Local Govt Reform: Single election cycle advised to tackle political instability
Staff Reporter :
The Local Government Reform Commission has proposed conducting all local government elections on the same day to reduce costs and time.
This recommendation was included in the commission’s report submitted to the interim government.
According to the report, elections in Bangladesh’s local government institutions are complex, expensive, and often contribute to prolonged social and political instability.
Moreover, the current local government structure is not entirely suitable for practicing democratic power, as it fails to foster capable leadership and maintain institutional balance.
Instead, these institutions are becoming overly centralized around a single individual-either the chairman or the mayor.
Additionally, administrative oversight by government officials and increasing political interference have led to further challenges.
While elections for mayors and chairpersons have become excessively costly, the elections for members and councilors have lost their significance.
Therefore, the commission recommends structural reforms in local government institutions to simplify the election process and create a more balanced organizational framework.
The report further states that both national and local governments have a five-year term.
However, while the national government election takes place once every five years, multiple local government elections occur throughout the same period.
Elections inherently bring instability, disrupting social and governmental functions.
Conducting elections for all local government institutions-including Union Parishads, Upazila Parishads, District Councils, Municipalities, and City Corporations-within a single schedule of one to one-and-a-half months would be more efficient.
This approach would save time and costs for candidates, society, and the state.
The commission believes that such an election system would enhance local leadership development and increase accountability.
Under the current system, elections for five local government institutions take place at different times, with each schedule requiring about 45 days.
Consequently, a five-year government spends approximately 225 days conducting these elections, leading to significant financial and administrative complexities.
The commission’s report highlights that this fragmented approach results in inconsistencies and wastage in coordinated and planned development activities.
Since these five institutions operate within the same geographical framework at the district level, their staggered election schedules create discrepancies in annual development plans, five-year plans, and national budget alignment.
The report suggests that if the local government system is restructured under a parliamentary framework, elections would become more cost-effective, time-efficient, and streamlined.