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Local Government Division

division · verified (verified 2026-05-17)

Profile

Head
Md. Shahidul Hasan
Role
Secretary
Annual budget
৳361,010,000,000
Staff
—
Established
1971
Legal basis
Constitution of Bangladesh, Article 59 (local government at every administrative unit); Local Government (City Corporation) Act 2009; Local Government (Union Parishad) Act 2009; Local Government (Municipality) Act 2009; Local Government (Upazila Parishad) Act 2009; Local Government (Zila Parishad) Act 2000; Rules of Business of the Government of Bangladesh (Schedule I, allocation of business); Local Government Division was separated as a distinct division from the erstwhile LGRD ministry under the Rules of Business.

Managing 6 city corporations and 323 pourashavas under appointed administrators while the Ishraque DSCC mayoralty dispute remains sub-judice at the Appellate Division (HC dismissed the blocking writ on May 22; LGD Secretary Shahidul Hasan received a May 26 contempt deadline but LGD awaits Supreme Court clearance); simultaneously anchoring the $375 million World Bank Metro Dhaka Water Security and Resilience Program (P506770) as program coordinator and driving FY2025-26 ADP implementation under the country's largest single development allocation of Tk 36,101 crore.

Recent activity

Provenance & notes

LGD is one of three divisions under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives (the other two being the Rural Development and Co-operatives Division). The division is directly responsible for city corporations, pourashavas, upazila parishads, union parishads, and zila parishads, and supervises four subordinate departments: Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), Water Supply and Sewerage Authorities (WASA), and National Institute of Local Government (NILG). Budget figure of Tk 36,101 crore (annual_budget_bdt = 361,010,000,000) is the FY2025-26 proposed allocation for LGD under Grant No. 34 (Code 137) per the Ministry of Finance LGD budget document and Daily Sun budget reporting; this is the LGD-specific grant, distinct from the broader LGRD ministry total of Tk 42,433 crore reported by BSS which includes Rural Development and Co-operatives Division allocations. Secretary: Md. Shahidul Hasan appointed March 3, 2026 on a one-year contract; he is a retired civil engineer (LGED Chief Engineer, retired December 2000), not a BCS cadre officer -- an unusual appointment for a division secretary post. Predecessor Rezaul Maksud Jahedi transferred to MoPA on March 1, 2026. Ishraque DSCC mayoralty: EC gazetted Ishraque on April 27, 2026 after March 27 tribunal verdict; HC dismissed blocking writ on May 22, 2026; Ishraque issued a legal notice to LGD Secretary Shahidul Hasan on May 22-23 with a May 26 deadline or contempt; a leave-to-appeal petition was filed with the Appellate Division on May 26 making the matter sub-judice at the highest court; LGD confirmed it awaits Supreme Court clearance. World Bank program financing confirmed at $375 million IDA per World Bank Project Appraisal Document P506770; press release stated '$370 million' (likely rounded); the PAD and LGD Oracle Cloud document are the controlling primary sources. Established year follows the 1971 state founding; LGD as a distinct division with its current mandate and name has existed in this form since the Rules of Business established the three-division LGRD structure. Staff count not publicly disaggregated by LGD.

Sources