Role of District Administration in Reshaping Local Government of Bogura

Local government- urban and rural- is a key component and integral part of the governance system in Bangladesh. With the ouster of the previous Awami government through mass uprisings spearheaded by students and people, most of the Chairmen/Mayors fled or went underground resulting in vacuum in hundreds of posts of elected representatives in various local government organs- union, municipality and so on- throughout the country including Bogura. This is where administration gets involved to rescue the local government institutes in Bogura from collapsing and plays a pivotal role in providing crucial public services during a tumultuous transitional period.  This write-up will explore key areas of improvement in local government organs particularly Municipalities in Bogura where involvement of district administration takes place in various capacities.

The District Administration has pioneered to upgrade Bogura Municipality to a City Corporation through sending proposals to the Local Government Division of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives back in February 2025 under leadership of the then Deputy Commissioner. Upon getting Direction from the Local Government Division, District Administration issued a public notification for elevation of Bogura Municipality to a City Corporation. One of the oldest Municipalities – established in 1876 – Bogura has been declared as a City Corporation by Honourable Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on 20 April this year during his official visit due partly to swift and timely action of District Administration.

Prior to taking charge of Municipalities in Bogura as administrators by BCS (Administration) Cadre Officials in the context of 5 August upheaval, filing system in municipalities specifically in Bogura Municipality was so dire and vague that it failed to meet essential parametres of traditional paper-based filing structure let alone modern digital one. The then Deputy Director of Local Government of Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Bogura who was an administrator of Bogura Municipality reinvigorated organised and structured filing systems incorporating key components of traditional filing and subsequently transformed conventional filing system into digital filing through strenuous works during his tenure. Thanks to his innovative thoughts which translated into a better filing system, if not the best.

Malfeasance and siphoning off funds through forging nexus of some dishonest officials of Municipality and brokers were omnipresent and rampant before 5 August period. Incumbent Deputy Director of Local Government of Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Bogura as an Administrator of Bogura Municipality has taken some bold initiatives to ensure financial integrity and transparency in Bogura Municipality. She has initiated a process, for instance, to disburse salary to master-roll employees phase by phase through their respective bank account instead of direct cash salary. This single initiative has saved around Tk6 million per annum through wiping out 20 (362 to 342) imaginary and ghost staff. The second stage of this scheme will include cleaners who are now getting their salary through direct hand cash. It is projected that a sizable amount of money will be saved upon implementation of this noble initiative. Sonatala Municipality led by AC (Land), Sonatala Upazila follows suit to ensure transparency in salary disbursement and collecting holding tax through banking channels. This development will contribute to ensuring transparency and financial integrity in Municipalities in Bogura.

District Administration has extended cooperation with Municipalities to take care of pressing environmental issues directly affecting the dwellers of Municipalities. For example, the current Administrator of Bogura Municipality has already stepped in to resolve the environmental problems such as air pollution emanating from construction items kept open air in roads. This writer has conducted mobile courts in this regard several times and punished culprits with fine and seized bricks to drive them out from activities destructive to the environment. Bogura Municipality headed by Administrator has renovated the Shakpala Park- established by Honourable Prime Minister Tarique Rahman- to conserve its environmental ambience and made it accessible to city residents to pass quality time with friends and family members.

District administration facilitates regular cleanliness activities – conducted at office yards, residence and surrounding areas – and dengue prevention campaign coordinating with municipalities on a regular basis and reports it to cabinet weekly. Bogura Municipality administrator has dismantled the syndicate in the waste management regime through regular monitoring and installation of CCTV at dumping yards.

Administration cadre officials renowned for their strong chain of command and discipline help to shape and grow professionalism among the employees of municipalities in Bogura. Improved professionalism leads to ensuring better service. Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Adamdighi Upazila and Administrator of Shantahar Municipality has contributed to enhance service delivery such as providing various allowances to the target beneficiaries, issuing birth/death certificate and licenses in the shortest possible time without compromising any compliance issue through augmenting professionalism among staff, not to mention hundreds of development projects and eventually improved operational efficiency through improvised office management system. Administrators prioritise important projects over less important ones considering the betterment of the people and public interests. All these factors ease the sufferings of marginalized service recipients.

However, it is argued by some experts on the local government domain that as a short-term solution deputing administration officials in local government bodies as an administrator may be fruitful but for the longer span of time it is not feasible since   elected representatives cannot be substituted with civil servants. That’s why, Indira Gandhi once said, ‘The civil servant is primarily the master of the short-term solution’.

Although there are still many areas – notorious traffic jam, sewerage problem, unplanned urbanization, and so on to improve, the bottom line is that District Administration of Bogura is working round the clock to keep Municipalities operational and provide uninterrupted civic services to the people through administrative and policy supports.

The writer is an Assistant Director (Local Government), Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Bogura