Bangladesh has one of the most centralized local resource management systems in Asia. It is, however, one of the lowest-performing regions in terms of local resource mobilization. The book focuses on the union council, otherwise known as a Union Parishads (UPs), which is the smallest rural local government unit in Bangladesh. The book examines the legal provisions and practices of resource mobilization at UPs to understand the effects of resource mobilization on development activities and the obstacles encountered by UPs when attempting to mobilize resources. Based on the extensive empirical research into UPs, which includes surveys, focus group discussions, interviews, as well as a review of government reports, working papers, and legal frameworks, the authors argue that current legal provisions and practices in local resource mobilization are ineffective for their intended purpose. The book also suggests remedies and policy recommendations for the effective mobilization of local resources.
