We always talk about how the local government system is not benefiting the country, how broken is it, but nobody talks about how to solve this problem. Here are some thoughts.
The number of people that Singapore has is 4,483,900 in a tiny land of 704 square km. The population density of the country is 6,369 per square km.
The number of people that Bangladesh has is 158,822,300 in a land size of 143,998 square km. The population density of the country is 985 per square km.
What does Singapore pays to its president and prime minister? How much do we pay?
If you compare the size of Dhaka city, it is several times more than Singapore. So, the Dhaka mayor should get more money as a pay than the President or the Prime Minister of Singapore. If you do not pay for the service, then you get the theives and frauds running for the office. Is not that we are watching for last few decades?
Let us get real. If there is a chance that a young 30 something or 40 years old educated person, who is engaged in a private job or doing business, wants to run for his or her village UP Chairmanship position in the coming elections, how much do the country want to pay him? This person may be earning in the range of around 50,000 taka or more if he is an efficient person in the private sector or doing well in business.
Now, if the system or the governament or we the people as a whole want this competent, honest and hard-working person to leave his career and go to his village Union and run for office there, what we are offering this person? Meagre five thousand taka? Or less than that? We do not even know how much this person earns from this office.
So what we are expecting? This will be a thief – for sure. Because he has a social status and he needs money to live his life. So, he gets commisison from around his people, everybody to make sure that he has enough money. Where is the time for planning development of his people? Its all about what I am getting if I do this or that.
Wait, I know what you are thinking. You are expecting somebody to run for office who would not need money – he has enough money and an established person? Alright. Let me ask you this. How did this person earn his money? Honestly or by stealing? Or did he get rich since he is old enough to get rich? So, are you expecting this person who do not need money from his salary anymore to be competent too?
Give us a break!
So, here is the proposal. Hike the salaries of UP Chairman and Members. Chairman should get at least 1 lac per month. The members can get 50,000 Taka.
Pourashova and City Corporation Chairman and members should also get their salaries adjusted accordingly – if we are really serious about local government effectiveness.
Just to emphasize, we are aware that there are many factors that will ensure the local government effectiveness. That should start with the talented, young competent leadership. You have to attract them to the posts of services.
You would need effective media too. If the policy-makers only listens to nice talks from Shujan and TIB, that won’t cut it. Keep that in mind. Intelligent sounding talk from the Mr. Importants (civil or military) will not cut it either. The nation knows what are your backgrounds. So, cut the big talks. Cut talks like this – me, very good, others are bad – rather make some policies that enable people to engage.
If you do not have the courage to bump-up the salaries, at least make a provision that the local government bodies can set their salaries based on some percentage of the locally generated revenue. There should be a provision for local tax, also. But we are really convinced that it should start from the governemnt – govt. should hike the salaries of these elected officials NOW. Once that is done, the central government can leave it to the elected officials to generate money for local government. It is needed to attract competent young people for those offices. Otherwise, whatever you do, eventually it will be filled with frauds, mastans and theives.
If you thought some of the ideas are worth of your reading time, please forward it to others. If you have an ear to the members of the CTG, please forward it to them. If you have an ear to the journalists and news editors of the electronic media, discuss it with them. Hope they would look at the suggestions and give due diligence.
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