The councillors of the remaining ten city corporations apart from Dhaka North and South City Corporation want to be reinstated and want the opportunity to work with the current interim government.
The Bangladesh City Corporation Councilors Association held a discussion meeting on Monday in the auditorium of the National Press Club. Apart from this, the removed councillors held a rally demanding reinstatement.
Speakers said the councillors have been working day and night since they were elected. They have been providing all kinds of civic services. In addition to the management of all the service activities of the government, OMS, TCB, old age allowance, widow allowance, disability allowance, child allowance, all kinds of money activities and all kinds of service activities as per government instructions, activities of various organizations including CDC, press club, conversion, ward vision, asylum foundation and BRAC.
The convener of the event, former councillor of ward number 40 of Gazipur City Corporation Advocate Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun, senior lawyer of the Supreme Court and chief advisor of Bangladesh City Corporation Central Councilor Association, spoke as the chief guest in the meeting while Nazrul Islam Khan presided over the session.
He said that although the councillors serve locally, they have no relationship with the members of parliament.
Saying that Councilors are the only elected representatives of local government governance, he said councillors are being insulted as they could not create their own identity.
"Councillors issue character certificates of secretaries, MPs, ministers, and president. Moreover, all registrations including births, deaths have to be taken from the councillor. So councilors should be aware of their responsibilities. They should understand that the MP is not their elder brother," he also said.
He also highlighted that councilors are being ignored by various governments as they cannot establish their rights. The stronger the local government of the country, the better the country will be. So foreigners actually go to see the work of City Corporation and Union Parishad.
Mentioning that there is no option to unite to realize the rights of councillors, he said, people should understand that parliamentarians and councilors are not the same. They are not younger brothers of any MP. These issues should be brought up to the people.
"If you explain this difference to the people, they will not go to the MP, they will come to you. If the councilors work a little more closely, they will regain their lost glory," he added.
Besides taking legal measures, the councilors should unite and explain to the government what their constitutional powers are.
"If you can do this, you will be successful," he pointed.
At that time, Dhaka Journalist Union (DUJ) general secretary Khurshid Alam, chief coordinator of United Forum Sardar Shams Al-Mamun (Chashi Mamun), DUJ executive member M Musharraf Hossain, Ward No. 1 councilor of Comilla City Corporation Kazi Golam Kibria and Narayanganj City Corporation Ward No. 7, 8 and 9 (reserved) former councillor Mosammat Ayesha Akhter Dina gave their speeches.
Earlier on September 26, the interim government removed the councilors of 12 city corporations of the country. A notification in this regard was issued from the local government department.
The City Corporations are - Dhaka South, Dhaka North, Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Barisal, Narayanganj, Comilla, Rangpur, Gazipur and Mymensingh City Corporation.
In a separate notification on this day, councilors of 323 municipalities and 61 district council members except three hill districts were also removed.
The mayors of 12 city corporations and 323 municipalities in the country were removed on August 19 while the country's 60 district council chairmen were removed on the same day administrators were appointed to these positions.