Village government to be introduced in the new year
Graphics: Agamir Somoy
The village government system will be introduced in Bangladesh next year. The Local Government Division has already drafted the Village Government Act, 2026, to ensure the overall welfare of rural residents. A proposal on the matter is expected to be presented at the first Cabinet meeting after the Durga Puja holidays.
At the regular Cabinet meeting held at the Secretariat on Monday evening, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman instructed officials to raise the proposal. Several people who attended the meeting confirmed the matter to Agamir Somoy.
The meeting also discussed various issues including the use of solar power as a renewable energy source and measures to accelerate the implementation of ongoing development projects. The government aims to generate 4,000 to 5,000 megawatts of electricity from solar power by February. The prime minister also instructed the Ministry of Power to take all necessary measures to achieve this target.
Several attendees said some Cabinet members expressed dissatisfaction over development projects submitted to the Planning Commission being delayed on various pretexts and through repeated queries. They complained that the delays were disrupting and slowing development activities. The meeting therefore directed that the projects be approved as quickly as possible.
Several officials of the Local Government Division said the reintroduction of village government was discussed informally at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on October 5. The head of government also expressed a positive attitude toward the proposal.
The ministry has drafted a new law by revising the Village Government Act of 2003, which was repealed in 2009. The structure of the previous law has been retained in the draft. However, several changes are being introduced regarding the selection of members, the form of representation, the number of members and their responsibilities.
According to the draft, a village government will consist of one chief, one adviser and 15 members. The Union Parishad (UP) member representing the relevant ward will serve as the chief, while the member representing the reserved seat will serve as the adviser.
The members will be selected through a “yes” or “no” vote by voters in the relevant ward. At least 10 percent of the total registered voters must participate in the voting process. The village government’s term will be five years.
The village government’s key responsibilities will include preparing development plans and improving local infrastructure. It will also help prevent violence against women and children as well as drug abuse and gambling.
Other responsibilities will include supporting education, family planning, nutrition, vaccination, primary health care, safe drinking water and sanitation, agriculture, fisheries, livestock, cooperatives, cottage industries, environmental conservation and social safety net programs. The village government will also assist in resolving local disputes.
The village government system was first introduced in Bangladesh during the tenure of Ziaur Rahman, founder of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the country’s president at the time.
With the aim of involving rural residents in development activities and increasing self-reliance at the local level, the system was institutionalized at the village level through the 1980 law.
However, the village government system did not last long after Ziaur Rahman’s death. It was abolished in 1982 during the Ershad government’s tenure.
Later, the Local Government (Village Council) Act was enacted in 1997 to restore a local government structure at the village level. Subsequently, in 2003, the BNP led government introduced a new law titled the Village Government Act, 2003.
Soon after the law was enacted, a writ petition was filed with the High Court challenging its constitutional validity. On August 2, 2005, the High Court declared the Village Government Act unconstitutional and ineffective.
In its observations, the court said that elected representation was important to the democratic spirit of the Constitution. However, the 2003 law raised constitutional questions because it allowed most village government members to be appointed rather than elected.
The government filed a leave to appeal against the High Court ruling, but the appeal was dismissed.
Later, during the caretaker government’s tenure, the Village Government (Repeal) Ordinance was issued in 2008. Subsequently, on April 6, 2009, the Awami League passed the Village Government (Repeal) Bill in the National Parliament. As a result, the 2003 law was formally repealed.
Then Local Government Minister Syed Ashraful Islam argued in Parliament in favor of repealing the law, saying that village government had failed to make any effective contribution at the local level. He also said allegations had been raised over the misuse of its funds and the waste of money.
