PERFORMANCES OF STANDING COMMITTEES OF UNION PARISHAD (UP) IN BANGLADESH: A DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS

The Union Parishad (UP), the lowest layer of local government in Bangladesh, is a well-known formal institution among rural people. This study evaluates the effectiveness of all Standing Committees (SCs) within two UPs, focusing on three core dimensions: knowledge, participation, and practical engagement. Data were collected through interviews with 25 UP representatives (19 males and 6 females). Findings reveal suboptimal performance across all dimensions, with average scores (on a 5-point Likert scale) for knowledge (2.6 and 2.1), participation (2.3 and 1.8), and practice (2.1 and 1.7) in the two UPs, respectively. The study identifies a range of barriers that undermine the effective functioning of Standing Committees (SCs). These are external (e.g., political interference from Members of Parliament and bureaucrats, dominance of local powerbrokers) and internal (e.g., negligence, apathy, limited institutional capacity, and nepotism). The paper concludes with action-oriented, context-specific recommendations aimed at enhancing the operational performance and accountability of SCs in rural governance structures.