedish towns or cities are also divided into small 'Kommun' and each and every 'Kommun' takes care of education, healthcare, housing, day-care centre, care for the senior citizens and other socio-political activities of its population. 'Kommun' is also the training ground of politicians and it is mostly through Kommun politics national leaders emerge. A Kommun Chairman in Sweden is a powerful person and the decision of the Kommun is what matters most in local administration.

Now, if we look to administrative system of Bangladesh we find that our Union Parisad, the lowest tire of Bangladesh's administration, is also the most neglected and utterly inefficient unit of the administrative system. Often a police officer in a Thana is more powerful person than a Union Parisad Chairman. At present it appears to me that the chairman of a Union Parisad is nothing but a subordinate fellow to look after the personal interest of the DC, Thana Nirbahi officer and even the OC of the Thana. It needs to be changed. A total overhauling of Bangladesh's administrative structure should be considered and full administrative power should be transferred to the Union Parisad. Our Union Parisad should be re-organised in such a way that each Union Parisad should have an elected body with an independent administrative unit to execute the decisions at this local level. Union Parisad members should have a reasonable salary. The executive branch of the Union Parisad should be independent but only to carry out or execute the Union Parisad's decision. Union Parisad shall be responsible for primary and middle school education, healthcare, law and order, housing, care for the destitute, employment of union's every able-bodied person (men or women) and in short, Union Parisad should do everything that goes with the total welfare of its inhabitants. Union Parisad shall act even as a primary court of justice and all local disputes shall be mitigated in this court. There should be even a small police force (3 / 4 policemen) and a jail in the Union Parisad. Present day DC or Uppa-Zilla Officer shall have no function whatsoever and these offices and the posts may be dissolved as soon as possible. To co-ordinate between the central government and the Union Parisad a co-ordinating office can be established at district or divisional level with only power of co-ordination with the central government and nothing else.

The benefit of making Union Parisad all-powerful will be great and it will have tremendous consequences not only in the administrative system but also in the whole structure of the country. Rule of law and an effective, corruption free (less I mean, as even a heaven can not be corruption free) administration can be established by giving power to this micro-level. A Union Parisad member and the chairman are local leaders, everybody knows them and these leaders also know well who their followers are. Thus, crime levels would fall sharply in the villages, towns and cities, unnecessary litigation organised by the local leaders in most cases to the full benefit of some people in the towns and cities would be settled in and by the local leaders at the local level. The very fact that a group of educated people would be brought to the village by this reform would again make the village life more colourful and interesting. And to cater the needs of these people lots of entrepreneurs and businessmen would also emerge in the countryside making it more affluence and well off.

Finally, I would cite an example on how effective the local government can be just talking about census. Bangladesh can count every individual, every cattle and even every goat within a week through an effective Union Parisad. Union Parisad can find out, without much effort, how many people are employed, underemployed or starving in the Union Parisad. This body can be made responsible to assess the food requirement in the Union, availability of food, stocking, procuring etc. etc. the most effective way than anybody else. Giving them responsibilities mean making them responsible and accountable and if not for the privileges but for power many educated people will like to get into local politics and will be doing good jobs in the process.

How to finance this administrative reform? Apparently it may appear too expensive but not really. The whole new administrative apparatus can be financed easily by selling to the public all the lands and buildings that government owns in each district towns. Slowly but steadily the face of the countryside can be changed adding even some of our development fund for restructuring the local government and its activities.