Presented By Mohammad Imranur Rahman ( Imran ) Assistant Research Office

1. The Presentation of Inception Report on Effectiveness of e-Governance system to improve the Union Parishad’s activities. Presented By Mohammad ImranurRahman (Imran) Assistant Research Office National Institute of Local Government (NILG) Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives People’s Republic of Bangladesh imranbd@y7mail.com

2. Government system of Bangladesh • The Government of Bangladesh: is the Central Government of Bangladesh. The Government is led by the Prime Minister, who selects all the remaining Ministers. The Prime Minister and the other most senior Ministers belong to the supreme decision-making committee, known as the Cabinet. • The Local Government of Bangladesh: The present structure of local government in Bangladesh had its origin in British colonial period. At present we’ve two kinds of Local Government system: • Urban Local Government & • Rural Local Government ** Hill District Local Government Parishad (Specialized Local Government System)

3. Urban Local Government system of Bangladesh • City Corporation: At present there are 11 city corporations in Bangladesh. Major functions are Public Health related, Public Safety Civil defense, Social welfare, Building Control, Development plan, Education related, Streets services, Trees, Parks, Gardens and Forests related services, Urban Planning, Control of foods and drinks, etc • Paurashava (Municipality): At present there are 315 Municipalities in Bangladesh. Major functions are almost same as City corporation and they have the specific areas. • ZilaParishad (District): Development of culverts/bridges, Management & control of ferry Ghats, Maintains of Garden & Playground for public uses, Establishment & Maintenance of rest houses and dak bungalows, Implementation of Development projects,, etc

4. Rural Local Government system of Bangladesh • UpazilaPariashad (Sub-District): Main functions are to prepare Upazila five-year plan and other development plans, supervise and coordinate the various government department activities, construct and maintain inter-Union connecting roads, public health services, sanitation programs, pulbic awareness buildup, environment management, etc. • Union Parishad: The population in Bangladesh is predominantly rural with almost 80 percent of the population living in rural areas and maximum of them are villagers. • The main activities of Union Parishad are; • Preparation of a comprehensive Union Plan, • Assist and cooperate for the development of primary schools • Ensure provision of health services • Supply of safe drinking water and promote sanitation programme • Construction of inter-ward roads • Maintenance of law and order, • Up-to-date registration of birth, death and marriages based on report, etc.

5. Ministry of LGRD and Cooperatives Local Government Division Rural Local Government Urban Local Government Local Government system of Bangladesh ZilaParishad (District) 61* City Corporation (Big City) 11 UpzilaParishad (Sub-District) 483 Paurashava (Municipality) 315 Union Parishad 4573

6. Issues: Rural Local governments (Union Parishads) are failing to provide proper services to the citizens through e-Governance system. • There are one Chairman and Twelve members ( 9 male and 3 female) are appointed through non partisanship direct election. There is a secretary in every union who is appointed by D.C. (Deputy Commissioner). Secretary is a government representative. • Union Parishad, are struggling in delivering expected public services through the present ICT system to the common people at the grass root level. Mostly due to lack of appropriate administrative and financial authority as well as institutional capability. The UP could play a vital role in local level development if it could overcome the existing service delivery systems through the help of better ICT management.

7. Issues: Rural Local governments (Union Parishads) are failing to provide proper services to the citizens through e-Governance system. So these are the most critical issues: • Shortage of manpower • Lack of technical person • Insufficient Coordination from central government • Lack of proper monitoring & evolution system • Lack of modern equipment, net connectivity and power backup system etc. • Lack of awareness both Citizen and elected representatives about e-Governance system

8. The procedure of our government been dealing with these issues: • This is not new to us that ICT can play an important role for the development of public services delivery system in local area of Bangladesh. • The country's first National ICT policy, approved in 2002, • The project “Support to ICT Task Force” project initiative to publish 50 most frequently government forms online can be cited as one of the first e-Governance initiatives to directly benefit the citizens. • Bangladesh has been connected to the information super highway through sub-marine cable (in 2006) • The Access to Information (A2I) Programme, a follow-up project in the PMO, started in 2007 • Union Information and Services Centre (UISC) has launched on some Union Parishads. UISCs began operations in 2009

9. Future programs and policies to overcome the issues • Acquiring knowledge from developed countries may the first steps; • Have to take steps for more decentralization as well as special rules & regulation for policy making at the grass root level; • Sufficient manpower (including technical person) should be appointed; • Enhance capacity of employee as well as public representatives through training • Related LG Institutions and Ministries can take responsibilities for infrastructure development of ICT services in Union Parishad; • Central Government can take steps for special law & Order of Union Parishad for better ICT services and e-Government system regarding any obstruction on these areas.

10. A journey of a thousand miles Lets Start --- Begins with a single step

11. Q & A