"Ensuring Good Governance through people’s participation in local government: Case of Union Parishad"

01. Name and address of the researcher: Tanjil Ahmed, MSS, Department of Public Administration and Governance Studies, Contact No: 01737969375, 01687122552; Email: tanjilahmedtaj@gmail.com

02. Nature of the research proposal: Social Science Studies

03. Duration of the research proposal (months): 2020-2021 (1 Year)

04. The total budget of the research proposal (BDT.): 1,47,600

05. Has this proposal been submitted to any other agency for financial assistance?: No

06. Certification of authorship:

“I hereby certify that I am the authors of this document and any assistance I received in preparing this proposal is fully acknowledged. I have also cited all sources from which I obtained ideas, data , and words. I am aware that plagiarism will lead to the cancellation of the application”.

Tanjil Ahmed

MSS, Dept. of Public Administration and Governance Studies

Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University

 

                                                             Table of Content

 

S.L No.	Name of the topics	Page No.
1       1.	Introduction	3-4
2.	Background of the study	4-5
3.	Objectives of the Study	5-5
4.	Research Methodology	5-7
5.	Sampling and Analysis Plan	8-8
6       6.	Review of Literature	9-10
7.	Significance of the Study	11-11
8       8.	Scope and the limitation of the study	11-11
9.	Theoretical framework	12-12
10.	Analytical  Framework  of the Study	13-13
1     11.	Ethical consideration	14-14
1     12.	Time frame and work plan	14-14
1     13.	References	15-16
1     14.	Profile of Supervisor and Researcher	17-17
1     15.	Financial Proposal	18-18

 

Ensuring Good Governance through people’s participation in local government: The case of Union Parishad 

1.     1. Introduction

As a developing country, Bangladesh has already achieved the status of fastest-growing economy because of exercising democracy and good-governance at every level. It is well known that, sustainable development of any country essentially depend on its governing system. During 1990s and onward Bangladesh has notably improved human development indicators as well as good-governance issues. The constitution of Bangladesh explicitly state that, State shall effort to ensure equality of opportunity to all citizen and shall adopt effective measures to remove social and economic inequality to ensure equitable distribution of wealth and opportunities among citizens in order to attain a constant level of sustainable development throughout the Republic (Salahuddin, 2006). In this respect, good governance is the most concerning issues which means ideal governing system that symbolizes the paradigm shift of the role of governments. Merely say that ‘good governance is essential for successful development’. Principally, Good-governance is about processes, not about ends. However, by which power is exercised without explicitly stating the ends being sought is called Good-Governance (Adel A. M., 20-31 May 2003). There are some of indicators of good-governance, namely-accountability, transparency, efficiency and effectiveness, participation, rule of law, and equity which  safeguards that political, social and economic priorities are based on broad accord in society and that the voices of the poorest and the most vulnerable are heard in decision-making over the allocation of development resources. Among the indicators of good governance, participation is one of the most important signs which certify the people’s participation in government decision making process. Broadly, in a given context, participation is accurately connected with politics which refers to people’s engagement in the decision making process in implementing their sharing in the benefits of development programs, and their involvement in effort to assess such programs (M.J & Uphoff, 1979). In this aspect, local government plays a vital role for exercising democracy and good governance through people’s participation. Conversely, local government is an administrative body as well as the sub system of central government which main purpose is to provide services locally within a certain territory. There are three tier of rural local government. Union Parishad is the lowest tier of rural local government. A Union Parishad is composed of nine wards, where one elected chairman acted as political representative for one Union Parishad and, nine elected members for nine wards and 3 nominated female members for nine wards (one female nominated members for three wards). However, Union Parishad is the most important democratic institutions of grassroots level which purely ensuring good governance through the people’s participation in using voting system.  This Study will focus on the people’s participation in local government in Bangladesh, specifically, how such participation does contribute at Union Parishad level to ensure good governance in Bangladesh.

 

2.      2. Background of the study

At present, ‘governance’ and ‘good governance’ are two major issues which being increasing used in development literature. At the period of 1991, when parliamentary form of government restored in Bangladesh (Salma, 2016) through thirteen amendment of its constitution, a dramatic change has come in public administration towards good governance and sustainable developments. Fundamentally, parliamentary form of government ensures people participation in Bangladesh at grassroots level (Union Parishad) where all the internal and external actors of politics, administration and development are accentuating on the need for good governance (Hasan Nazmul Md., 2018). Moreover, through article 59 of the constitution, this Act ensured the participations of the people’s representatives in local government bodies which promotes good governance that is almost commanding for the socioeconomic development of Bangladesh (Constitutional Amendments, 2015). In the line with this discussion, it can be said that, good governance means ideal governing system which ensure people’s participation in government decision making process, accountability, transparency, efficiency, effectiveness, rule of law, equity and equality. These are also called the indicators of good governance. Amongst the indicators, people’s participation is the keystone for ensuring good governance in Bangladesh.   

Essentially, Bangladesh moves strongly for practicing good governance through the internal and external actors of politics and administration. The previous decades, which imposed numbers of challenges behind the practice of good governance such as malpractices of administration, corruptions, centralized power and authority, rigid rules of bureaucracy, poor inclusiveness, poor accountability, and poor transparency are strictly handle by the ruling government of Bangladesh, Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina through some great initiatives such as ensuring the power of law enforcement agency, removing corruption, practicing democracy through central and local government elections, independence of judiciary, decentralization of power as well as increasing people’s participation at all level.  For effective development, people’s participation strengthens the quality of governance by influencing other causal factors such as transparency, accountability and predictability, development agencies and demand participatory local governance (ADB, 2000). This study actually findings the more comprehensive ways as well as avenues of people’s participation in decision making process and other extents for ensuring good governance in Bangladesh through local government institutions (Union Parishads).

3.     3. Objectives of the Study

The broad objective of this study is to ensure Good Governance through people’s participation in local government in Bangladesh.

The specific objectives are:

a)      to identify avenues of people’s participation in two selected Union Parishads

b)      to examine the extent of people’s participation at Union Parishad level

c)      to find out associated challenges of ensuring people’s participation and good governance

d)     to recommend ways for overcoming aforesaid challenges and ensuring good governance in local government institutions in Bangladesh.   

4.     4. Research Methodology

For any research, it is essential to define the process involved in designing a study and to validate how the specific research design that a researcher decides to use helps to arrangement the collection, analysis and interpretation of data (D. Nachmias & Naachmias, 1997). As the aim of this study is to ensuring Good Governance through people’s participation in local government in Bangladesh from the Union Parishad level. This research will be exploratory in nature while mixed method approach will be employed which incorporates both qualitative and quantitative tools. The qualitative approach seeks build a detail and deep analysis of the empirical situation and at the same time,   quantitative approach (survey) will be used to draw the gross view of current scenario based on people’s perception regarding the research topic. Following part sums up the tools and methods to be used in the research: 

v  Content analysis: Considering the aim of this research, secondary data will be collected from published books, journals, articles, e-book, newspaper and report of different organizations which are related to this study.

v  Qualitative tools: As mentioned earlier, as a part of the mixed method research, data will be collected from both primary and secondary sources. While using qualitative tools, data collection will take place from both individual and group level sources. As individual respondent, a number of face to face interview (KII) will be conducted. Moreover that, its planned to deploy FGD (Focus Group Discussion) method while total four FGD will be picked for detail study from two UPs.

v  Quantitative tool (Survey): As a part of the quantitative mode of data collection, a sample survey will be conducted and to serve that purpose, a structured questionnaire will be prepared. As planned, before finalizing the survey questionnaire, a pilot survey will be done in a limited mode.   

Table-1: Methodology

Tools		Who and What	Why
Qualitative tool	Content analysis	As part of the study, brief review of available literature and government policies, articles, books, research papers and other materials related to the research issues will be reviewed	To know the different initiatives and previous study.
	KII	Government officers, local representatives, and members of professional group’s local elite.	To gather a detail and deep picture of situation, total KII will be conducted. With the intention to understand the realistic situation of research areas
	FGD (FGD participants will include case study)	Teachers, religious leaders, worker, day laborer etc.	To gather in-depth scenario
Quantitative tool	Interview (survey)	100 voters of focus unions	To portraying the gross scenario of the target areas and issues

 

5.      Sampling and Analysis Plan:

A totality of 100 respondents will be selected from the inhabitants of two specific Union Parishads (Trishal and Osmanpur Union) of Thrishal Upazilla and Kuliarchar Upazila. Collected data will be organized characteristically and the coding activities will be done manually. Prepared data will be analyzed statistically with data analysis software ‘MS Excel’ and ‘Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS)’ and will be presented in the report accordingly. In the whole research process, ethical ground and confidentiality will be maintained strictly.

Sampling plan for the research is as follows:

Table 2: Sample Size for Survey

 

Division	District	Upazila Parishad	Union Parishad	Criteria of respondent	No of respondent
Dhaka	Kishoregonj	Kuliarchar	9 No. Osmanpur UP	Residents of selected Union Parishad	50
Mymensingh	Mymensingh	Trishal	6 No. Trishal UP	Residents of selected Union Parishad	50
No of Total Respondents					100

 

Table 3: Sample Size for Qualitative Research

 

Location	Criteria of respondent	No of respondent	Total no of respondents
9 No. Osmanpur UP & 6 No. Trishal UP	Elected representatives	4 (from each UP)	8 (4x2 UPs)
	Community Elites	4 (from each UP)	8 (4x2 UPs)
	Others (Govt. officials/NGO staffs etc.)	2 (from each UP)	4 (2x2 UPs)
	-	-	20 Respondents
	Case Study	2 from each UP	4 Cases

5.      Review of Literature

After the second half of 1980s, the issues of governance and good governance has been evolving at the vanguard of the global agenda for progress. In recent times, Quality of governance is being measured as the key prerequisite for solving many problems and for the socio- economic development in the lower middle economic countries like Bangladesh (Hasan Nazmul Md., 2018). Participation is one of the most important pre-requisite for ensuring good-governance. In Bangladesh, there are numbers of studies is conducted on prospect of Good-governance. Some of these Relevant Literatures are conversing here.

D.M. Nath, (2004) elucidates, the term Good-governance. He argued, Good governance is considered as the strong civil society participation, open and enlighten policy making, practice of rule of law, accountability and transparency where bureaucracy saturated with a professional ethos (D.M. & Nath, 2004).

Ananga Mohan Roy explains, Prospects of Good Governance in Bangladesh in his critical study. He illustrates, all actors of politics who is internal or external, administration and development are accentuating the need for good governance. The socio-economic development of Bangladesh is largely rest on the issues of good governance (Ananga, 2018).

March, J.G. and Olsen, J.P illustrate the term Good Governance. They argued, the application of economic, political, administrative authority to manage a country’s affairs at all levels is called good governance which incorporates mechanisms, procedure and institutes with a view to ensuring citizen’s interests, legal rights and legal obligations (March, 1995).

Pranab Kumar Panday, in his editorial named “Good Governance and Development from Bangladesh Perspective” argued that Bangladesh has made a tremendous success in economic as well as social development which has been possible through the active and spirited decision of the government as well as practice of good-governance in social, political, and economic sectors.  He also added that, the existence of several elements like rule of law, accountability, transparency, democracy, people’s participation etc. are manifested in Bangladesh through the exercise of good governance process that determine the collective development of the nation (Pranab, 2017).

Mohammed Asaduzzaman articulates in his study named, “Governance in Practice: Decentralization and People’s Participation in the Local Development of Bangladesh” that,  Two of the major policy concerns regarding governance and good governance are decentralized local governance and people’s participation. He argued that, political education and training, people’s participation, equal and efficient distribution of resources, trustworthy relationship among various actors of central and local governance and ensuring responsiveness of the central governance for citizen’s demand and priorities are ensured by decentralization. He further added that, poor governance and weak institutions have constitute substantial constrains on administrative, economic and political development since the independence of Bangladesh. Hereafter, decentralization and people’s participation have been political loftiness of almost all consecutive regimes in Bangladesh (Mohammed, 2008).

Shah Satnam and Sirsa enunciate about peoples’ participation in good governance on their studies. They focused on democracy as well as people’s participation for enchanting good governance. They argued, people participation is a key keystone of good governance. It tells about democracy where people can be empowered to demand and shape better policies, express grievances, seek justice and hold government to account. To attain development, good governance is indispensable because equitable and sustainable development required always factual participatory democracy. They further argued, the quality of decisions and citizen compliance with policies enhanced by people’s participation through public debates, newspaper editorials, protest demonstrations and their active involvement in governmental programmes (Sirsa, 2015).

While these studies concentrated on the overall aspect of Good Governance and People’s participation, there are clearly lack of studies to provide any model to explain as what factors contribute to enhance the sustained level of Good governance through people’s participation in Local Government. There is an urgent need to develop a model for ensuring Good-governance.  Moreover, in Bangladesh no studies have previously focused any forms of ensuring Good governance through people’s participation in local government. Hence, this study focuses on the people’s participation at rural local government as well as Union level for identifying the avenues of people’s participation in Union Parishad level for ensuring Good governance.

7.   6.  Significance of the Study

In Bangladesh, Union Parishad is the lowest tier local government institution which delivers services to citizens at their entrance. It is also the largest service sectors in the country and this sector is continuously performing in terms of numbers of challenges. In this context, Union Parishad demands much attention and attachment, devotion and perseverance to achieve good-governance through effective people’s participation at grassroots level.

People’s participation is the keystone for ensuring good governance whereas Union parishad plays a significant role as the most rural local government unit in Bangladesh. Actually, through people’s participation, people can express their voices, rights, demands and ensure their active involvement at government decision making process. This research will provide comprehensive idea about people’s participation at local government unit (Union Parishad) for ensuring good governance in Bangladesh. As a contemporary and dynamic issue, no extensive research is conducting on this topic around the world, and also in Bangladesh. Also, no holistic research has done to contribute update knowledge in this area. Therefore, the contribution of this research is very much relevant, significant and pragmatic for ensuring good governance through people’s participation at local government sectors (Union Parishad) in Bangladesh.

8.    7.  Scope and the limitation of the study

The primary focus of this research is to enhance good governance through people’s participation in local government. The research will be conducted mainly on ensuring good-governance through People’s participation at rural local government namely Trishal Union Parishad and Boilar Union Parishad. The area of the study excludes the central government of Bangladesh namely Central administration. Moreover, this study will consider only people’s participation as well as people’s engagement in local government system (Union Parishad) for ensuring their opinion at decision making process. The general activates and problems of Union Parishad are not the targeted discussion issue here. Rather, this study will explore how the people’s participation ensuring good governance. However, people’s participation is not yet a latest issue in Bangladesh for ensuring good governance but people’s poor awareness, interest, education, and engagement may hinder the actual practice of good governance in Bangladesh. Moreover, the unavailable access to information also may create barrier while conducting the research. The budget is not sufficient to explore the largest area on this issue which has not been conducted yet in our country.

9.      8. Theoretical framewor

Ensuring Good Governance through people’s participation in local government is a contemporary issues in Bangladesh. And, therefore there are numbers of issues are related in this study. In the context of this study, relevant terms are conversing here. 

The first term is ‘Governance’. The strategy, tactics, process, procedure or program for controlling, regulating, shaping, mastering or exercising authority over a nation is called governance (Rose, 1999). Also, it refers how people are ruled, how the affairs at the state are administered and regulated and how this functions in relation to public administration and law (Landell-Mills, 1991).

Besides, the terms ‘Good governance’ refers to the application of economic, political, administrative authority to accomplish a country’s affairs as well as people meet their legal rights, obligations through a number of process (legal process) , mechanism (accountability, transparency, efficiency, rule of law) and organization (judicial institutions and law enforcement agency) (Good Governance and Sustainable Development, 1997).

In that case, the term participation is also discussed here. ‘A process through which people influence and share control over development initiatives is called participation’ (Bishop, 2002) Moreover, the term ‘People’s participation can be defined as the synergic action of individuals with local governments institutions (LGI) to raise consciousness and bring about change in the execution of local development programs  and amenities (Blair, 2000).

Regarding this issues, Duane Lockard defines, ‘Local government’. It as a public organization authorized to decide and administer a limited range of public policies within a relatively small territory, which is a sub-division of a regional or national government. It is at the bottom of a pyramid of government institution with the national government at the top and intermediate government (of state, regions, provinces), occupying the middle rung (Kamal, 2014)

Along with Mohammad Mohabbat Khan define; ‘Union Parishad’. Itis a premier tier of local government. It is also a downgraded in hierarchical status. CARR (Committee of administrative reform reorganization) recommended that a Union Parishad would consists of nine members from nine words, three women members and one chairman (Mohammad K. M., 2009).

1    9. Analytical  Framework  of the Study

An analytical framework is designed to structure the logical thinking of the research in a systematic manner. As the main thrust of this study is to identify how people’s participation enhances good governance in Bangladesh. This segment illustrated the conceptual framework of the study where “Ensuring Good Governance” is the dependent variable and “People’s participation” is the independent variable.

This study depicted the reaching the unreached through Aggregative Model of Democracy (2016) (figure: 1) for ensuring good governance through people’s participation in local government.  Joseph Heath is the initiator of aggregative Model of Democracy. He articulates the importance of people’s participation under the notions of ‘Aggregative Model of Democracy where he illustrates that, the ideal is one in which the political system is as apparent as possible to the popular will and as an alternative of the “elite” commanding its own goals and preferences upon the public, the public itself governs what should be done, and the political leadership solely executes its decisions (Joseph, 2016). It mentioned that the model depicts a sequence of steps, it is important to note that the process is ongoing and continuous and as shown in the figure, people’s participation enhances good governance in Bangladesh.

1110.  Ethical consideration

This study will be ethical. It will not hamper any individuals, any institutions, any organizations as well as social environment. It will be helpful to ensure the people’s participation in local government especially in Union Parishad level for ensuring good governance.  Moreover, in this study, personal information, interviews and opinions of the participants will be hidden for ensuring participants sanctuary and protection.

12. 11.  Time frame and work plan

Activities Month   1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th   7th   8th   9th Review of Relevant  Literature                   Collection and Preparation of Relevant data                   Preliminary analysis of data                   Preparation of interim report                   Organizing and writing the final research report                   Total Project Time   9th  Month

12.  References

Adel, A. M. (20-31 May 2003). Good Governance and Its Relationship to Democracy and Economic Development. Seoul : United Nations Development Programme (UNDP.

Ananga, R. M. (2018). Prospects of Good Governance in Bangladesh: a critical study. World Vision Research Journal, 12; No-1, 67.

Bishop, G. D. (2002). Mapping Public participation in Policy Choices. Australian Journal of Public Administration, Vol. 61, pp.14-29.

Blair, H. (2000). Participation and Accountability at the Periphery: Democratic Local Governance in Six Countries. World Development , pp. 21-39.

D. Nachmias, & Naachmias, &. F. (1997). Research Methods in the Social Sciences (Fifth ed.). New York: Arnold.

D.M., & Nath. (2004). Guide lines for Good Governance. Guide lines for Good Governance (p. 25). Dhaka: CIRDAP,.

(1997). Good Governance and Sustainable Development. UNDP .

Hasan Nazmul Md., S. M. (2018). Good Governance in Bangladesh: Problems and Prospects. UITS, 3, 23.

Joseph, H. (2016, August 12). The democracy deficit in Canada. Retrieved from http://www.atlas101.ca/pm/wp: http://homes.chass.utoronto.ca/~jheath/democracy

Kamal, S. (2014). Local Government in Bangladesh: A Short Introduction . In S. Kamal, Local Government in Bangladesh: Revised Third Edition (pp. P-4). Dhaka: The University Press Limited.

Landell-Mills, S. a. (1991). Governance and Development Process. Washington D. C.: Finance and Development.

M.J, G. A., & Uphoff, N. (1979). Feasibility and Application of Rural Development Participation: A State of the Art Paper. Ithaca: N.Y.: RDC, CIS, Cornell University.

March, J. a. (1995). Democratic Governance. World Vision Research Journal, 12; No-1, pp. 6.

Mohammad, K. M. (2009). LG in Bangladesh: Evolution, Reorganization and Central-local relations. In K. M. Mohammad, Decentralization in Bangladesh: Myth or Reality (pp. P-78). Dhaka: A H Development Publishing House.

Mohammed, A. (2008). Governance in Practice€; €decentralization and People's Participation in the Local Development of Bangladesh. Acta Universitatis Tamperensis 1334, 15.

Pranab, P. K. (2017, October 31). Good Governance and Development from Bangladesh Perspective. Daily Sun.

Rose, N. (1999). Powers of Freedom: Reforming Political Thought. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.

Salahuddin, A. M. (2006). Governance and Development: Bangladesh and Regional Experiences (First Edition ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Shrabon Prokashani.

14.  Financial Proposal

Program Details
Events/Items	Details	Total Amount (BDT)
A.    Salary/ Honorarium
Principle Investigator	40,000 (1 person)	40,000
Assistant Researchers (2 persons)	10000 (per person)	20,000
Surveyors (10 persons)	3000 per person	30,000
Sub-Total (A)	-	BDT.  90,000
B.     Logistics
Paper A4 (Rim)	3,000	3,000
Printer Cartiz	5,000	5,000
Pen	200	200
Pencil	400	400
Photocopy	3,000	3,000
Book, Journal Purchase	5,000	5,000
Software	5,000	5,000
Publication	10,000	10,000
Others	5,000	5,000
Sub-Total (B)	-	BDT.  36,600
C.    Training and Communication
Transport and Communication (approx.)	6,000	6,000
Training and meeting (approx.)	5,000	5,000
Sub-Total (C)	-	BDT. 11,000
D.    Report making & Presentation
Data sorting and report making (approx.)	5,000	5,000
Report presentation & Refreshment (approx.)	5,000	5,000
Sub-Total (D)	-	BDT. 10,000
Grand Total (A+B+C+D)	-	BDT. 1,47,600