The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Council of Advisers to the caretaker government yesterday finally approved an ordinance abolishing the controversial Gram Sarkar or village government.

A weekly council meeting with Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed in the chair gave final approval of the Gram Sarkar (abrogation) Ordinance 2008, abolishing the much-debated lowest tier of local government.

With the making of the new ordinance the Gram Sarkar (village government) Act 2003 that introduced the village government will be scrapped.

The Council of Advisers approved the ordinance on the Gram Sarkar abolition in principle on February 17.

The BNP-led coalition government made laws and introduced the Gram Sarkar in 2003, but Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust filed a case against the system. Later, the Gram Sarkar Act 2003 was endorsed in parliament. In the same year, a writ petition was filed with the High Court against the Gram Sarkar law by Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust. The Act was later declared void by the court.

Former president Ziaur Rahman launched the system first, which was abolished by the Ershad government.

The meeting also gave final approval to the Bangladesh University of Professionals Ordinance 2008 to bring all educational and training institutions of Bangladesh Armed Forces under a single university.

Earlier, those institutions were under various universities.

Under the Bangladesh University of Professional Ordinance 2008, a university will be established in Mirpur in coordination with the Armed Forces and education and training institutes.

The university is meant to offer higher education to the members of Armed Forces.

The President will be the chancellor of the university and will appoint a person the minimum rank of major general-serving or retired-as vice-chancellor for three years.

The Education Minister or adviser, chiefs of army, air and navy, principal staff officer of the army, University Grants Commission chairman, education secretary, vice chancellor, pro-vice chancellor and faculty deans will be in the Senate.

The cabinet approved the ordinance in principle on November 24, 2007.