Dhaka: Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today expressed hope that efforts would be made to hold all local-level elections within the next one year. ‘We said it before and we are saying it again – we will try to complete all local-level elections within the next one year,’ he said.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Mirza Fakhrul, who also serves as the Secretary General of the ruling party BNP, made the remarks while speaking to journalists after a discussion session between district administrators and the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division at the ongoing four-day Deputy Commissioners’ Conference-2026 in the capital’s Osmani Memorial Auditorium. He emphasized the discussions held at the conference regarding the relationship between the local government ministry and the district administration, stating that suggestions made by district administrators have been accepted.
Mirza Fakhrul highlighted that local government is the biggest foundation of democracy and is the most powerful institution at the grassroots level. Strengthening this institution, he noted, would in turn strengthen democracy. He urged district administrators to provide leadership and implement government programmes, particularly those introduced by the Prime Minister.
He stressed the importance of working with the people, who he referred to as the owners of the country. Addressing a query from journalists, Mirza Fakhrul acknowledged that attention had not been adequately given to the repair of roads and other infrastructures at the local level over the past two years.
In response to another question, he clarified that local government responsibilities extend beyond road repairs to include ensuring the supply of safe drinking water and improving education at primary schools. These tasks, he asserted, must be comprehensively managed by the local government.
Mirza Fakhrul further commented on the communication issues faced by local government over the past 16 years, citing widespread corruption as a significant challenge. He assured that the ministry would investigate these irregularities to prevent future occurrences. He concluded by emphasizing the importance of such conferences in enhancing coordination and facilitating effective exchanges between district-level officials and the ministry.