Book Review

On

Decentralization in Bangladesh

Myth or Reality?

By

Mohammad Mohabbat Khan

Reviewed by

DR. SUSMITA ISLAM

Roll No:9214

92ndSpecial Foundation Training Course for BCS Health Cadre Officers

National Academy for Planning and Development

About the Author
Mohammad Mohabbat Khan

Born 16 January, 1949

The senior-most Professor at the University of Dhaka, ex-chairman of the

Department Public Administration, DU.

Also taught in foreign universities and worked as consultant USAID, UNDP,

World Bank, ADB, ILO, UNCHS and SADC.

Also served as a Member of Bangladesh Public Service Commission.

Member of University Grants Commission of Bangladesh, From November 2011

to November 2015

Authored >15 books and >8 monographs and contributed over >180 articles.

Continues to be on the

About the Book

Publisher: AH Development publishing house, 143, New Market, Dhaka-1205,
Bangladesh.

Published: 2009

Cover Design: Saiful Islam

Length: 126 pages

Contents of the Book
Preface

Acknowledgement

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Process of Decentralization during the 80s: A Critical

Analysis

Chapter 3: Bangladesh at the New Millennium: Experiences with

Administrative Decentralization

Chapter 4: Decentralization and Access: Theoretical Framework and

Bangladesh Experience with Md. HabiburRahman

Chapter 5: LG in Bangladesh: Evolution, Reorganization and Central- Local

Relations with A. T. M Obaidullah

Chapter 6: Functioning of Local Government: Legal and Practical

Constraints

Postscript

Index
Introduction
According to UNDP

One of the most critical perquisites to translate decentralization from theory to practice is a
clear understanding of the concept.

Decentralization is global theme.Today, throughout the world there is a broad-based movement

towards greater decentralization.Bangladesh has undergone a massive experimentation in
decentralization in the post-colonial and post independence period. Regarding decentralization in
Bangladesh, there are not so many books or literature. The author professor Dr. Mohammad
Mohabbat Khan has tried to show courage to publish a book on it. And as I am a reviewer of this
book I want to show the overview of the authors research work on decentralization. At the
preface of this book the author has made an over view of this book.

The changes of concept and practice of decentralization has gone a sea change during a
period of twenty five years. Bangladesh has experienced different models of
decentralization process. Special emphasis has been placed on major decentralization
efforts and their impact on country's local government system. Institutions are of critical
importance for the success of a decentralized governance system. Continuation of strong
and powerful national ministry of local government will resist transfer of responsibilities
to sub national level. The only option is to establish an independent and constitutionally
mandated local government commission to oversee, monitor and guide local government
bodies. The book also includes discussion on the last caretaker government's endeavor to
reorganize the local government system.

The book is consists of six related chapters. The chapters of the book also have some
repetitions to keep intact and to maintain internal coherence and logic of a particular
chapter. All the chapters of the book describe the decentralization process, its concepts
and its reality. At the acknowledgement part of this book the author has cited some names
of the individuals and organizations those are important for this book to be published.
Chapter 1
The first chapter deals with the meaning of decentralization. The process of transferring power
from central government to local government is called decentralization.This is a complex process
that can only be nurtured by constant,gradual and careful experimentation over many years. This
chapter provides an overview of decentralization's relationship with democracy, development,
public administration and good governance. This chapter also sets up the base of the book. As
the book discuss about the decentralization process, it is very important in Bangladesh prospects.
Decentralization can be an effective mechanism to ensure accountability of civil services and
thereby improve access of customers to government-run services and facilities.
Chapter 2
The second chapter of this book deals with the Process of Decentralization during the 80s. It
includes past efforts at institutionalizing decentralization and popular participation at the local
level, the process of decentr-alization in Bangladesh, appointment of committee for
administrative reorganisation/ reform (CARR). findings of CARR, Recommendation of CARR.
He also discussed about the mechanism of decentralization, constitution of National
implementation committee for Administrative reorganization/reform (NICAR). In this chapter
writer put light on various levels of decentralization system through four key questions that are
used to differentiate between various forms of decentralization.

1.Which powers of functions have been transferred,e.g. the number of powers transferred and
their nature of significance?

2.How have they been transferred, e.g. by constitution or ordinary legislation,by administrative
delegation or by informal means?

3.To what level have they been transferred, e.g. state,religion,local government area,village?

4.Who holds the powers at this level,e.g. elected representatives or appointed officials,an
individual or a group?

Devolution, deconcentration, delegation, dispersal are four types usually found in literature.
Whatever the types are the goal to be reached is same- facilitation of popular participation in
decision making and developmental activities at the local level. Popular participation can be
achieved by utilizing four key concepts-social or people centered development, empowerment,
bureaucratic reorientation and social learning.
Chapter 3
The third chapter includes Bangladesh at the New Millennium: Experiences with Administrative
Decentralization. The author has shared his experience about administrative decentralization.
Decentralization is a global theme.

Rationale for decentralization:

More effective way of meeting local needs.

Meet the needs of poor.

It enables efficient delivery of public service by reducing costs and exposing

problems in delivery mechanism.

Reducing congestion at the center.

Participation is the cornerstone of decentralization. It enhances civic

consciousness and contributes to political maturity..
 Decentralization

It is broadly defined as the transfer of political, administrative and legal authority for planning,
decision making and administering public function from the central government to its field
organization, local administrative units, semi-autonomous and para-statal organizations or even
non-governmental organizations or voluntary associations of people.

Forms of Decentralization:

Deconcentration-Redistribution of administrative powers and responsibilities

only within the central government.

DelegationRefers to a transfer of powers or functions to organizations that are

not under the direct control of central government ministries.

DevolutionTransfers of functions or decision making authority to legally

incorporated local government, i.e. districts, sub-districts and municipalities etc.

Privatization and deregulation - allow private agencies to plan and manage the
activities which were previously performed by the government.

Chapter 4
Author has discussed about the decentralization and access in chapter four. Here theoretical
framework and Bangladesh experience with Mohammad HabiburRahman is the base. Here
author describes about the approaches to the study of decentralization such as administrative
approach, the political approach, public choice approach, Marxist approach etc.
Chapter 5
In this chapter the author discussed about the LG in Bangladesh: Evolution, Reorganization and
Central-Local Relations with A.T.M. Obaidullah.

Some chronological changes in the local government in Bangladesh:

Origin and Evolution of local Government - The existence of rural self

government is traceable in the villages of Bengal from the time immemorial
designated them as village republics.

Anciet period - In ancient India two types of self-Government institutions were

prevalent- the Headman and the Panchayat. They were engaged in maintaining
public order and some civic responsibilities. They combined in themselves the
dual functions of judge and police in settling disputes.

Mughal Period - Mughals helps for the development of township. Kotowal was
the chief executive officer. Kazi, a judicial official and a mohtasib for preventing
illegal practices.

British period - On British period of 1885, according to Bengal local self govt.
act there were district board, local board, and union committee. In 1919
according to Bengal village self govt. act union board was formed.British era not
satisfactory either.

Pakistan period - On Pakistan period, on the basis of basic democratic order

1959, there were union council, thana council, district council and divisional
council.

Mujib Government - After independence,the Awami League government tried

to reorganize strengthen the local government bodies.The council came to be
known as union panchayat. Thana council and district council were renamed as
thana development committee and zila board respectively.The name of the union
panchayat was again changed as union parishad.
 Zia regime - There were union parishad, thanaparishad and zilaparishad.During
this time, they decentralized limited quantum of power to the village level and
tried to utilize villages as key political unit. There were swanirvar gram swarkar
composed of gram prodhan (village chief) and eleven members including two
female members.

Ershad Regime - H. M. Ershad after assuming power set the goal to take the
government closer to the people.Administrative Decentralization was adopted as a
policy.he tried to transform every Thana now called Upazila as the decentralizing
unit. There was development of Upaziiaparishad.

Khaleda Zia Government (1991 -1996): Upaziiaparishad was replaced by Thana

administration. There was also gram shava.

Sheikh Hasina government (1996-2001): There arc Grain Parishad. Union

parishad, Upaziiaparishad and Zilaparishad

In this chapter functioning of Local Government: Legal and Practica Constraints

is discussed. In this book there are also findings of a survey.
 Major survey findings

Most of the public representatives identify insecurity.

Lack of awareness of people, insufficient supply of medicine( in case of health).

In case of education: there is financial insolvency, insufficient educational

institutions.

Non-cooperation of Government.

Tax evasion tendency among people,

Gender discrimination.

Internal conflict between chairman and the members.

Corruption.

Financial insolvency.

Widespread negative perception about UP chairman and members among the

people.

Monopolization of the use of power by the chairman.

Political interference.

Insufficient honorarium and salary.

Insufficient UP fund.

Lack of required qualification and training opportunities.

Recommendation
The UP's should have their own fund.

The structure of the UP manpower needs to be rearranged.

The relationship between members of parliament and the local government should be
cooperative.

Proper coordination of UP activities.

Honorarium should be increased.

Administrative complexities have to be removed.

Appropriate training for the elected representatives.

The functions of the UP have to be revised.

Adequate educational qualifications for public representatives.

Unity of UP members.
Postscript
For strengthening the local government system on 3rd June 2007, the current government
constituted a seven member committee of experts on local Government Issue. The caretaker
Government accepted the recommendation of the committee and form a commission. The
commission will have 1 chair and not more than 2 members.

Functions of Commission

To make the local government financially solvent.

To send recommendation to the Government to speed up the financial and

administrative activities.

To ensure a balances and rational distribution of revenues among the local

government institutions.

To identify new sources of income for the local government institutions.

To investigate gross financial and administrative irregularities.

To ensure financial transparency.

Justification of the name
There is discussion of the decentralization process in Bangladesh in the book. There is also
discussed about the obstacles of decentralization process and measure to remove them. So the
naming of the book is justified.

There is another book named "Rural local Government & State Politics in Bangladesh" by Md.
Nadiruzzaman, Department of Geography, university of Durham, January 2008. He discussed
the evolution of local Government in more elaborate way. He also discussed about political
power in decentralization in a nice way. The structure, function and source of income of Union
Parishad, Gram Shova etc. are also discussed. He also discussed the capacity assessment of local
government in Bangladesh. More or less there are many similarities between these two books.
Criticism
Positive

The book gives us information about decentralization process.

It gives us information about evolution of local government system.

The book discusses the obstacles of decentralization process and measures to

remove them.

The book suggests about the policies for decentralization process.

Negative

Some subject matters are placed here repeatedly, such as some topics of evolution
of decentralization is discussed in both fourth and fifth chapter.

Forms of decentralization is discussed in both third and fourth chapter.

Conclusion
As an emerging democracy, decentralization process on Bangladesh faces with a number of
problems. The author briefly discussed the decentralization process, problem of decentralization
process and measures for solving them. The author also discussed about a field based research
work, details the legal and practical constraints that the effective functioning of union perished,
the lowest tier of local Government system in Bangladesh. Here the role of last caretaker
Government in decentralization process is also discussed.