Women in Bangladesh local government

Village government is not a unique idea in the history of Bangladesh. Historians have traced the existence of village councils during the Vedic period (1500 B.C.—1000 B.C.). After the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, all the governments of Bangladesh—both military and civil—took initiatives to introduce local government institutions at village level. The Multi-purpose Cooperative Society of Mujib period, Swanirvar Gram Sarkar of Zia period, Palli Parishad of Ershad period, Gram Parishad of Sheikh Hasina period were remained confined in enactment of acts but Gram Sarkar in the BNP-led Four-party Alliance government period is the first effort that has come into being though there are legal challenges. These are not only mere reforms initiatives but to use the local government system to serve the political interests. This study refers to the role of the women members of that initiative with an in depth discussion of reforms initiatives of local government system in Bangladesh. In doing so, this book touched the issues like the Constitutional provisions and verdict of the Supreme Court regarding local government, status of women in different sectors, historical development of Gram Sarkar system, etc. with a brief theoretical discussion of local government.