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The Development of the Urban Government System in Bangladesh: Does Coordination Exist?

2008; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 34; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/03003930802413731

1743-9388

Pranab Kumar Panday, Pradip Kumar Panday,

Bangladesh Politics, Society, and Development

Abstract This paper is intended to shed some light on the development of urban governance in Bangladesh by highlighting the issue of coordination. It addresses the question of whether there is any mechanism through which urban government bodies can ensure coordination on matters of dispute between different government organisations. The paper is based on a review of secondary literature as well as on primary data drawn from a case study on a city corporation. The available data substantiates the view that the process of urban service delivery in Bangladesh has lacked proper coordination mechanisms from its very inception. Successive governments since the independence of Bangladesh have experimented with the structural design of urban government bodies without considering the need for a proper mechanism to ensure sound coordination among actors involved in implementing the various policies of these bodies. Although an attempt was made by the then Awami LeagueFootnote1 (1996–2001) government to establish a high-powered coordination committee under the chairmanship of the minister in charge of the Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD&C) Ministry for each city corporation, in order to ensure better management of services and to settle disputes between various government agencies, the initiative was perverted upon the change of state power in 2001. As a result, these bodies continue to suffer from problems of coordination. Notes 1 The Awami League is one of the two major political parties in Bangladesh. 2 Bangladesh is a South Asian country which became independent on 16 December 1971. 3 Urban government bodies outside city corporation areas are called pourashava. 4 Six City Corporations are Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Syllhet and Barishal. 5 Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh. 6 Madras, Bombay and Calcutta are three big cities in India. 7 ‘Chowkidar’ means village watchman. 8 The military ruler who staged a coup d'état in 1958 used to believe that the intellect of the Pakistani people was not suited to the Westminster-type representative government. The new regime was in favour of a guided democracy, which was to be characterised by authoritarian government at the top and representative government at the local level. This variety of local government was known as ‘Basic Democracy’ (Siddique, Citation1994: 54). 9 The chairmen and half of the members were called officials as they were appointed by the government (Khan, Citation1994). 10 The union parishad comprised one elected chairman and nine elected members, two nominated women members and two peasant representatives. The thana parishad consisted of the Sub-Divisional Officer who was also the ex-officio Chairman, the Circle Officer and a union parishad chairman. The zila (district) parishad included elected members, official members and women members whose numbers were determined by the central government, with a five-year term of office. 11 Available online at: http://www.unescap.org/huset/lgstudy/country/bangladesh/bangladesh.html#ahead (accessed 10 April 2007). 12 A major change took place in the local government system through the introduction of the Local Government (Upazila Parishad and Upazila Administration Reorganisation) Ordinance in 1982, followed by the Local Government (Union Parishad) Ordinance in 1983, the Local Government (Zila Parishad) Act in 1988 and the three Hill Districts Acts and Palli Act in 1989. 13 The main intention behind the abolition was to strengthen the political base of the MP in their constituency. As long as the elected upazila chairman was present in an upazila, the MPs found it difficult to establish their supremacy on the local administration. 14 Bangladesh Nationalist Party is one of the two major political parties in Bangladesh. The present government belongs to this party with the alliance from Jamet-e-Islam, Jatya Party (one section) and Islami Okko Jot. 15 Each gram sarker represents one to two villages comprising of about 3,000 people on average. The UP member elected from the ward chairs the GS, which consists of other members, both males and females, elected in a general meeting of the voters of the ward under the supervision of a ‘prescribed/directing authority’. There are defined functions of the GS and other responsibilities may be assigned by the government from time to time. GSs have the right to constitute issue-based standing committees as and when required, and to determine the membership of such committees. 16 One may raise questions about reserved seats for women in urban local government bodies in Bangladesh. With an intention to facilitate more women's participation in the political process, the government of Bangladesh made an amendment to the urban local government act in 1997 through which one-third of seats in all urban local government institutions were reserved for women. 17 All special development bodies, special purpose authorities and special government bodies are created by the central government in order to carry out specific functions entrusted to them. For instance, we can cite the Roads and Highways Department which was created by the central government in 1962. It is responsible for the construction and maintenance of the major road and bridge network of Bangladesh. There are other such departments which will be mentioned in the subsequent discussion. 18 ‘Karwan Bazaar’ is the name of an area of Dhaka City where the largest wholesale vegetable market is situated. 19 Inclusion of higher officials from different service-providing institutions in the coordination committee varied depending on the city corporation. In the case of Dhaka City Corporation, top officials from Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA), Dhaka Electricity Supply Authority (DESA), Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), Power Development Board (PDB), Bangladesh Telephone and Telegraph Board (BTTB), etc. were included as members. In the case of RCC, top officials from Rajshahi Development Authority (RDA), Roads and Highways Department (R&HD), Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), and Bangladesh Telephone and Telegraph Board (BTTB) were included in the coordination committee as members. 20 Respondents within RCC include the Mayor, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Executive Engineer, Chief Medical Officer, Budget cum Accounts Officer and Public Relations Officer. 21 Respondents from government and autonomous departments include the Chairman, Executive Engineer and Town Planner of Rajshahi Development Authority, Executive Engineer and Deputy Divisional Engineer of Roads and Highways Department (R&HD) and Executive Engineer and Assistant Engineer of Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). These officials were chosen as the respondents as they were involved with the process of implementation of infrastructure policy of Rajshahi City Corporation. 22 ‘Routine-based’ means that correspondence takes place only when it is needed. There is hardly any scope for informal communication among various departments. 23 ‘Hierarchical’ denotes that the relationship is based on the principle of chain of command which is seen in bureaucratic organisation. ‘Informal’ denotes no formal way of making communication. If problems persist, they may be solved by telephone conversation or by meeting with the aggrieved party. ‘Leadership-oriented’ means communication is based on the leadership quality of the departmental heads and finally ‘objective-oriented’ means that relationship is maintained only to meet demands. 24 Dilemma in the sense that officials feel uncertain in handling such type of situation. 25 Here, vehicle facility means use of transport of RCC and the fuel subsidy that is provided by RCC. 26 The case was discussed during an interview with a high-ranking official of Rajshahi City Corporation. 27 Opinion expressed by a higher official of Rajshahi City Corporation during interview. 28 Opinion expressed by a higher official of Rajshahi City Corporation during interview. 29 ‘Jatri Sauni’ is a Bengali expression which means waiting places for the passerby by the roadside. 30 Laxmipur is the name of a district of Rajshahi City where the Medical College is situated. 31 BDT stands for Bangladeshi Taka (name of the currency). 32 The case was discussed in an interview with a high-ranking official of the Roads and Highways Department, Rajshahi District. 33 Opinion expressed by one government official during interview. 34 Opinion expressed by one government official during interview.