Law minister Shafique Ahmed has raised doubts about the capacity of local institutions to effectively govern the development of their constituencies. However, during a seminar on Thursday, other speakers, including members of parliament, politicians, and economists, expressed support for a strong local government and proposed the creation of a local government commission. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, president of the Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad and co-chair of the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust, anticipated that the ruling Awami League would establish such a commission as promised during the election. Mujahidul Islam Selim, general secretary of the Bangladesh Communist Party, criticized the local government ministry for allegedly maintaining control over local governments in an unconstitutional manner. The constitution requires the government to guarantee five levels of public representation, but currently only two are operational - at the Upazila and union levels. Local representatives argue that these elected bodies cannot operate independently due to the influence of their corresponding MPs. Abdul Majid, who is the president of a group of Upazila chairmen and vice-chairmen, stated that the Upazila councils are not functioning properly because they are controlled by the MPs. He mentioned at a meeting that the Upazila chairman simply follows the instructions of the MP in that area. Meher Afroz Chumki, a Member of Parliament from Gazipur, emphasized the need for a shift in mindset. She advocated for greater empowerment of local government, attributing obstacles to sincere government efforts to bureaucratic red tape. Chumki suggested that if local governments were given more authority, they would be better equipped to shoulder responsibility, but noted that closed mindsets were hindering progress. Hasanul Haq Inu, President of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and also an MP, stressed the importance of clearly defining the roles of local and central government to delineate their respective areas of responsibility. He observed that discrimination against local representatives was to be expected in a system with clear dualism. He emphasized the importance of public representatives in development plans, stating that development initiatives should be centered around local government. Shafique Ahmed, concluding the discussion, expressed agreement with the other speakers and expressed support for decentralization. The technocrat minister emphasized the need to assess whether local agencies are capable of handling their responsibilities. The seminar was conducted by the Governance Advocacy Forum and led by Kholiquzzaman Ahmad. More than 400 chairmen and vice-chairmen held a hunger strike at Muktangan in the capital on Jan 22, presenting a ten-point demand for empowerment. Their demands included the repeal of a law requiring the corresponding MP to be appointed as advisor to the Upazila council. The charter also called for 70 percent budget allocation and separate budgets for local government, as well as giving chairmen the authority to assess all government employees under the council. Local leaders also requested control of 13 offices under 10 ministries in accordance with the Upazila Parishad Act, allowing local government organizations to create their own annual and five-year plans, revamping district councils, establishing a local government commission, and implementing an integrated law for local government organizations. The strike was postponed to March 28 after receiving a guarantee from MPs Rashed Khan Menon and Hasanul Haque Inu that the demands would be met.