Despite being a legal requirement under the Local Government (Union Parishad) Act, 2009, Women and Children Affairs Standing Committees in Union Parishads across Rangpur are largely non-functional, with many elected representatives unaware of their existence or responsibilities.
In most cases, these committees are either inactive or exist only in official documents, with little to no practical operation.
Investigations across several Union Parishads reveal that many elected representatives are unfamiliar with the existence of a separate Women and Children Affairs Committee.
In some instances, issues related to women and children are handled informally or merged with other committees, effectively weakening focused intervention at the grassroots level.
Afroz Begum, a female member of Sadyapushkarini Union Parishad, said she had never heard of such a committee despite working on issues like child marriage and child welfare.
She noted that these matters are addressed, but without a structured committee framework. Another representative from the same union echoed that responsibilities are often absorbed into other committees.
In Chandanpat Union Parishad, female member Ratna Begum stated that no committee exists under that name, adding that meetings related to women and children are conducted under other committee structures instead.
The investigation also highlighted concerns over governance practices within Union Parishads. In several cases, committee formation reportedly includes close relatives of chairpersons, raising questions about transparency and effectiveness.
At the same time, limited awareness, lack of training and weak institutional guidance continue to hinder proper functioning.
Saiful Rahman Babu, Secretary of Sadyapushkarini Union Parishad, said many members are unaware of which committees they belong to, and the absence of allowances or incentives for meetings further reduces participation and interest.
From Mithapukur Upazila, female member Peyari Begum described a situation where committees exist largely on paper, saying that she was unaware of any functioning Women and Children Affairs Committee and that most decisions are reduced to formal resolutions without meaningful implementation.
Similarly, Aduri, a member from Sadar Upazila, said she had only recently learned of the committee’s existence, suggesting that it may have been merged with other structures in practice.
The problem is not confined to Union Parishads alone. According to the District Council Act, 2000, similar committees are also required at the district level.
However, the Executive Officer of Rangpur Zila Parishad, Mamun Or Rashid, said he had no knowledge of such a committee being active during his tenure, describing the situation as a long-standing administrative oversight.
Civil society representatives have expressed concern over this continued neglect. Rummana Jaman, General Secretary of Rangpur district unit of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, said that the absence of such committees calls into question the overall effectiveness of Union Parishads and reflects a deeper governance failure.
Academics also stress that the issue undermines women’s participation and child protection efforts. Kuntala Chowdhury, a teacher in Women Studies Department at Begum Rokeya University, said that effective functioning of these committees is essential and that formation alone is not sufficient without proper implementation mechanisms.
She added that meaningful improvement requires structured training for elected representatives, consistent monitoring, administrative accountability and greater public awareness.
Rangpur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md. Ruhul Amin acknowledged the issue and said that directives would soon be issued to ensure that all Union Parishads form and activate their standing committees properly.
Experts warn that unless these legal provisions are effectively implemented, critical areas such as women’s empowerment and child welfare will continue to exist only on paper, with little impact on the ground.
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