Netrakona Correspondent

The public is being deprived of civic services by administrators in the union parishads in various upazilas of the district. It has been alleged that due to the additional responsibility given to the department’s officials as administrators of the council, citizens who come to obtain citizenship certificates, birth certificates, trade licenses and other services are suffering due to negligence. Apart from this, the secretaries and other officials and employees of the council expressed their anger after hearing various complaints from citizens about not being able to provide the desired services to the service seekers on time. Among them, there are also complaints that the union secretaries come and do whatever they want in the absence of a chairman in the council. They have sought relief from public suffering by appointing a panel chairman in the council or by holding elections. In this situation, ordinary people who came to seek services have sought the intervention of higher authorities of the administration, including advisors. Out of 86 unions in Netrokona, 39 councils have administrators. Of these, 11 are in Kendua Upazila, 7 in Atpara Upazila, 5 in Madan Upazila, 2 in Barhatta Upazila, 2 in Purbadhala, 3 in Sadar Upazila, 5 in Durgapur Upazila, and 4 in Kalmakanda Upazila. This has further increased the frustration of service recipients. Administrators are busy with their own office work. They come to the council twice a month during their breaks. They take a week off from work and go home. They come from the village to the city to get trade licenses, birth certificates, and other benefits. It costs two to three hundred taka. In this way, it has become difficult for the helpless poor people to get services. Upon visiting the Union Parishad on site, it was seen that since Monday morning, there has been a crowd of people waiting to receive services in front of the main gate of the Kailati Union Parishad in Kalmakanda Upazila. Meanwhile, some are coming and some are leaving. Some are looking for the computer shop next door. Everyone is seen passing the time in a very busy and depressed state. The office of the Union Parishad Secretary is locked, and there is no one in the other rooms except the village police. An overflowing crowd of service seekers has been observed. As the service recipients crowd the balcony of the council, it is not possible to properly talk to everyone or hear everyone. The service recipients have expressed their dissatisfaction over the absence of an administrator and secretary. UP Secretary Gautam Shaha said, “I am serving in two unions.” In this situation, what can we do if the empowered administrator does not come? At this time, at least 10 service seekers were standing in front of the council. Some of them need a citizenship certificate, some a trade license, some a birth certificate. Especially with the new voter registration update, rural councils are under more pressure. The public suffering has reached its peak in several parishes in the district, including Atpara and Kendua. Union residents are saying that they should hold elections. Or let the member run the council by making it a panel chairman. Utilizing this opportunity, the Union Parishad has provided 86 unions in Netrokona district with Rural Infrastructure Maintenance TR Foodgrain Cash Program 2025, Kabikha rice 1358.340 metric tons, Kabikha wheat 1358.340 metric tons, Kabikha Taka 203751161.59, in the name of development. Harilut is going on. All the projects of the unions including Krishnapur Union Parishad of Khaliajuri Upazila are under water, but looting is going on in the name of giving money. Mohanganj Baratoli Banihari, Gaglajur Union, Shunai, Baniajan, Teligati Union of Atpara Upazila, Netrokona Sadar Amtola, Bangla, Kaliara Gabragati, Bishiura Union, Narandia Union of Purbadhalar are being looted in the name of rural road construction, box culverts, and filling the soil in the fields. There is no monitoring by senior officials regarding this. Political leaders are embezzling money by making members presidents. Members have complained that in order to withdraw money after the work is completed, they have to pay for the office expenses of the project implementation officer. This is how rural infrastructure work is going on. Regarding the Union Parishad, Deputy Director of Local Government Ariful Islam Sardar said, “I will tell the executive officers to keep the administrators in the council.” He said that he would personally look into the Rural Infrastructure Maintenance TR Foodgrain Cash Program.