Speakers revealed this finding at an opinion exchange meeting titled " Role of Mass Media in Strengthening Local Government" in Kurigram on Saturday.

The Bangladesh Centre for Development, Journalism and Communication (BCDJC) in joint collaboration with the USAID funded Local Government Initiatives ARD and Kurigram Press Club organised the meeting.

Kurigram Pourasabha Chairman Md Abdus Salam, commissioners Md Rafiqul Islam and Safiqul Islam including the Press Club President Rabindra Nath Roy, Vice President Alok Sarker and General Secretary Mominul Islam Monju actively took part in the meeting.

Participants further told that bureacrats control local government bodies. Moreover, there is lack of coordination among public representatives and government servants which is also one of the hurdles in the way of strengthening local government.

Positive and negative aspects of the problem was also discussed there.

However, the problem can be solved by publishing actual and informative stories in the print media.

Shafi Khan, Kurigram district correspondent of Prothom Alo, a major vernacular national daily,conducted the meeting.

BCDJC Director Samar Roy in his introductory speech dwelt on various aspects of the issue.

Among others, members of the press club, local public representatives, social workers, teachers and members of civil society were present there.