Allowance rise for union parishad chairmen, members to be discussed with PM: Mirza Fakhrul

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that the government will discuss with the Prime Minister the proposal to raise the allowances of Union Parishad chairmen and members to a more respectable level. He also said initiatives would be taken to establish a trust and welfare fund for elected local representatives.

He made the remarks on Wednesday (July 22) while addressing a discussion titled "The Role of Grassroots Union Parishad Chairmen and Members in Building a New Bangladesh by Strengthening Local Government," organized by the Bangladesh Union Parishad Chairmen-Members Association at the Institution of Diploma Engineers in Kakrail, Dhaka.

The minister said that a country's democracy and governance become truly strong only when its local government system is effective and empowered. Strengthening grassroots representatives, he said, would help ensure public services reach people's doorsteps while reinforcing the foundations of democracy.

He noted that in developed countries, local governments serve as the backbone of administration, justice, healthcare, and public service delivery. However, despite Bangladesh's independence, the country's local government system has yet to be strengthened to the desired level. He stressed that the time has come to empower local government institutions in the true sense.

Mirza Fakhrul said Union Parishad chairmen and members are the elected representatives closest to the people and possess the best understanding of local problems, needs, and development potential. Therefore, he added, local government institutions must be made more effective to institutionalize democracy and accelerate national development.

He also said the government is committed to strengthening the local government system. According to him, all upcoming local government elections, including those for Union Parishads, will be conducted in a free, fair, and impartial manner, ensuring that representatives are elected through the people's votes.
The event was chaired by Md. Paygam Ali, President of the Bangladesh Union Parishad Chairmen-Members Association. State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief M. Iqbal Hossain attended the program as the special guest.