Dhaka, March 19 -- Bangladesh's local government system now faces several limitations, including institutional weaknesses, over-centralisation of power and financial constraints.

Besides, there are other challenges such as lack of transparency, accountability and corruption, political interference and limited opportunities for gender and social inclusion.

Speakers identified the challenges at a press conference at the National Press Club in the capital on Tuesday.

The press conference on 'Local government reform in light of democratic decentralisation and public aspirations' was jointly organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Governance Advocacy Forum (GAF) with the support of the Embassy of Switzerland in ...