Noted citizens have stressed the need for decentralisation of power to strengthen democratic institutions and ensure the rule of law.

Addressing a roundtable discussion in Dhaka today, they also emphasised on balanced power among three major organs of the state.

The speakers said the present parliament has become a “one-party House” and decentralisation of power is a must to get rid of the situation. 

“Concerned Citizen’s Group”, a non-political platform of the country’s noted citizens, organised the roundtable titled ‘Checks and Balance: Decentralisation’ at Cirdap auditorium.

The discussants observed that decentralisation of power is not possible without the will of political parties and unity among them.

Former chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda, former caretaker government advisers, M Hafizuddin Khan, Dr MM Shawkat Ali, Executive Director of Policy Research Institute Ahsan H Mansur, and local government expert Tofail Ahmed were, among others, present at the programme.

Huda, who is also convener of the group, said, “We don’t have any desire to be the country’s president or prime minister. Our objective is to make democracy and people’s empowerment sustainable. We also want decentralisation of power, but we can’t do it. Only the politicians can make it happen.”

He said elections are not enough to consolidate democracy. “We need to make our constitutional bodies effective. But the fact is these institutions are now politicised.”

Local government expert Dr Tofail Ahmed said, “The current parliament has become one-party one…decentralisation of power is needed to overcome this situation. Or else, the situation will get worse gradually.”

In his key-note paper, Dr Tofail said “over-empowerment” of a person is not only harmful for a state, but also for a family. “Over power makes people irrational and it also makes some people desperate and crazy.”

He recommended bringing Zila Parishads across the country under the rule of elected representatives as soon as possible.

Dr Tofail said it is politics that mainly determines pace, process and result of decentralisation in a country and the society. “Relation between politics and power is like the relation between letter and envelope.”

Dr Shawkat Ali said the local government bodies cannot be empowered for lack of decentralisation of power. “Enough monetary allocation should be ensured from the centre for making the local government bodies effective.”