Fiscal autonomy of local government in Bangladesh: A study of Union Parishad

This research focuses on the fiscal decentralisation and central-local relationship at Union Parishad (UP). The research draws on the study of several unions through a questionnaire survey of 100 people on the basis of purposive sampling. The findings of the study show that UP has no autonomy in terms of financial, functional and administrative issues. The lack of financial decision making power as well as fiscal autonomy has made the UP a weaker and less effective local government institution. Limited powers, functions and jurisdiction of local government are delegated by the central government, thus, retains a high degree of control over local units. In reality, central control always presents there. There is no substitute for financial autonomy for wide-ranging development at the local level. People perceiveUP should be enabled as an autonomous institution financially to ensure local development.