Dhaka: Bangladesh government has scrapped a controversial rural administration system which placed the charge of lowest tier of local governance in the hands of nominated rather than elected people.

The system "Gram Sarkar", introduced five years ago by the previous BNP-led coalition government, was abolished by the cabinet under Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed through an ordinance yesterday.

"The ordinance seeking annulment of the earlier legislation was prepared in line with the (Supreme Court) judgement," an official statement said.

The previous coalition government of now detailed former prime minister Khaleda Zia had introduced the Gram Sarkar or Rural Government system in 2003.

Governance analysts and the opposition parties at that time had expressed concerns that the system would undermine the elected union council, the lowest tier of local governance system, through politicisation.

Another apprehension was that the unelected bodies would neither serve as part of the administration nor of the local government.

Apart from the municipalities and city corporations, Bangladesh currently has a three-tier local government system.

However, other than the century old union council, two other tiers called upazila or sub-district and district councils virtually remained ineffective for decades as no elections were held for them.

The statement said that the cabinet also approved a proposal for the establishment of a university by coordinating the educational and training institutions of the armed forces.

The President will be the chancellor of the university which will be set up under the Bangladesh University of Professionals Ordinance 2008, it added.

Source : PTI