Decentralization in Bangladesh

Myth or Reality?
By
Mohammad Mohabbat Khan

Reviewed by
DR. SUSMITA ISLAM
Roll No: 9214

92nd Special Foundation Training Course for BCS Health Cadre Officers

National Academy for Planning and Development

About the Author

Mohammad Mohabbat Khan

Born 16 January, 1949
The senior-most Professor at the University of Dhaka, ex-
chairman of the Department Public Administration, DU.
Also taught in foreign universities and worked as consultant
USAID, UNDP, World Bank, ADB, ILO, UNCHS and SADC.
Also served as a Member of Bangladesh Public Service
Commission.
Member of University Grants Commission of Bangladesh,
From November 2011 to November 2015
Authored >15 books and >8 monographs and contributed
over 180 articles.
About the Book

Publisher: AH Development publishing house,

143, New Market, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh.
Published: 2009
Cover Design: Saiful Islam
Length: 126 pages
 Contents
Preface
Acknowledgement
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Process of Decentralization during the 80s: A Critical
Analysis
Chapter 3: Bangladesh at the New Millennium: Experiences with
Administrative Decentralization
Chapter 4: Decentralization and Access: Theoretical Framework and
Bangladesh Experience with Md. Habibur Rahman
Chapter 5: LG in Bangladesh: Evolution, Reorganization and Central-
Local Relations with A. T. M Obaidullah
Chapter 6: Functioning of Local Government: Legal and Practical
Constraints
Postscript
Index
 Introduction
According to UNDP
One of the most critical perquisites to translate decentralization
from theory to practice is a clear understanding of the concept.
 Continue

Chapter 1

Decentralization is a widely used concept.

Transfer of Powers from central government to
local government.
Closely linked with
Democracy
Development
Public Administration
Good Governance
Chapter 2

For describing or analysing decentralized systems of government

at least four questions need to be raised. These are

1. Which power or functions have been transferred?

2. How have they been transferred?
3. To what level have they been trasferred?
4. Who holds the power at this level?
 Continue

Deals with the Process of Decentralization during the 80s.

It includes
Past efforts at institutionalizing decentralization and
popular participation at the local level
The process of decentralization in Bangladesh

Appointment of CARR

Findings of CARR

Recommendation of CARR.

Mechanism of decentralization

Constitution of NICAR

The local Government (Thana Parishad and Thana

Administration Reorganization) Ordinance,1982
Chapter 3
Rationale for decentralization:
More effective way of meeting local needs.
Meet the needs of poor.

It enables efficient delivery of public service by

reducing costs and exposing problems in delivery
mechanism.
Reducing congestion at the center.

Participation is the cornerstone of decentralization.

It enhances civic consciousness and contributes to
political maturity.
 Continue

Decentralization
It is broadly defined as the transfer of political, administrative and legal
authority for planning, decision making and administering public function
from the central government to its field organization, local administrative
units, semi-autonomous and para-statal organizations or even non-
governmental organizations or voluntary associations of people.

Forms of Decentralization:
Deconcentration
Delegation
Devolution
Privatization and deregulation
Chapter 4
Author has discussed about the decentralization
and access in chapter four. Here theoretical
framework and Bangladesh experience with
Mohammad Habibur Rahman is the base. Here
author describes about the approaches to the
study of decentralization such as administrative
approach, the political approach, public choice
approach, Marxist approach etc.
Chapter 5

In this chapter the author discussed about the LG

in Bangladesh: Evolution, Reorganization and
Central-Local Relations with A.T.M. Obaidullah.
Some chronological changes in the local

government in Bangladesh:
Origin and Evolution of local Government
Anciet period

Mughal Period
 Continue

British period
Pakistan period

Mujib Government

Zia regime

Ershad Regime

Khaleda Zia Government(1991-1996)

Sheikh Hasina Government(1996 2001)

In this chapter functioning of Local Government: Legal and

Practical constraints are discussed. In this book there are
also findings of a survey.
 Continue

Major survey findings

Most of the public representatives identify insecurity.
Lack of awareness of people, insufficient supply of
medicine( in case of health).
In case of education: there is financial insolvency,
insufficient educational institutions.
Non-cooperation of Government.
Tax evasion tendency among people,
Gender discrimination.
Internal conflict between chairman and the members.
Corruption.
 Continue

Financial insolvency.
Widespread negative perception about UP chairman and
members among the people.
Monopolization of the use of power by the chairman.

Political interference.

Insufficient honorarium and salary.

Insufficient UP fund.

Lack of required qualification and training opportunities.

Recommendation

The UP's should have their own fund.

The structure of the UP manpower needs to be rearranged.
The relationship between members of parliament and the local
government should be cooperative.
Proper coordination of UP activities.
Honorarium should be increased.
Administrative complexities have to be removed.
Appropriate training for the elected representatives.
The functions of the UP have to be revised.
Adequate educational qualifications for public representatives.
Unity of UP members.
 Postscript
For strengthening the local government system on 3rd June 2007, the
current government constituted a seven member committee of experts
on local Government Issue. The caretaker Government accepted the
recommendation of the committee and form a commission. The
commission will have 1 chair and not more than 2 members.
Functions of Commission
To make the local government financially solvent.
To send recommendation to the Government to speed up the financial
and administrative activities.
To ensure a balances and rational distribution of revenues among the
local government institutions.
To identify new sources of income for the local government institutions.
To investigate gross financial and administrative irregularities.
To ensure financial transparency.
Justification of the name

There is discussion of the decentralization process in Bangladesh

in the book. There is also discussed about the obstacles of
decentralization process and measure to remove them. So the
naming of the book is justified.
There is another book named "Rural local Government & State
Politics in Bangladesh" by Md. Nadiruzzaman, Department of
Geography, university of Durham, January 2008. He discussed
the evolution of local Government in more elaborate way. He also
discussed about political power in decentralization in a nice way.
The structure, function and source of income of Union Parishad,
Gram Shova etc. are also discussed. He also discussed the
capacity assessment of local government in Bangladesh. More or
less there are many similarities between these two books.
Criticism
Positive
The book gives us information about decentralization process.
It gives us information about evolution of local government
system.
The book discusses the obstacles of decentralization process and
measures to remove them.
The book suggests about the policies for decentralization
process.
Negative
Some subject matters are placed here repeatedly, such as some
topics of evolution of decentralization is discussed in both fourth
and fifth chapter.
Forms of decentralization is discussed in both third and fourth
chapter.
Conclusion
As an emerging democracy, decentralization
process on Bangladesh faces with a number of
problems. The author briefly discussed the
decentralization process, problem of
decentralization process and measures for solving
them. The author also discussed about a field based
research work, details the legal and practical
constraints that the effective functioning of union
perished, the lowest tier of local Government system
in Bangladesh. Here the role of last caretaker
Government in decentralization process is also
discussed.