Wasim Bin Habib
A upazila parishad consists of a chairman, two vice-chairpersons (one of them a woman), chairmen of all union parishads under the upazila concerned, mayors of all municipalities, if there are any, and women members of the reserved seat.
The chairman and vice-chairpersons are going to be elected today. One-third of the total women members from reserved seats of union parishad under an upazila will be the upazila parishad members. The women members of the reserved seat of the union parishad will elect them.
The upazila parishad chairman and vice-chairpersons will have to resign from their party posts if they hold any.
The vice-chairpersons will elect a two-member chairman panel within one month of the first meeting of the parishad. A vice-chairperson from the panel will serve as the chairman if the elected chairman fails to carry out their duty for absence, illness or any other reason.
Upon suggestions of the Local Government Commission, the government can suspend any chairmen, vice-chairpersons and women members temporarily if their work goes against the parishad’s interest or seems “unexpected” from administrative point of view.
But, they will be allowed to give their statement before that.
MEETING AND STANDING COMMITTEES
The upazila parishad will hold at least one meeting a month at its office.
For executing its activities smoothly, the parishad will form at least nine standing committees on different issues with the duration of maximum two and a half years within a month of the first meeting. At least one-third elected women members from the reserved seats will be the presidents of these standing committees, each consisting of five-seven members.
If needed, the committees can appoint experts but they will not have any right to franchise.
The committees will be on law and order; health and family planning; agriculture, fisheries, livestock, irrigation and environment; education; social welfare, women and children development; sports, culture and youth development; communication and infrastructural development; establishment, finance and accounts and monitoring and evaluation.
The parishad can also form additional standing committees if needed.
EXECUTIVE POWER
The chairman of the upazila parishad will enforce executive power to implement the decisions taken by the parishad.
An upazila parishad chairman’s duties include chairing and conducting parishad meetings, monitoring and controlling all officers and employees, meeting financial expenditure of certain limits fixed by the government and commission. The chairman will also prepare the annual confidential reports of all officers and employees of the parishad.
The chairman will supervise all accounts of the parishad with the join signature of the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO).
FUNCTIONS
The functions of upazila parishad include dealing with administrative and establishment issues, ensuring law and order and services related to peoples’ welfare, and formulation and implementation of local economic and social development planning.
Preparing development planning for five-year terms or so, construction, repair and maintenance of linking road under the upazila, initiating and implementing small irrigation projects, creation of jobs and initiating programmes to reduce poverty are major duties of the parishad. Besides, the parishad will regularly send report on the upazila’s law and order to the district committees on law and order and other high authorities.
The parishad will also publish citizens’ charter accommodating the description, conditions and duration of the service it would render to the people.
FINANCIAL RESOURCES
Every upazila parishad will have a fund. Government grants, income from local sources, grants from other parishads or local authorities, loans granted by the government, money collected from taxes and fees, and incomes and benefits from schools, hospitals, dispensaries, buildings and organisations run by the parishad will be deposited in the fund.
The government-fixed portions of income from local markets, jal mahals and ferry ghats under the upazila will go to the fund. Taxes and fees on cinemas, drama and jatra, fair, business and occupation will also go to it.
Every parishad will prepare its budget two months before the start of a fiscal year and hang its copy for at least 15 days to inform people about it and receive suggestion and comments from the people.
After considering their suggestion, the parishad will approve the budget 30 days before the start of a fiscal year and send a copy to the deputy commissioner (DC).
If a parishad fails to approve its budget in time, the DC will prepare a list of income and expenditure, which will be approved as the budget of that upazila for the year.
The accounts of the parishad will be examined by an appointed auditor in a specific process. Upon suggestion of the commission the government will formulate the audit related rules for inconsistency or irregularities of accounts, damage or waste of assets and other aspects. All members will be bound to give information to the auditor, who will inform the DC if anybody defies.
OFFICER AND EMPLOYEES
A UNO will serve as the chief executive officer of the upazila and the government will appoint one secretary to the parishad. The government can employ its officer or employee to the parishad for executing general or special duties on specific condition.
ABOLITION AND RE-ELECTION
Upon suggestions from the commission the government can abolish a parishad through a gazette notification for several reasons. The parishad will be abolished if most members resign or become ineligible or misuse power of the parishad.
The parishad will be formed again through election within 180 days from the date the posts of chairman, vice-chairpersons and other members fall vacant. The posts will be regarded vacant from the day of the gazette notification.
Parishad officials will be given chance to explain themselves before a parishad is abolished.
Courtesy: thedailystar.net
