Establishing a permanent local government commission is essential to ensure continuous improvement and innovation in the services provided by local government bodies and associated institutions, said Dr Tofail Ahmed, Chief of the Local Government Reform Commission.

“If there is a permanent local government commission it can facilitate the continuous improvement and innovations in the services of the local government bodies and other local government related institutions like LGED (Local Government Engineering Department), DPHE (Department of Public Health Engineering) and Local Government Training Institute,” he said.

“The local government Commission can work as an agent to develop the quality of all the institutions in a composite way,” Dr Ahmed said in a recent interview with UNB.

The Electoral System Reform Commission, headed by Dr Badiul Alam Majumder, in its report submitted to Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus on January 15 last recommended formation of a permanent local government commission in a bid to strengthen the local government system and bring dynamism in the services of local government bodies.

About this recommendation, Dr Tofail Ahmed explained why a permanent commission here is important to develop a strong and dynamic local government system in the country.

He said elected representatives are serving in local government bodies from city corporations to union parishads.

There are some problems here to control and monitor the elected local representatives from the central-level by national public representatives through only the bureaucratic system, he said.

“So, a quasi-judicial body is required here to ensure justice and define a formula over the fund allocations to the local bodies from the national government, monitor the bodies, oversee the inter-local body relation, settle inter-local body disputes, find solutions to disputes between the local bodies and the government and its agencies, remove inconsistency in the local government laws, help formulate uniform laws for local bodies,” said the local government expert.

He said local government representatives are often sacked or suspended for political reasons.

“Dismissing local body leaders unnecessarily –--whether it may be unjustly or justly— through bureaucracy is indecent, " he said.

Read: Stakeholder Consultation on Local Government Reform held

There should be a provision and institution (a permanent commission) to remove local body representatives in a decent way for corruption or dishonest activities, said Dr Tofal Ahmed.

“This permanent commission is important as it is a centralised government in our country and no other public bodies other than local bodies outside the government,” he said.

About local government laws, if there is a permanent commission, it can suggest and guide the local government division and the government regularly to reform the laws and local body electoral system over time.

Dr Tofail Ahmed said the Constitutional Reform Commission rightly wanted to see the local government as a constitutional body.

“I think it is very appropriate. If there is a permanent commission for a constitutional body – local government, the government won’t require formation of local government commission to seek reports repeatedly,” he said.

He said his commission has yet to take the decision for placing a recommendation over enactment of a uniform law for all types of local government bodies. But the commission is now considering the decision as there are five basic laws and more than 100 subordinate laws for the five types of local government bodies.

He said there is a question that if the local government can’t truly run upholding the rule of law due to so many laws.

Read more: Local government reform committee chief highlights key issues in reform dialogue

“Now the local government bodies can’t run de jure rather run de facto way. The rule of law doesn’t work there (in the local bodies),” said Dr Tofail Ahmed.

About the disputes between local government bodies and the related institutions, the chief of local government reform commission said there might be disputes with the DPHE, LGED or Water Supply and Sewerage Authorities (WASAs) over various matters like water supply, sewerage management, canals and roads. If there is a permanent commission, it would be able to play role in settlement of the disputes,” he added.

Dr Tofail Ahmed said all the three commissions formed over the local government in the past since the 1990s, also recommended for a permanent local government commission.

The commission headed by Nazmul Huda was formed in 1991, the second one headed by Advocate Rahmat Ali in 1996 and the third one headed by AMM Shawkat Ali in 2008.

Later, a permanent local government commission, led by former secretary Fayzur Razzak, was formed in late 2008, following the recommendation of the Shawkat Ali commission to oversee the local bodies. Two other members of the three-member permanent commission were former secretary Hedayetul Islam Chowdhury and Chittagong University's teacher Dr Tofail Ahmed.

But the permanent commission got abolished as the Awami League government did not ratify its ordinance promulgated by the 2007-2008 caretaker government.

Following the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024, the current interim government formed a number of reform commissions in different sectors.

Read more: Local Government Reform Commission to propose crucial changes

The present government formed the five-member Local Government Reform Commission, headed by Prof. Tofail Ahmed, through a gazette notification on November 18 last.

Dr Tofail Ahmed commission is also set to recommend for a permanent local government commission for the sake of a vibrant local government system in Bangladesh.

The commission will submit its report to the interim government at the end of February next, said its chief Dr Tofail Ahmed.