The Working of Upazila Parishad in Bangladesh

Upazila Parishad had been introduced as a new fashion of decentralization in Bangladesh in 1982 by military dictator. It is a local government tier in between district and union. This system for the first time in the history of Bangladesh bring all nation building departments at the door steps of the rural people. The judiciary has also decentralized under this system. This unique system which could utilize for the betterment of rural people as well as rural development.The UZP was headed by a popularly elected chairman and composed of several categories of members: representative members (UP chairmen), official members (officials of nation-building departments working at the upazila level) and women members elected amongst from the female members of the respective Union Parishad. The present debate is over the coordination among the UZC UNO and the local MP who has been overshadowed the parishad as Advisor. This study on Kumarkhali upazila has looked into the working procedure in this triangular conflicting situation.