Field Administration vs Local Government

Field Administration and Local Government unit are two vital parts of the public institution of the present structure of administration. These two are directly involved in the policy execution process following a direct structure and responsibilities.

Field Administration Unit:

Field administration unit refers to that unit which is directly involved in the policy execution and works in the field within a fixed jurisdiction. Field administration unit plays that vital role where they connect with the local people taking the policy from the central government. An efficient and ineffective field administration unit can easily turn an innovative policy or plan into a field one.

The present field administration unit is of the following three fires:    

          · Division

          · District

          · Upazilla

Division:

Division is the height tire of the field administration unit. Divisional commissioner it the administrative head of the division. Divisional commissioner deals with every activity performed within the division and he also oversees the activities of the district and Upazila.   

District:

District of the second tire of field administration in Bangladesh. Deputy Commissioner is the head of the district.

Upazilla: 

Upazilla is the last tire of field administration. Upazilla Chairman is the political head and Upazilla Nirbahi Officer (UNO) is the administrative head of the Upazilla.

Combining of these tire basically, the policy implementation is done and reached to root level.

Local Government Institutions:

Local government institution deals with local level people for policy implementation. The representatives are elected by the local people and some of them are centrally selected (in practice).

Local Government Institutions:

           1)  Rural Local Government Institution

           2)  Urban Local Government Institution

1. Rural Local Government Institution: 

• Zila Parishad
• Upazila Parishad
• Union Parishad

Rural Local Government institutions are in three tries Zilla Parishad, Upazila Parishad, and Union Parishad. Union Parishad works for rural development such as sanitation, fisheries, tree plantation, and nutrition and so on. Upazila Parishad works for the welfare of local people as well as and the Zilla Parishad oversees the activities of other units.

2. Urban Local Government Unit:

                (i) City Corporation

               (ii) Municipalities/ Paurashava 

These institutions work in their jurisdiction for the welfare of the people of their given territory. Field administration and Local Government units contain more differences in their role and structure.

Structure:

Representatives of field administration units are elected and mostly the representatives of Local government institutions are elected by the local people. There is territorial conflict on local government.

Purpose: 

Filed administrative institutions are focused on implementation of the policy and local government institutions are also focused on the welfare of the local people.

Administration: 

Field administration is run under cabinet division and local government institutions are run under cabinet division and ministry of local government. The responsibilities of representatives of local government are fixed by the rules of business 1996.