Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2021 passed in JS

Local Government (Pourosova) (Amendment) Bill, 2021 today was passed in the Jatiya Sangsad with an aim to bring more amendment of  local Government (Pourosova) Act 2009.

Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Minister Tazul Islam moved the bill in the House which was unanimously passed by voice votes with speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair, reports BSS.

Opposition lawmakers including Rustam Ali Farazi, Pir Fazlur Rahman, Rawshan Ara Mannan, BNP lawmaker Harunur Rashid and Gonoforum lawmaker Mokabbir Khan opposed the enactment of the law and called for seeking more public review.

While piloting the bill, the minister said the bill has been raised in the parliament for making it more effective after brining some amendment in the law.

Earlier, the amendment has been approved by the government to stop pouroshova chairmen from staying in office for more than 5 years.

The Cabinet gave final approval to the Local Government (Pourosova) (Amendment) Bill, 2021, aiming to strictly follow the system of holding local government polls every five years.

It has been seen that some pourosova chairmen go to court at the end of their tenure and restrict the holding of the next election.

Even some chairmen had stayed in office for more than five years, up to even 15-16 years, taking the advantage of a clause in the existing law that stated that the present chairman will remain in chair till the next election.

“To stop this practice, the government has made this amendment to the 2009 law,” said the minister.

The proposed law said that after the five-year term, the government would be able to appoint an administrator either from the government services, with administrative experience, or any other eligible person.

“The appointed administrator will remain in the post for a maximum of six months and elections have to be held by this time,” Tazul said.

The government also decided to make the eligibility for enlistment of any new pourosova with 1,500 people per square kilometre from 2000.

It also changed the name of pourosova member to pouro executive officer.

Furthermore, it was decided that the proposed law would include another clause that if any pourosova fails to pay the salaries and other wages of its officers and employees for 12 months, then the government may abolish its status as a pourosova.