Amtali (Barguna) Correspondent:

A silent administrative revolution has taken place in Amtali, Barguna. The activities of the Union Parishad, which had been running from a rented office in the upazila town for almost four decades, have suddenly returned to its own union complex building. Behind this is the newly-joined Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Md. Rokonuzzaman Khan. His idea of ​​‘not in the office, but at the doorstep of the people’ is already in discussion.

A forty-year habit has been broken in a flash: Amtali Upazila has an area of ​​399 square kilometers and a population of 2.25 lakh. There are 7 unions and 1 municipality. In the early 1980s, the Union Parishad offices were moved to the upazila town on various local pretexts. Then, for about 25 to 40 years, it became a familiar sight for the local people - the long journey of the union residents to get services. The farthest unions from the upazila are Haldia in the south and Athargachia in the north. The offices of those two Union Parishads are also located about 15 to 20 kilometers away from the upazila town. Even then, one had to travel through shaky roads and difficult transportation routes to reach the upazila town. Just for a certificate or citizenship certificate, 100 to 250 taka was spent and a whole day was wasted.

The buildings were gathering dust and deteriorating: Permanent buildings were built for the union parishad with government funds. But they remained locked for years. The paint had peeled off the walls, the windows were rusted, and there were bushes around. Those buildings were reactivated with the initiative of UNO Rokonuzzaman Khan. Now, public representatives regularly visit 7 union parishads and provide services to the locals.

UNO's strict instructions: After taking charge as UNO in Amtoli on May 13 of this year, Md. Rokonuzzaman Khan first exchanged views with people from different classes and professions. Then he called the UP chairman, members and officials and told them that there was no option but to resume activities in their own union. After delivering letters, on-site inspections and strict warnings, the locks of all the closed Union Parishad buildings were opened in mid-June.

Relief for elected representatives: Nazmun Nahar Mukul Begum, a reserved woman member of Athargachhia Union, said that after 40 years, the Union Parishad has returned to the union. Although the building was there, it was locked until now. The Union Parishad complex has been operationalized on the orders of UNO Sir. The locks of all the closed Union Parishad buildings have been opened. Now, service recipients as well as UP members do not have to waste time and money going to the upazila.

Kukua Union Parishad Chairman Borhan Uddin Ahmed Masum Talukder and Athargachhia Union Parishad Chairman Rafiqul Islam Ripon said that this is a groundbreaking decision. The Union Parishad is reaching the people again. Services have returned to the doorsteps of the people. They also said that for years, the people's representatives have been continuously conducting the activities of the Union Parishad in the upazila town. As a result, ordinary people in the villages had to go to the city to get services. Now, they are being provided services in the villages.

Service seekers' statement: Moazzem Hossain Hawlader of Uttar Taktabunia village of Haldia union, who came to receive the service, said, "I came to the union parishad to get an identity card for my urgent work. Earlier, I had to go to the upazila town to get it. Then, both time and money were wasted. I heard that now we will not have to go to the upazila town with difficulty. From now on, the chairman and members will work in the UP office located in our union, which has been closed for a long time. This has benefited helpless poor people like us a lot.

Salma Begum, a housewife from Dalachara village of Gulishakhali union, said, "Earlier, we had to go to Mogo Amtali upazila town to register a birth. Now, we can do everything by visiting the union parishad near our house. I thank the new UNO of Mogo Amtali for this. He has returned the service of the common people of the union to the union, looking after the poor like Mogo."

Markets adjacent to the Union Parishad are crowded: Due to the closure of the Union Parishad activities for years, the business of traders in the markets adjacent to the Parishad has completely slowed down. Many traders have closed their businesses and gone elsewhere. Now, as the activities of the Union Parishad have been transferred from the Upazila Sadar to the Re-Union, the markets have become quite crowded. Their business continues from morning till late at night.

Solaiman Matbar, a tea seller at the market adjacent to the Haldia Union Parishad Complex, said that earlier the Mogo market was in darkness due to the closure of the Union Parishad activities. Although some people came during the day, no one could be found in the market after evening. Now, the market has become quite crowded with the resumption of the activities of the Union Parishad.

Awareness: A teacher from Sekandarkhali village of Amtoli Sadar Union, A. Hai, said, I cannot help but thank the new UNO sir. What no one could do in the last 40 years. He has done it by joining Amtoli. In a notice, he has returned the activities of his own union parishad from the upazila headquarters to the re-union. He also said that now the union parishads that have been closed for years have become quite busy with the footfall of the common people.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) statement: UNO Md. Roknuzzaman Khan said that services are easily available only if they work according to government rules. So far, many youth have not seen the union parishad in their union. However, it is their right to get their services from their respective unions. All the public representatives are city-oriented. That is why they have been running temporary offices in the city for so many years. Now everyone has returned to their own offices. As a result, the service recipients will no longer have to come to the city.

After breaking the forty-year tradition, this administrative reform has now started a new chapter in Amtali.