The speakers said the amendment in its present form will fail to strengthen the local government and scuttle the move to decentralise it. Instead, they suggested, the government should focus on removing barriers to holding local government elections in time.

The cabinet recently approved a bill seeking insertion of a sub-article into the constitution after article 59(1) that says no elected representatives of city corporation, Pourashabha and Union Parishad will be able to continue on expiry of their tenure and the authority of the body will be designated to the district administration until another elected body takes over the charge.

The Municipal Association of Bangladesh (MAB) and National Union Parishad Forum (NUPF) co-organised the roundtable at the conference room of Narayanganj Pourashabha as part of their efforts to garner public opinion in favour of their demands.

They also submitted memoranda to the district administrators across the country to press home their 11-point demand including rescindment of the amendment.

The roundtable observed that the government should dispose of cases related to local government through the special trial tribunal as these prove to be the stumbling blocks to holding elections to corporation, Pourashabha and Union Parishad.

Tongi Pourashabha Chairman Azmatullah Khan, also president of the MAB, said if the government wants to strengthen the local government, elected representatives must rule it. If the government goes ahead with the amendment, the move to decentralise the local government will be disrupted, as the amendment will limit the local government more, Azmatullah noted.

Among others, Abul Kalam Azad MP delivered welcome speech while Narayanganj Pourashabha Chairman Selina Hayat Ivy, former MP Afzal Hossain and National Union Parishad Forum President Golam Sarwar also spoke.