Total urban population immediately after the war of independence is 8% of total population of the country. In 2010, the percentage has come to 30%. Because of excessive population, the city corporation is under extreme pressure to conduct, manage and accomplish the regular activities incurred upon. It is necessary to develop economic solvency as well as infra-structural improvement of city governance in order to relieve from the worsen situation for reaching a better condition which will ultimately thrust in the overall economic development for the country. In the way of improving the prevailing condition, International Business Forum of Bangladesh (IBFB) is presenting a couple of significant recommendations for building autonomy and ensuring accountability of city governance as well as enhancing power of the Mayor position.
It is said as objectives of research that we can determine the space of how to improve the existing obstacles of city governance and identifying the limitations of new Unified Law 2009 and engaging private sector. The ten recommendations made in research are providing authority to city governance, uplifting of Mayor Position equivalent to that of Minister, bringing amendments in some laws i.e. Article 12 & Article 13 , administering traffic police under city corporation, reintroducing official Commissioner, allocating of budget for city corporation in the national budget, generating employment in district and Upazila level to reduce urban inclining tendency of people and industrial development, discovering renewable source of energy by improving waste management, introducing local cadre service in BCS (Bangladesh Civil Service) and ensuring massive participation of private sector for improving overall service providing sector of city corporation.
It was seen in research that in 1971-73 the contribution of urban in the GDP is only 26% where as the contribution stands at present approximately 50%. In developed countries the contribution is much more than that. As a matter of great regret that in our country, city governance is not paid much attention.
Mr. Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury, President, IBFB delivers the meeting that the age is an age of power decentralization, and providing assurance of transparency. But the amendment made in the law of city governance in 1992 and 2009, city corporations, as elected bodies have, to some extent, lost their authority. Since the position of Official Commissioner in City Corporation was made null and void in 1992, in fact the City Corporation has turned into tooth-less tiger. In 2009 the law has been enacted for City Corporation especially in the Article 12 regarding termination of Mayor and Counselor of City Corporation, the rights of Mayor and the Counselor has directly been snatched away. In the opinion exchanging meeting, he entertains the questions of the concerned journalists present in the meeting. He also informs the meeting that very soon the essence of the research will also be unveiled to the concerned of the divisional cities such as Rajshahi, Khulna, Chittagong and last of all, to representatives of the government, distinguished concerned to city governance at city Dhaka
