Staff Correspondent 

Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan stated on Thursday that building an effective and robust democratic system in Bangladesh is impossible without decentralizing power and authority to the grassroots level.

He made the remarks as the chief guest at a national workshop titled "National Workshop on LGCRRP Implementation Support Mission & ULGEP Identification Mission," organized by the Local Government Covid-19 Response & Recovery Project (LGCRRP) at the Grand Ballroom of Hotel Le Méridien in the capital.

Addressing the seminar, the LGRD Minister stressed that local government institutions must be empowered to operate independently and efficiently. He noted that if citizens are forced to travel to the capital for basic services and routine matters, the core objective of local governance is undermined, emphasizing that service delivery must be guaranteed directly within citizens' local areas.

Highlighting implementation as the most challenging phase of any initiative in Bangladesh, Dr. Moyeen Khan appreciated the project team, the World Bank, development partners, and local government representatives for the successful execution of LGCRRP, adding that its success paves the way for further collaboration with the World Bank. 

To reduce overcrowding in Dhaka, the Minister advocated for empowering local government institutions across regions and addressing the root causes driving internal migration. 

Emphasizing that local governance forms the fundamental bedrock of democracy, Dr. Moyeen Khan stated that true democratic statehood requires deep-rooted foundations at the grassroots rather than centralized authority alone. 

Chaired by LGED Chief Engineer Md. Belal Hossain, the workshop was attended by World Bank Division Chief for Bangladesh and Bhutan Jean Pesme as special guest.