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Immediate election demanded : Benapole Poura residents facing manifold problems

Immediate election demanded : Benapole Poura residents facing manifold problems

Milon Kabir, Sharsha (Jashore)

Benapole is the country's largest land port bordering Jashore district. A major portion of revenue of the country is collected through this land port.

Benapole municipality is built around the land port. As the Benapole municipal election has been stopped for a long time on the pretext of a boundary related case, the citizens are being deprived of civic services due to piles of garbage, traffic jams, rising prices of goods, lampposts being damaged, lamps and water being in dire straits. The citizens demand that the desired development should be done with the general election.

After 11 months after the appointment of two successive administrators, there is no election activity. Whereas in the amended constitution it was said that the election should be held within 6 months of the appointment of the administrator. Residents are expressing anger for not being able to vote. The Ministry of Local Government says that concerted efforts are being made to resolve the border complications.

According to the Local Government (Municipalities) Act, the municipality automatically dissolves after the five-year term of an elected mayor expires. There is a provision to appoint a government nominated administrator for a maximum period of 180 days. However, an administrator cannot hold office for more than 180 days at a time. But the reality is that when an administrator's 180-day term expires, another administrator is appointed, but no election is made.

It is clearly mentioned in the law that whatever the case may be, it will not be a hindrance to the election. According to related sources, in the case of municipalities, they are being run by administrators without holding elections year after year as individuals or the government appeal against the case. According to municipal sources, the Ministry of Local Government declared Benapole as a municipality in 2006.

On 20 September 2011 Benapole Municipality was granted first class status. Since 2006, the municipality has been appointing administrators. The first election of Benapole Municipality was held on 13 January 2011.

Awami League leader Ashraful Alam Liton was elected mayor in the first vote. After 5 years, the municipality expired on January 1, 2015. Elections were supposed to be held at that time, but due to a court case due to border complications, the elections were held up. Mayor Lytton remained in office for 12 consecutive years

The expired Benapole Municipal Council was declared dissolved in terms of Section 4 of the Local Government (Municipalities) Amendment Act, 2022, as amended by Section 8 of the Local Government (Municipalities) Act, 2009. According to Section 9 of the Local Government (Municipal) Amendment Act 2022 as amended by Section 42 of 2009, Sharsha Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Narayan Chandra Pal was appointed as Municipal Administrator on 27 April 22.

He assumed responsibility on May 5 of that year. The Ministry of Local Government appointed Sharsha Assistant Commissioner (Land) Farzana Islam as the municipal administrator on February 13 this year, increasing the duties of the administrator for another six months. which is contrary to the Local Government (Municipal) Act.

After the daily work of the administrator, he comes to work in the municipality when he has time.

As a result, the municipal residents are deprived of the desired development services of the municipality. Meanwhile, the term of the administrator's appointment is almost one year, but due to the absence of elections and the absence of elected representatives, the citizens are deprived of civic services. Since there is no new project for a long time, the desired development including new roads, drains, street lights, drinking water supply has stalled. Garbage is also not cleaned properly.

Every year the government directly and indirectly collects 10 thousand crores of revenue from this port. About 120,000 people from 10,000 families live in this municipality with an area of 17.40 square kilometers and 11 villages of Benapole Union. Deputy Director of Jashore Local Government Ministry. Hussain Shawkat said that the election was not possible for a long time due to the boundary dispute of Benapole Municipality. Then on May 5, 2022, an administrator was appointed in Benapole Municipality.

The desired development which is possible by the elected representatives is not possible by the administrator. We are trying to clear the legal complications very quickly and arrange a fair election.

Benapole Municipal Awami League President Alhaj Enamul Haque Mukul said that Benapole Municipality has to be humiliated internationally due to the closure of the elections of this municipality for a long time.

When people from neighboring countries come to Benapole and hear that Benapole municipal elections have not been held for 12 years, the image of our country's government is ruined. In the interests of the development of Benapole Municipality, elections should be held immediately. It cannot be accepted that Benapole municipal elections will be closed for a long time on the pretext of thunko.

Benapole Awami League General Secretary Nasir Uddin said that due to the court case, voting has not been held for a long time. Activists who hoped to run for mayor and councilors were disappointed by the lack of votes.

A stalemate has arisen due to the non-election of the municipality for a long time. Civil society deprived of desired development. The case should be resolved quickly and elections should be arranged.

In this context, Additional Secretary of Local Government Department Kajal Faruqi said that out of the 329 municipalities of the country, elections could not be held in eight including Benapole of Jashore.

The case is ongoing in the High Court. A letter has been sent to the Ministry of Law to give an opinion on whether an election can be held in this case. If the answer is found and eligible for election, the Election Commission will be requested to arrange the election.

The Election Commission cannot hold elections without a request letter from the Local Government Department.

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