Staff Correspondent

The maiden meeting of the Local Government Reform Commission was held today.

Head of the commission Professor Dr Tofail Ahmed presided over the meeting, held at Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) here.

Various issues including co-opting members, nomination of the student representatives, holding divisional consultation meetings, providing logistic assistances, manpower cooperation, said a press release of the LGRD and cooperatives ministry.

The meeting decided to request the government in nominating representatives from the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) and the student/mass uprising to get clear understanding about the local government system at CHT and critical issues on election.

It also asked the commission secretary and private secretary of the commission chief to arrange divisional consultation meetings and give logistic support to the Local Government Division to perform secretarial duties.

The members of the commission took part in the meeting.

The Cabinet Division on November 17 last issued a gazette notification on formation of the eight-member Local Government Reform Commission.

The commission members are Professor Dr Tofail Ahmed (chief), former chairman of Public Administration Department at Chittagong University; Prof Dr Ferdous Arfina Osman, former chairman of Public Administration Department at Dhaka University; AMM Nasir Uddin, former secretary; Advocate Abdur Rahman, Supreme Court; Dr Mahfuz Kabir, a director at Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS); Mashuda Khatun Shefali, executive director of Nari Uddug Kendra; Prof Dr Md Tariqul Islam, a teacher of Government and Politics Department at Jahangirnagar University; and a student representative.

The commission has been asked to submit its report to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus within 90 days after taking opinions from all stakeholders concerned.