The appointment of BNP leaders as chairpersons in seven out of the country’s eight urban development authorities is being viewed by urban development experts as institutional politicisation.
Experts said urban development authorities are highly specialised institutions, and placing politically affiliated individuals at their helm poses significant risks to effective governance.
Urban planners expressed concern over the appointment notifications issued on Thursday night, saying such decisions have long-term implications for institutional performance.
They also questioned the effectiveness of repeated political appointments in key urban planning bodies.
Cumilla Metropolitan BNP President Udbatul Bari Abu has been appointed as the first chairman of the Cumilla Development Authority. Rajshahi Metropolitan BNP Vice-president Abul Kalam Azad has been named chairman of the Rajshahi Development Authority. Mymensingh North District BNP Joint Convener Motahar Hossain Talukder has been appointed chairman of the Mymensingh Development Authority. Sylhet Metropolitan BNP Acting President Rezaul Hasan Lodi has been appointed chairman of the Sylhet Development Authority. Rangpur Metropolitan BNP Convener Md Samsujjaman Shamu has been named chairman of the Rangpur Development Authority. Former joint convener of Chattogram North District BNP Belayet Hossain has been appointed chairman of the Chattogram Development Authority, while Narayanganj district BNP Joint Convener Mashukul Islam Rajib has been named chairman of the Narayanganj Development Authority.
Only Mohammad Jasim Uddin, a former official of the state-owned Eastern Refinery Limited, has been appointed chairman of the Cox’s Bazar Development Authority.
The practice of political appointments, however, is not new. During the Awami League government, party leader Abdus Salam was appointed chairman of the Chattogram Development Authority.
Public administration experts said the government has the legal authority to appoint anyone as chairman, and there has been no violation of existing law.
However, there has long been public dissatisfaction over the performance of both old and newly established urban development authorities, including Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk).
Critics said Dhaka has still not been developed into a properly planned city, while widespread allegations persist that building codes are routinely ignored in construction projects.
Urban planners also noted that in many cases, bureaucrats have been appointed as heads of development authorities for two-year terms, after which they are transferred, leading to a lack of continuity in urban development policy. Questions have also been raised about their efficiency and commitment.
Prof Adil Muhammad Khan of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at Jahangirnagar University said appointing individuals with political affiliations as heads of development authorities reflects the inability of political leadership to move beyond partisan practices.
“People expect something new from the country’s new political leadership. But the aspirations of ordinary citizens may not be fully understood by political leaders. The new leadership must understand these expectations and act accordingly,” he said.
He added that public psychology demands change, noting that people remember past actions of the Awami League that, in his view, contributed to mass uprising.
“After this government came in, various deliberations and selections have taken place. Whether there is any real change or reflection of the spirit of the mass uprising is the question. If not, people will understand that there is no reflection. They may not speak out now, but they will remember,” he said.
Muhammad Ariful Islam, president of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners, said that while such appointments may be legally covered, national interest should be the primary consideration in selecting individuals capable of effectively implementing urban development functions.
“There are many technical aspects in urban development authorities. As planners, we do not support either bureaucratic or politically driven appointments,” he said.
He added that political appointments may be acceptable, but only if the individuals concerned possess adequate qualifications and expertise in urban development. Without such knowledge, the objectives of these institutions are unlikely to be achieved.
“There are issues of planning, engineering and design involved. If appointments are made based on technical competence, particularly by appointing qualified planners, better results can be achieved,” he said.
