DISTRICT LEVEL LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM IN PAKISTAN: PERSPECTIVE FOR BANGLADESH
Keywords:
LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM, PAKISTANAbstract
The characteristics of good governance is ingrained in Abraham Lincoln's
historical statement that, "democracy is the government of the people, by the
people and for the people". Institutions of governance based on democratic
principles, and local governments are undoubtedly are the institutions that are
closest to the people and at the base of the democratic system of government, their
development can thus go a long way in strengthening the democratic form of
Government. Democratic local governments, indeed, provide a pertinent political
education for citizens of free societies. In third world countries like Bangladesh,
administrative and local governance system can reach out to grass-roots level and
have all the features needed for participatory democracy. Countries of the region
have recently carried out experiments and studies to attempt to decentralize and
strengthen the local government system. Government of Pakistan has sought the
assistance of donor agencies, and with the initiatives of the World Bank, a 'Big
Bang' approach to local government decentralization was implemented in 2000.
Through the 'Big Bang' model Pakistan installed a democratic and service
oriented institutional set-up at the district level for better administration
governance. In spite of reports and studies of different commission / committee
reports, it is unfortunate that, no serious efforts have been made till now to
decentralize power and devolve authority to local government in Bangladesh to
create a viable institutional framework for sustainable democracy and good
governance. Keeping this particular perspective in mind, this situation has been
carried out to explore the Pakistan experience in order to find out its implications
to initiate a devolution scheme at the district level for administrative and local
government Bangladesh. This study has come up with three alternative models Zila
Government, Zila Parishad and Zila Development.
Downloads
References
Books
Ahmed, Ali, Administration of Local Self-Government for Rural Areas in
Bangladesh, Dacca: Barnali Printers, 1979.
Ahmed, Tofail and Abdul Qader, Local Government at the Crossroads: Some
Recommendations for Structure Reorganization, Comilla: Bangladesh Rural
Development Academy (in Bangla), 1993.
Ali, A.H.M. Shawkat, Field Administration and Rural Development in
Bangladesh, Dhaka, Centre For Social Studies, 1982.
Ali, Kazi Azhar, District Administration in Bangladesh, Dhaka, Salmani
Printing Press (in Bangla), 2003.
Aminuzzaman, Salahuddin, Governance and Development: Bangladesh and
Regional Experiences, Dhaka, Sravan Publishers, 2006.
Aminuzzaman, Salahuddin, Governance and Politics- A Study on the Union
Parishad, NGO and Local Actors, Dhaka, Institute for Environment and
Development, 2005.
Chaudhury, Muzaffar Ahmed, Rural Government in East Pakistan, Dacca,
Dacca Press, 1969.
Choudhury, Lutful Haq, A Critical Appraisal of Local Self-Government and Its
Reorganization in Bangladesh, Dhaka, Centre for Policy Research, 1984.
Hasan, Masudul, History of Local Government in Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan,
Hasan, Masudul, History of Local Government in Pakistan, Islamabad,
Printing Corporation of Pakistan Press.
Haque, A.N. Shamsul, Administrative Reforms in Pakistan, Dacca, National
Institute of Public Administration, 1970.
Khalequzzaman, A.R.M, District Administration in Bangladesh, Dhaka,
Adstyle (in Bangla), 1995.
Khan, Shahrukh Kafi, Pakistan Under Musharraf (1999-2002), Lahore,
Banquet Printing Press, 2004.
Morshed, Mahbubur Rahman, Bureaucratic Response to Administrative
Decentralization, Dhaka, The University Press Limited, 1997.
Muhit, Abul Mal Abdul, Government in Districts: A Review of Local
Government Laws, Dhaka, The University Press Limited (in Bangla), 2002.
Rahman, A.H.M.A , Polities of Rural Local Self-Government in Bangladesh,
Dhaka, University of Dhaka, 1990.
Roger, Shotton, Local Government Initiative: A Synthesis of Case Studies,
Manila, ADB, 2004.
Siddiqui, Kamal, Local Government in Bangladesh, Dhaka, The University
Press Limited, 2005.
Siddiqui, Kamal, Mega City Governance in South Asia, Dhaka, The University
Press Limited, 2004.
Siddiqui, Kamal, Local Governance in South Asia, Dhaka, The University
Press Limited, 1995.
Siddiquee, Noore Alam, Decentralization and Development: Theory and
Practice in Bangladesh, Dhaka, Dhaka University Press, 2001.
Articles
Abeyrathne, Mr R (2001), " Good Governance, Decentralization and Provincial
councils", Governance Journal, Vol. 1, No. 01, Pp. 41-57
Ahmed, Jamshed (1988), "Some Proposals on Financial Administration of Zila
Parishad", The Journal of Local Government, Vol. 17, No. 2, Pp. 124-129 (in
Bangla).
Ahmed, Kh. Azad (1984), " A Study on Dhaka Zila Parishad- Finance and
Functions", The Journal of Local Government, Vol. 13, No.1, Pp. 62-84
Ahmed, Nizam (2000), "Politicians and Bureaucrats in Local Government in
Bangladesh: Social Background and Role Orientation", The Journal of Local
Government, Vol 29, No.1, Pp. 26-67
Alam, Munawwar (2004), "New Local Government Reforms in Pakistan- A
Way Forward Towards Inducing Social Change", MBA Thesis, University of
Birmingham, United Kingdom, Pp.12-39
Ali, A.M.M. Shawkat (1990), "Local Government and District Administration
in Bangladesh", Administrative Science Review, Vol. X, No. 4, Pp. 1-16
Aminuzzaman, Salahuddin (1998), "State of the Art of Local Government in
Bangladesh", Asia Profile, Vol. 12, No. 2
Ayaz, Aazar (2003), "Decentralization in Pakistan: An Approach to Poverty
Reduction and Protection of Human Rights", The Researchers, Islamabad,
Pakistan, Pp. 3-9
Cheema, Ali. Asim Ijaz Khwaja and Adnan Qadir (2005), "Local Government
Reforms in Pakistan: Context, Contest and Cause",
http://www.ksghome.harvard.edu/~akhwaja/papers/chapter8.pdf, Pp.381-433
Hossain, Ali Azam and Shamim Faruque (1991), "Zila Parishad Administration
and Management: Problems and Suggestions", The Journal of Local
Government, Vol. 20, No. 2, Pp. 18-23
Hossain, Sirajul and Abul Hashem (1985), "The Chairman of Kalia Upazila
Parishad and Relevant Facts", The Journal of Local Government, Vol. 14, No.
, Pp.113-125 (in Bangla).
Jahangir, A.K.M (1989), "Administrative Decentralization and Trishal Upazila
Parishad: Relevant Thoughts", The Journal of Local Government, Vol. 18, No.
, Pp.199-219 (in Bangla).
Khan, Sajjad Ali (2006a), "Evolution of the Devolution Plan (2000): Local
Government System Revised or Reformed"? (A Study Conducted in the
District Mardan of the NWFP, Pakistan), Master Thesis, Department of
International Environment and Development Studies, Norway, Pp.21-91
Khan, Shadiullah (2006b), "Local Government and Participatory Rural
Development: The Case Study of District Government in North Western
Pakistan", Phd Thesis, Gomal University, Pp.1-8
Khan, Shanaz (1988), "District Administration: The Bangladesh", The Journal
of Local Government, Vol. 17, No. 1, Pp. 28-41
Majumdar, Badiul Alam (2002), "Local Government Should Be Free of the
Influence/Control of MPs and Bureaucrat", Daily Ajker Kagoj, 5 October (in
Bangla).
Noor, A (1996), "Local Government in Bangladesh: Problems and Issues", The
Journal of Local Government, Vol. 15, No. 1, Pp.15-28.
Quddusi, S.M. Khasrul Alam (2006), "Empowering Local Government in
Bangladesh", New Nation, 6 August.
Rahman, Md. Moksuder (1988), "The Zila Parishad: A Historical Analysis of
Changing Structural Pattern", The Journal of Rural Development, Vol. XVIII,
No. 1, Pp. 27-48
Ranasinghe, Dr. Sudatta (2001), "Democracy and Local Governance: Some
Critical Issues and Their Implications", Governance Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1, Pp
-20
Siddiqui, Kamal (1988), "The Financial Management of Zila Parishad: A Few
Proposals", The Journal of Local Government, Vol. 17, No. 2, Pp.124-129 (in
Bangla).
Zohra, Fatema (1985), "Relationship of Union Parishad with Upazila Parishad
and The Deputy Commissioner", The Journal of Local Government, Vol. 15,
No. 1, Pp.58-64
Documents/Reports/Papers
Alm, James (1983), The Immovable Property Transfer Tax in Bangladesh (Zila
Roads/local Finance Project, Interim Report No. 3), New York, Syracuse
University.
Alm, Jams and Larry Schroeder (1983), The Land Development Tax in
Bangladesh (Zila Roads/ Local Finance Project Interim Report No.7), New
York, Metropolitan Studies of the Maxwell School of Citizenship, Syracuse
University.
Bhal, Roy (1983), Inter Government Grants in Bangladesh (Zila Roads/Local
Finance Project, Interim Report No. 10), New York, Maxwell School of
Citizenship, Syracuse University.
Government of Bangladesh (1982), Report of the Committee for Administrative
Reorganization/Reform, Dhaka.
Government of Bangladesh (1992), Report of the Local Government Structure
Review Commission, Dhaka.
Government of Bangladesh (1997), Report of the Local Government
Commission For Strengthening of Local Government Institution, Dhaka.
Government of Pakistan (2000), Local Government Plan, National
Reconstruction Bureau, Islamabad.
Government of Pakistan (2006), Strengthening Decentralization in Pakistan (A
Commonwealth Symposium was held in Islamabad from 24-25 July coorganized
by the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth Local
Government Forum and assisted by the DFID and USAID), National
Reconstruction Bureau, Islamabad.
Khan, Abdul Moin (1992), Relationship of Local Bodies with Other
Institutions, Government and Public Representatives (Paper Presented at the
National Workshop on Local Government Structure Review Commission),
National Institute of Local Government, Dhaka.
Miller, Barbara D. and James Wozny (1983), The Land Development Tax in
Bangladesh: Insights from the 1978 Land Occupancy (Zila Roads/Local
Finance Project Interim Report No.4), New York, Metropolitan Study
Programme, The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse
University.
Rahman, Syedur (1998), Governance and Local Governance System, paper
presented in International Seminar on Good Governance System, Organized
by Local Government Division and UNDP, Dhaka.
Research Report on the Role of Zila Parishad in Development Activities (A
Case Study of Munshigonj and Chittagonj Districts), National Institute of
Local Government, Dhaka, 1994 (in Bangla).
Report on the Role of Zila Parishad in Mobilizing Local resources (A case
Study of Six Districts), National Institute if Local Government, Dhaka, 1997
(in Bangla).
Report on the Functions and Personnel System of Zila Parishad (A Case Study
of Mymensingh and Gazipur Districts), National Institute of Local
Government, Dhaka, 1992 (in Bangla).
Report on the Future of Zila Parishad (A Workshop Held at the National
Institute of Local Government), Dhaka, 1985 (in Bangla).
Report on the Role of Zila Parishad in Socio-economic Development of Local
People (A Case Study of Six Districts), National Institute of Local
Government, Dhaka, 2005 (in Bangla).
Report on the Devolution in Pakistan: An Assessment and Recommendation for
Action (A Study Conducted by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and
Department For International Development jointly), Islamabad, 2004.
Schroeder, Larry (1983), A Review of Bangladesh Zila and Union Parishad
Finance (Zila/Local Finance Project, Interim Report No.8), New York,
Metropolitan Studies Programme, The Syracuse University.
List of Interviews
Dr Abdul Moin Khan, Former Minister of Bangladesh Government in Charge
of Planning, Science and Information Technology Ministries, Dhaka, 24 May
Mr Aamir Shouket, First Secretary, Pakistan High Commission, Dhaka, 31
July 2008.
Mr Harun-Ur- Rashid Khan, Deputy Commissioner, Sylhet District, 3 March
Mr Khalilur Rahman, Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Golapgonj Upazila, Sylhet, 5
March 2008.
Mr Muzir Uddin Chaklader, Chairman, Dhaka-Dakkhin Union Parishad,
Golapgonj Upazila, Sylhet, 5 March 2008.