Local Government (Union Parishad) (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was passed in the Parliament with a provision to appoint administrators in Union Parishads on the expiry of five-year tenure of the elected representatives.
Local Government Minister M Tajul Islam moved the Bill in the House, which was passed by voice votes with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhdury in the chair.
The bill stated that the government can appoint administrators in Union Parishads after the expiry of tenure of the elected representatives. But the appointment will be for one time and maximum 120 days.
If it is not possible to form elected council due to any natural calamity, the government can extend the aforesaid period by another 60 days. In special cases of epidemics the government can extend this period up to a reasonable time.
With the proposed change, a UP chairman will no way get scope to stay in his post after the expiry of tenure.
At present UP chairmen in some cases stay in charge on different excuses despite the expiry of tenures. But this scope will not exist anymore.
The post of a UP secretary has been changed to 'UP Administrative Officer' in the draft law.
As per the proposed law, the UP's elected body will have to sit in its first sitting within 10 days after taking oath.
In the Local Government (Union Parishad) Act, 2009, there was no timeframe set for them to sit in their maiden sitting.
The first sitting is important as the five-year tenure starts following the sitting.
The draft law said that if any chairman or any member acting as the chairman or administrator failed to handover their charge within stipulated timeframe then there will be a fine not more than Tk 50,000. In the existing law it is Tk 10,000.
According to the proposed law, with a view to financially strengthen local government institutions, identifying ways to reduce dependence on government allocations and making the Union Parishad Act more up-to-date and service- friendly, the 'Local Government (Union Parishad) (Amendment) Act 2024' has been amended.
It has been added that the chairman and members of the Union Parishad shall receive the honorarium fixed by the government during the term of office.
Through this, there will be no legal complications regarding the payment of allowances during the period of dismissal of any Union Parishad Chairman/Members.
It is substituted that the Government shall appoint a competent officer or a competent person as an administrator for the performance of functions after the declaration of union of an area or the expiry of the term of the council.
The administrator shall perform all the duties of the union council until the elected council is formed in accordance with the provisions of this proposed law.
As a result, even after the expiry of the term of the Union Parishad, the tendency to prevent/postpone the election by litigating various cases will be controlled.
Jatiya Party lawmaker Hafij Uddin Ahmed of Thakurgaon-3 and Independent candidates Pankaj Devnath of Barishal-4, Hamidul Huq Khandoker of Kurigram-2, Golam Sarwar of Barguna-2 and SM Brohani Sultan Mahmud of Naogaon-4 urged the parliament for seeking public review before enactment of the law.
