Staff Reporter

LGRD Minister Md Tajul Islam yesterday said that in a strong local government system, the benefits of development are easier to reach the marginalized people. That is why the government has modernized the law at various levels of local government.

He said that timely legislation has strengthened various levels of local government from city corporations, municipalities to unions. As a result, the way to reach the benefits of the city has become easier for the people of the village.

He said this while speaking as the chief guest at the publication opening ceremony "Incentivizing Change: How Governance Reforms are Changing the Urban Landscape of Bangladesh" organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) at a hotel in the capital.

At this time, the minister thanked the Asian Development Bank for financing various development projects of the government and said that the Asian Development Bank has demonstrated its expertise in implementing various projects for the development of Bangladesh since independence.

He said the Urban Governance and Infrastructure Improvement Project (UGIIP) funded by the Asian Development Bank is contributing to the provision of various civic amenities including infrastructure, road construction and clean water supply at the municipal level.

In this context, the minister said that the government has started rural infrastructure, roads and 100% electrification, and now young people are playing a big role in the country's economy by earning foreign currency through freelancing in remote rural areas.

He also said that along with the economic development of the country, people's financial capacity has increased. People have flocked to big cities like Dhaka city and as the extent of urbanization has increased, so has the pressure on the cities. At this time, the minister emphasized on modern waste management in cities and said that we should also follow the same path as developed countries are producing energy like electricity from waste.

He urged the Asian Development Bank to invest in such projects, saying that various projects for waste management are under active consideration by the government.

The Minister of Local Government thanked the Asian Development Bank for financing the repair of flood-damaged roads in Sylhet, Sunamganj and Habiganj districts last year.

Local Government Rural Development and Cooperatives Ministry Secretary Muhammad Be&ivwng, Local Government Engineering Directorate Chief Engineer Sheikh Mohammad Mohsin, Public Health Engineering Directorate Chief Engineer Md Sarwar Hossain, ADB Senior Sector Director Norio Saito and ADB Bangladesh Country Director Edmon Jinting spoke on the occasion.