‘Role of union parishads vital to turn villages into towns’

Union parishads (UP) are playing vital roles in reaching urban services to rural people to turn every village into a town to attain the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030 and build a developed Bangladesh by 2041.

High officials and public representatives expressed the view at a mass public hearing on ‘Activities of Union Parishad and its Services’ held at Chandanpat union parishad premises under Sadar upazila in the district on Tuesday.

The event was arranged under the auspices of the Efficient and Accountable Local Governance (EALG) Project of the Local Government Division.

The UNDP, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and Danish International Development Agency extended support in arranging the occasion.

National Project Director of the EALG Project and Additional Secretary of the Local Government Division Mustakim Billah Faruqui attended the event as the chief guest.

With Chandanpat union Chairman Md Amenur Rahman in the chair, Deputy Director (Local Government) for Rangpur Syed Farhad Hossain and Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Most Nur Nahar Begum attended the occasion as special guests.

Members, Secretary and entrepreneur of the Union Digital Centre, heads of educational institutions, civil society members, service recipient citizens, women, students, youths and common people of Chandanpat union were present.

Syed Farhad Hossain narrated the activities being conducted by the upazila and union parishads with the EALG project assistance in two upazilas and 30 unions of six upazilas in Rangpur to strengthen the local government systems.

“Along with enhancing the capacity of local government institutions in planning and implementing development projects, public awareness is also being created to change heath practice to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

The chief guest asked common people various questions related to the services under 39 categories being provided by the union parishad and listened to their answers attentively.

People expressed satisfaction over services being provided by Chandanpat union parishad and urged for taking and implementing more infrastructural development projects to turn every village into a town for attaining the SDGs timely in the union.

The chief guest expressed satisfaction over the services being provided efficiently by Chandanpat union parishad to people.

He lauded the union level public representatives for working relentlessly during the Covid-19 pandemic in preparing lists of beneficiaries, distribution of food items, ensuring home quarantine and creating awareness among the rural people.