Staff Reporter :
Chairman of the Local Government Reform Commission, Dr Tofayel Ahmed, has stated that there is a growing demand for holding local government elections before the national polls.
Citing public grievances and difficulties caused by the absence of local representatives, he said, “Without local representatives, people are not receiving the services they need. A void has been created, and to address this, they prefer local elections to be held first.”
He made these remarks during a consultation with media representatives at the National Institute of Local Government (NILG) conference room in the capital on Monday.
As part of its reform initiatives, the commission has been visiting different parts of the country and holding a series of meetings with stakeholders to gather feedback on local government reforms.
The commission, formed on 19 November, is required to submit its final report to the Chief Adviser of the Interim Government within 90 days.
Responding to a journalist’s question, Dr Tofayel Ahmed said, “Feedback from outside Dhaka indicates that people prioritise local government elections. However, among politicians in Dhaka, this issue is not as prominent.”
He also noted that at the grassroots level, there is less urgency for a rapid national election.
Dr Tofayel Ahmed explained that people at the local level feel a sense of emptiness and lack of services. They are unsure whom to approach, which is why they believe local government elections should take place soon. This sentiment is also shared by local political leaders.
Following the fall of the autocratic Sheikh Hasina government in August, triggered by a student-led uprising, an interim government was formed.
After the fall of the Awami League government, many local government representatives went into hiding, and the government subsequently dismissed them.
There has been no official announcement regarding the timing of local government elections. However, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has hinted at a possible national election timeline – either by the end of this year or in the first half of next year.
The Reform Commission is considering several proposals, including electing only members to local government bodies, who would then select a mayor or chairman from among themselves instead of direct mayoral or chairperson elections.
Other proposals include abolishing party-based elections, opening elections to all citizens, including public and private sector employees, and enacting a unified law for all local government institutions.
The commission is also exploring the feasibility of holding elections for all local government institutions in an area on the same day to reduce costs.
Quoting Election Commission data, Dr Tofayel Ahmed stated, “From 2021 to 2024, local government elections cost Tk 23,000 crore, but holding them on a single day could reduce costs to Tk 600 crore.”
He also highlighted the commission’s special focus on the local government system in the three hill districts. The commission is examining obstacles to holding elections for district councils, which have not been conducted since 1989.
Discussing municipal governance challenges, he said, “The condition of municipalities is poor, with many employees’ salaries remaining unpaid. The reform commission is considering whether these municipalities should be dissolved or merged with union parishads.”
During the consultation, various suggestions were raised, including making local government elections non-partisan, increasing salaries and benefits for local representatives, preventing Members of Parliament from controlling local government bodies, empowering women in reserved seats, eliminating uncontested victories, introducing a ‘no’ vote option, and conducting local government elections under a caretaker government similar to national elections.
Among the commission members present were Prof Ferdous Arfina Osman, Prof Kazi Maruful Islam, Prof Dr Mohammad Tarikul Islam, Advocate Abdur Rahman, and Mashuda Khatun Shefal.
