Staff Reporter:
The National Local Government Day will be observed today in a befitting manner for the second time in the country with the theme ‘Local government will be smart and ensure rights to services’.
In separate messages on the eve of the day, President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday wished all the successes of the programs taken in connection with the ob-servance of National Local Government Day.
In his message, the President said there are five levels of local government system – city corporation, district, upazila, municipality and union.
Elected local representatives and officials of the local government institutions are working tirelessly to provide better civic services and to build Sonar Bangla as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the head of the state added.
The President hoped that by observing the day, the bond between the local government and mass people will be strengthened and service delivery will become easy and hassle-free.
In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said: “I am very happy to know that ‘February 25’ is being celebrated this year for the second time as ‘National Local Government Day’.”
On this auspicious occasion, the Premier extended her best wishes and congratulations to all the members of local government division and local government institutions and the people of this country.
She firmly believed that this day will open new doors to get closer to the land and people, apart from serving the people in the country in days to come.
The foundation of local government was laid in the country through the development philosophy of the greatest Bangalee of all time and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, she said.
The local government was clarified in Articles 59 and 60 of the country’s constitution as well as the First Five Year Plan, she added.
One of the plans of the First Five Year Plan was – ‘The new local government institutions will be respon-sible for the construction and maintenance of road, drain and irrigation infrastructure, public health, san-itation, education and provision of social welfare services’, she continued.
In continuation of that, all local government institutions across the country are active and dedicated to multi-dimensional welfare activities, she said.
Following the footsteps of the Father of the Nation, the Awami League-led government has developed the country’s rural sector in the last 15 years by improving 75,825 kilometers (km) of roads, she said.
The Premier said, construction/expansion of 1, 767 Union Parishad Complex Buildings and 2,874 Growth Centre and haats (markets) and 1,654 multipurpose disaster shelter centres have been made.
She also emphasised listening to people’s demands and problems to ensure development in future.
By 2041, the local government should be made smart and service-oriented to build a developed and prosperous Smart Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina hoped.
