Monday, November 11, 2024

All about upazila parishad

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

Related News

Sajek, Khagrachari now open to visitors after being closed for over a month

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The tourism restriction imposed in Sajek valley of Rangamati and Khagrachhari for over a month was lifted today allowing visitors after 45 days. Rangamati Deputy Commissioner Mosharraf Hossain Khan announced the lifting of travel bans at the popular Sajek Union in Baghaichhari Upazila. Similarly, the Khagrachari Deputy Commissioner has also lifted ... Read more

Tourist access to suspend in St Martins in February

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The government has decided that tourist access to Saint Martin’s Island will be suspended in February to protect the island’s fragile ecology and ensure environmental preservation. Tourists will be allowed to visit the island from November to January, with overnight stays prohibited in November. In December and January, tourists can stay ... Read more

Public univs to accommodate 37pc GPA 5 achievers

Shahin Akhter Around 63 per cent of examinees securing a Grade Point Average of 5 in this year’s Higher Secondary Certificate and equivalent examinations will not be able to get admitted to the public universities across the country due to lack of seats. Though the private universities in the country have sufficient seats to accommodate ... Read more

297 killed by lightning in eight months

News Desk : dhakamirror.com At least 297 people have been killed and 73 injured in incidents of lightning strikes across the country between February and September this year, according to Save the Society and Thunderstorm Awareness Forum (SSTAF). In the eight months, lightning strikes killed 152 people while they were doing agricultural works, SSTAF said ... Read more

Flood death toll climbs to 59, over 5.4 million affected

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Fifty-nine people, including 41 men, six women and 12 children, died in the devastating flood as deaths of five more people were reported on Saturday. So far, 14 deaths have been reported in Cumilla, six in Chattogram, 23 in Feni, nine in Noakhali, three in Cox’s Bazar, and one each in ... Read more

Flood death toll reaches 13, 4.5m affected in 11 districts

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Around 13 people have been killed and 4.5 million affected by floods in 11 districts of Bangladesh, the disaster management and relief ministry said Friday, reports AFP. Thousands of people awaiting emergency rescue remained beyond electricity and mobile network coverage as a flash flood unleashed by heavy rains and an onrush ... Read more

Bangladesh ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia freed

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia has been officially released. Former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was released on Tuesday, a day after Sheikh Hasina’s resignation as PM and fleeing the country amid an unprecedented student-led mass uprising against her authoritarian regime. The decision was revealed ... Read more

Eid-ul-Azha on June 17

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The holy Eid-ul-Azha will be celebrated in Bangladesh on June 17 (Monday) as the crescent moon of the Zilhaj month was sighted in Bangladesh’s sky on Friday evening (7 June). The National Moon Sighting Committee came up with the decision after reviewing information about the sighting of the moon at a ... Read more

Cyclone Remal: 40 dead animals found, 17 rescued hurt in Sundarbans

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The forest department officials on Tuesday said that so far they found 39 dead deer and a pig in the Sundarbans after the severe cyclone Remal that hit the forest on Sunday. Primarily they have estimated infrastructural damage of Tk 6.27 crore in the forest while the total damage, including animals ... Read more

Cyclone Remal claims at least 14 lives, affects nearly 37.58 lakh people in 19 districts

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Following its devastating impact into Bangladesh on Sunday night, Cyclone Remal has affected over 37.58 lakh people in 19 districts and taken at least 14 lives. While the cyclone has weakened into a deep depression, hundreds of villages in the southern parts of the country remain submerged. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department ... Read more

Alert issued as Cyclone Remal develops

News Desk : dhakamirror.com A weather alert has been issued by the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) as a low-pressure system in the southwest and west central Bay of Bengal gains strength, potentially developing into Cyclone Remal by Saturday. The system, currently moving northeastward, is expected to transform into a depression by early Friday. By Saturday, ... Read more

Cyclone ‘Remal’ likely to hit Bangladesh coasts on 26 May: Meteorologist

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Cyclone Remal is likely to make landfall between 6:00am and 12:00pm on 26 May in Bangladesh, affecting coastal areas from the Barguna in Barishal Division to Cox’s Bazar in the Chattogram Division, a meteorologist said today (21 May). The front of the cyclone may begin to enter coastal areas after 6:00am, ... Read more

5 consecutive days holiday for Eid-ul-Adha

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Government employees are scheduled to get five consecutive days off on Eid-ul-Azha. This includes two days of weekly holidays (Friday and Saturday) followed by another three days for Eid, according to government holiday list. Eid-ul-Azha is likely to be celebrated on June 17 this year.

Heavy rains, storms forecast for entire week

Schools open today after heatwave closures News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) forecasts heavy rainfall with thunderstorms across the country this week, starting on Tuesday and lasting through Saturday. As per the analysis of mathematical model of rainfall index, Bangladesh is likely to witness heavy to very heavy rainfall with thunderstorms starting ... Read more

Waiting for the rain

Tawsia Tajmim As the sun blazes relentlessly, desperate craving rises for rain, for nothing soothes Mother Nature quite like its cool embrace. After a brutal month-long heatwave, residents of Chattogram, Sylhet, and Dhaka finally caught a break with some rain on 2 May. However, the downpour was not strong enough to completely wash away the ... Read more

Hajj registration extended till Jan 18

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The government, in a notice issued yesterday, extended the Hajj registration deadline for 2024 until January 18. It said aspiring Hajis would have to primarily deposit Tk 2.05 lakh, while the rest should be paid by February 29 for final registration. One has to pay Tk 5,78,840 under the general package, ... Read more

Dense fog disrupts communications across Bangladesh

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Cold and dense fog continued to disrupt life with road, air and waterways communication remaining suspended in the early hours of Tuesday as Bangladesh braces for this winter’s first cold wave likely to set in today. Authorities also confirmed until Tuesday the death of 14 people in cold-related diseases and road ... Read more

27,000 GPA 5 achievers not to get seat in public universities

Shahin Akhter Over 27,000 GPA 5 achievers in this year’s HSC and equivalent examinations cannot be admitted to the public universities due to fewer seats. A total of 92,595 examinees secured GPA 5 out of total 10,67,852 passed in the Higher Secondary Certificate examinations this year. But there are around 65,400 seats at the public ... Read more

Magnitude 5.5 earthquake jolts Dhaka, other parts of Bangladesh

News Desk : dhakamirror.com A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Bangladesh this morning, the United States Geological Survey said, with no immediate reports of damage. The earthquake jolted different parts of the country including Dhaka around in Ramganj of Cumilla at 9:35am, reports The Daily Star quoting Meteorologist Rubayet Kabir of Bangladesh Meteorological Department. The quake ... Read more

250cc Bajaj Pulsar N250 launched in Bangladesh

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Uttara Motors, the manufacturer and distributor of Bajaj motorcycles in Bangladesh, has recently launched The Pulsar N250 motorcycle. Pulsar N250 comes with a price tag of Tk339,999 and is available in three different colours. The motorcycle with a 250 cc oil-cooled engine has got dual channel antilock braking system (ABS). Indian ... Read more