This is my own presentation

1. PRESENTATION ON MY RESEARCH
PROPOSAL
Course Name: Special Seminar (3I753)
Professor Jun Matsunami
Graduate School of International Cooperation & Policy Studies
(GSICS)
Kobe University
Submitted By: Md Nazmul Islam
ID: 223I417I, GSICS
Kobe University

2. RESEARCH TITLE
Strengthening Local Government of Bangladesh
Through Increasing Local Revenue Mobilization
& Building Strong Monitoring System By Taking
Japanese Local Government System Into
Consideration : A Critical Analysis of
Paurashava and Union Parishad

3. RESEARCH BACKGROUND
What is Local Government: The expression "local government" is
defined, without taking into consideration its financial and legal status and
representative character, as "a public organization authorized to decide and
administer a limited range of public policies within a relatively small territory
which is a subdivision of a regional or national local government." (Duane
Lockard, "Local Government" in Encyclopaedia of Social Sciences 451)
The United Nations defines local self-government as "a political sub-
division of a nation or state which is constituted by law and has
substantial control of local affairs, including the power to impose taxes
or exact labour for prescribed purposes. The governing body of such an
entity is elected or otherwise locally selected."

4. LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNDER THE
CONSTITUTION OF BANGLADESH
Article 59: (1) Local Government in every administrative unit of the Republic shall
be entrusted to bodies, composed of persons elected in accordance with law. (2)
Everybody such as is referred to in clause (1) shall, subject to this Constitution and
any other law, perform within the appropriate administrative unit such functions as
shall be prescribed by Act of Parliament, which may include functions relating to -
(a) Administration and the work of public officers; (b) the maintenance of public
order; (c) the preparation and implementation of plans relating to public services
and economic development.
Article 60: For the purpose of giving full effect to the provisions of article 59
Parliament shall, by law, confer powers on the local government bodies referred to
in that article, including power to impose taxes for local purposes, to prepare their
budgets and to maintain funds.

5. LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNDER THE
CONSTITUTION OF BANGLADESH
Apart from the above two articles, article 11 provides: The Republic shall be
a democracy in which fundamental human rights and freedoms and respect
for the dignity and worth of the human person shall be guaranteed, and in
which effective participation by the people through their elected
representatives in administration at all levels shall be ensured.
From these three articles, it is conspicuous that the constitution of Bangladesh
has put great emphasis on Local Government and its duties include public
services, economic development, imposing taxes for local purposes,
preparing budgets and maintaining funds.

6. LOCAL GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE OF BANGLADESH

7. STRUCTURE OF UNION PARISHAD/PAUROSHAVA

8. WHY IS THIS RESEARCH PROPOSAL ACADEMICALLY
IMPORTANT?
At present, we have 61 Zila Parishad, 492 Upazila Parishad, 4562 Union Parishad, 330
Pauroshava, 12 City Corporations. Here, in this research proposal I will mainly focus on
Paurashavas and Union Parishads.
Muhammad Nurul Huda is a former IGP of Bangladesh Police rightly said, ”We have, at
the bottom of the administrative structure, a local government which is supposed to tackle
problems that people face in their daily lives. Unfortunately, this tier was never allowed to
take root or develop organically. There have been eloquent deliberations on the
"devolution of power" and the so-called "new social contract", but no practical
empowerment of the institution of local government.”

9. WHY IS THIS RESEARCH PROPOSAL ACADEMICALLY
IMPORTANT?
According to worldometer, current density of population
of Bangladesh is 1265 per square kilometres and the total
population is 168,600,833 (sixteen crore Eighty Six Lacs
Eight hundred and thirty three. As a result, empowering
local government by increasing financial capacity is the
urge of the day.
According to World Bank, less than one percent of
Bangladesh's GDP funds 85% of local government
expenditures and local governments generate very
little of their revenue and they are excessively
dependent on the central government.

10. WHY IS THIS RESEARCH PROPOSAL ACADEMICALLY
IMPORTANT?
Bangladesh is a country of huge Deficit Budget and
therefore, local revenue mobilization is all the more
significant.
Inadequate local revenue mobilization is a major
bottleneck for the development of Bangladesh. It
hampers major development activities of the local
governments e.g. physical and socio-economic
infrastructure, agriculture and irrigation, education,
health, sanitation and immunization programs,
disaster and relief program, social safety net
program.

11. WHY IS THIS RESEARCH PROPOSAL ACADEMICALLY
IMPORTANT?
Local government bodies have been chronically resource-
poor in Bangladesh. Local Government bodies are
compelled to take loan or grants from central government at
almost every aspect of Union Parishad (Ahmed; 2000:
382). Local self government bodies in Bangladesh are in
constant shortage of funds.
Limited powers, functions and jurisdiction of local
government are all delegated by central government,
which retains a high degree of overall control in both
rural and urban areas. This effectively limits the
autonomy and efficiency of local government.

12. WHY IS THIS RESEARCH PROPOSAL ACADEMICALLY
IMPORTANT?
As a representative of the central Government in the field
administration, I observe multifarious defects in the local
government bodies. For example, up chairmen are not
interested in collecting individual holding tax in the fear that
it may lessen their votes or mandates. Whereas, their main
source of finance is Land and Property Tax that constitutes
1.5% of the total revenue collection.
Besides, lack of human resource for collecting taxes
and weak mechanism for determining the newly
originated taxes hamper the development of the
localities.

13. WHY IS THIS RESEARCH PROPOSAL ACADEMICALLY
IMPORTANT?
SDG Localization (39+1 Indicator) is getting more and
more significant. Localizing the SDGs can provide a
framework for local development policy. The
integration of SDGs within sub-national level planning
is a crucial step in the overall development of a locality
and fulfilling the SDGs.
Local Government Division is responsible for
monitoring the activities of Local Govt. but
unfortunately it is not doing it. Besides, Local
Administration i.e. Upazila Nirbahi Officer is
not supervising the activities of LG as well.

14. WHY JAPAN?
Strong Local
Autonomy
implemented by
law
Fiscal
Decentralization
Having its own
Legislative Organ
recognized by
constitution
Diversified
Revenue Source
Demarcation of the
activities of Cetral
and Local Govt.

15. OUTLINES OF LG IN JAPAN
 Local self-government is a constitutional right. Central and local governments have
different judicial personalities. The functions of local self-government and the relations
between central and local governments are stipulated in the Local Autonomy Act.
・Local governments have assemblies comprised of publicly elected members (direct
election by residents). They approve budgets and have legislative power within the confines
of the law.
・Execution of administration is carried out by chief executives of local governments
(governors, mayors) publicly elected by residents. - Execution of administration of the
central government is carried out under a parliamentary cabinet system. - An administrative
commission system has been adopted in such fields as education and law enforcement.
・Local governments are comprised of two layers: prefectures and municipalities. - Japan
applies a single nation system, not a federation system. - 47 prefectures, 1,719
municipalities as of April 1, 2013

17. DIVERSIFIED LOCAL REVENUE SOURCES OF
JAPAN
Prefectures
Individual InhabitantTax
Local ConsumptionTax
Local CorporateTax
Local AutomobileTax
Local Light Oil DeliveryTax
Others
Municipalities
Corporate Municipal InhabitantTax
Fixed AssetTax
City PlanningTax
Others

19. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE
Fulfilling the main principles of
decentralization of government
i.e. local government
democratization and improved
service delivery for the poor
Strengthening the
financial capacity of
Local Govt.
Reducing Excessive
control of Central
Government over Local
Government
Accelerating the
functions of SDG
Localization
To diversify local
revenue sources

20. RESEARCH QUESTION
 What are the reasons of Local Government being financially weak?
 Why is the revenue of Local Government dependent on only Land and
Property Tax?
 Why is there lack of monitoring and supervision of the activities of
Local Government?
 How can Local Government improve its service delivery to the
marginal population?
 How can Local Government fulfill the targets of SDG Localization?

21. WHY AM I DOINGTHIS RESEARCH?
 I belong to BCS Administration Cadre Service of my country and my service has
dual functions in both Local Administration as Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Additional
Deputy Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner and Central Government i.e.
Ministries and Divisions and so on.
 Immediately after returning my country, I will be posted as Upazila Nirbahi Officer
that is the sole Executive Post in Local Government and acts as a representative of
Central Govt.
 Consequently, I have direct opportunity to formulate policies in the ministry level
and implement those in the Field Administration.