Law minister Shafique Ahmed has raised doubts about the ability of local institutions to effectively govern the development of their communities. 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 establishment of a local government commission. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, president of the Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad and co-chair of the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust, stated that he believed the ruling Awami League would fulfill its election promise to create such a commission. Mujahidul Islam Selim, general secretary of the Bangladesh Communist Party, criticized the local government ministry for the methods it uses to maintain control over local governments, calling it unconstitutional. The government is required by the constitution to provide five levels of public representation, but currently only two are functioning - at the Upazila and union levels. Local representatives believe that these elected bodies cannot operate independently due to the influence of Members of Parliament (MPs). Abdul Majid, president of a group of Upazila chairmen and vice-chairmen, stated that the Upazila councils are not functioning properly and everything is controlled by the MPs. He mentioned that the Upazila chairman follows the instructions of the local MP. Meher Afroz Chumki, a Member of Parliament representing Gazipur, emphasized the need for a shift in mindset. She advocated for granting more authority to local government while attributing the hindrance of sincere government efforts to bureaucratic red tape. Chumki believes that empowering local governments will enable them to assume greater responsibility, but she pointed out that a closed mindset is currently preventing this progress. Hasanul Haq Inu, President of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and also an MP, stressed the importance of clearly defining the roles of both local and central government in order to outline the extent of their respective duties. He observed that discrimination against local representatives was to be expected in a system with strong dualism. He emphasized the importance of public representatives in development plans, stating that initiatives should be centered around local government. Shafique Ahmed, concluding the discussion, expressed support for decentralization and agreed with the other speakers. The technocrat minister added that it is necessary to assess if local agencies are capable of handling the responsibility. The Governance Advocacy Forum organized a seminar presided over by Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, where over 400 chairmen and vice-chairmen held a hunger strike in Muktangan on Jan 22, presenting a ten-point demand for empowerment. Their demands included the cancellation of a law that required the corresponding MP to be appointed as advisor to the Upazila council. They also called for 70 percent budget allocation, separate budgets for local government, and the authority for chairmen to assess all government employees under the council. Additionally, the local leaders requested control of 13 offices under 10 ministries in accordance with the Upazila Parishad Act, the ability for local government organizations to create their own annual and five-year plans, restructuring of district councils, establishment of a local government commission, and a comprehensive law for local government organizations. The strike was postponed to March 28 after receiving guarantees from MPs Rashed Khan Menon and Hasanul Haque Inu that the demands would be met.