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Service Delivery and Accountability of Urban Officials: Evidence from Urban-based Local Government in Bangladesh

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  • A. H. M. Kamrul Ahsan
  • Peter Walters
  • Md. Adil Khan

Abstract

This study compares the state of city government service delivery for communities living in different areas with different level of affluence in Rajshahi City in Bangladesh. Based on the results of a qualitative study, we found a significant service disparity between the affluent and the poor communities. This disparity is due to the inability of the poor to hold service providers accountable, attributable to a lack of knowledge about services and a lack of social status. Lack of quality monitoring and a marked bias in the quality of interactions between the poor and the affluent contribute to the service disparity This disparity is largely invisible to the poor who, instead of comparing themselves with the affluent citizens, compare themselves with a similar class of people.

Suggested Citation

  • A. H. M. Kamrul Ahsan & Peter Walters & Md. Adil Khan, 2021. "Service Delivery and Accountability of Urban Officials: Evidence from Urban-based Local Government in Bangladesh," South Asian Survey, , vol. 28(2), pages 222-242, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:soasur:v:28:y:2021:i:2:p:222-242
    DOI: 10.1177/09715231211016312
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    Cited by:

    1. Md. Al-Fahad BHUIYAN & Md. Ashraful ISLAM, 2023. "Assessment Of Service Quality Of Urban Local Government In Bangladesh: The Case Of Pabna Municipality," Theoretical and Empirical Researches in Urban Management, Research Centre in Public Administration and Public Services, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 18(1), pages 85-105, February.

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