The Cabinet on Monday gave the final approval to the draft of Local Government (Union Parishad) (Amendment) Act, 2013 with a provision to appoint administrators in Union Parishads on the expiry of five-year tenure of the elected representatives.

The approval came from the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office here in the city.

"The government can appoint administrators in Union Parishads after the expiry of tenure as per the draft law," said Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain while briefing reporters at Bangladesh Secretariat after the meeting.

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With the proposed change, a UP chairman will no way get scope to stay in his post after the expiry of tenure.

The cabinet secretary said now UP chairmen in some cases stay in charge on different excuses despite the expiry of tenures. But this scope will be no more, he said.  

The post of a UP secretary has been changed as ‘UP Administrative Officer’ in the draft law.

As per the proposed law, the UP’s elected body will have to sit in its first sitting within 10 days after taking oath.

In the Local Government (Union Parishad) Act, 2009, there is no timeframe set for them to sit in their maiden sitting. 

The first sitting is important as the five-year tenure starts following the sitting.

City corporation election to be held within 90 days before expiry of tenure:

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The Cabinet approved in principle the draft of Local Government (City Corporation) (Amendment) Act, 2023 in a bid to change a provision to arrange the election to a city corporation within 90 days instead of existing 180 days before the expiry of its five-year tenure.

“The election will have to be arranged within three months before the expiry of tenure. Now it is six months in the existing law,” said Mahbub Hossain.

As per the proposed law, the elected body in a city corporation will have to sit in its first sitting within 15 days after taking oath.

The draft law entrusted the city corporation with the responsibility of rainwater drainage and created a post of executive officer alongside the Chief Executive Officer in a city corporation.

If a ward councilor goes on leave, then a reserve councilor will be brought in-charge of the ward in line with the proposed law.

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Now the councilor of a nearby ward is made in-charge.

In the draft law, the city corporation was given the authority to fine the owners and organisations of private roads if they don’t comply with the city corporation’s order related to the road management.