Reform Commission: Local Government Elections Now Feasible

Local Government Reform Commission Proposes Elections and Structural Changes

• Following the July uprising, the country has been without functional local government institutions.
• The Local Government Reform Commission deems it feasible to conduct elections for all local government bodies simultaneously.
• The commission views this as an opportunity to establish a transparent and accountable system.
• Failure to hold elections may lead to legal complications, as the tenure of several institutions will end before the national elections.
• These recommendations are outlined in the commission’s preliminary report, submitted to the interim government on Wednesday.
• The commission suggests introducing direct elections for ward members at the union, upazila, and district levels.
• On women's representation, the commission highlights constitutional provisions ensuring gender equality and support for marginalized communities.
• It proposes replacing reserved women’s seats with a rotational system, ensuring that one-third of all local government wards are reserved for women in each election.
• Women elected under this system would automatically become part of the executive councils of local government institutions.
• The proposed reforms aim to establish a more transparent, efficient, and representative local governance system in Bangladesh.