Bashing past military-backed governments for not ensuring improved public services to ruralites, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday directed LGRD ministry for outlining a mega urbanisation plan at upazila level. “Local government bodies couldn’t be strengthened because of military-backed governments. As a result, people didn’t get expected public service,” she said while addressing ministr
y officials at the secretariat. Bitterly criticising the military-backed administrations, the premier said they used local government bodies according to their free will. “Military dictators deriving from Ayub Khan and other army-backed administrations tried to use local government bodies but they didn’t give attention to strengthen the lower tiers for the sake of people.” The premier said her government has aptly taken steps for smooth functioning of all the local government bodies. “We’ll slowly decentralise power so that local bodies can run properly.” Attaching importance of decentralisation of power for people’s empowerment and more participation, she said the more the local government bodies will be strengthened, the better the public services will be improved. She asked ministry officials to outline a mega plan for urbanisation at upazila level to reach civic facilities to the rural citizens. “The way urbanisation has been developed in the country is totally unplanned,” she said, adding that the government has already issued directives to prepare a master plan for each upazila. Hasina said the government has been supplying power to rural areas to help the people lead a healthy life. “If planned urbanisation develops at upazila level, the government will be able to reach civic amenities to the rural masses.” Vast tracts of arable land go wasted due to unplanned urbanisation, she added. Citing examples of constructing union council complex during her 1996 regime, she said, “We constructed union council complexes so that people could get every service from one spot. Building designs were outlined by the ministry concerned without hiring any foreign consultant.” Hasina advised the officials to follow the same directives so that land of agriculture, schools, colleges, playgrounds and industries is not wasted. “You have to outline designs for planned urbanisation.” She also revealed her plan for constructing houses for people on low incomes. “People who live in the capital get plots and flats, but rural people won’t get anything—such disparity is in no way acceptable,” the premier mentioned. Mentioning ‘One House One Firm’ project, she said people have benefited from the project. Revealing her government’s plan to increase bumper yield of food grains, she said, “We emphasise output of food grains in northern region. Once Barisal was called a granary of food grains, but we want to restore its heritage again.” Hasina, however, expressed her dismay over construction of some bridges by the local government division. “Bridges have been built in such a way that causes problems for river routes. River transport cannot ply and goods aren’t transported,” she said, adding that too many bridges have also helped siltation and rivers lose navigability. The premier said directed the officials concerned to make river routes usable again after carrying out essential repair works on these bridges. LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Syed Ashraful Islam also spoke. State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Moshiur Rahman Ranga, PM’s Principal Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikdar, PMO Secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad, Local Government Division Secretary Manzur Hossain, Rural Development and Cooperatives Secretary MA Quader Sarkar and PM’s Press Secretary AKM Shamim Chowdhury, among others, were present at the event.
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