Barishal City Corporation ( - in short: BCC) is a local government authority responsible for administering all civic services in the city of Barisal, in south-central Bangladesh. The BCC government is elected by popular vote every five years. The corporation is headed by a mayor, who oversees a council consisting of 40 councillors representing different wards of the city. The functions and powers of the BCC are defined under the provisions of the City Corporation Act, 2009.

The corporation covers an area of over 58 square kilometers in the Barisal District where over five million people live as permanent residents. The body was known as Barisal Municipality previously, until it obtained the city corporation status by a ministry of local government declaration on 25 July 2002.

History To provide civil service and facilities to the inhabitants, Barisal Town Committee was formed in 1969 under Act VI of 1868 (B.C.) with the district magistrate as its chairman. J. C. Price was the first chairman of the town committee. It was upgraded to Barisal municipality in 1876 under the Municipal Act of 1876. It was then managed by a committee, of which the district magistrate was president, and was aided by government with establishment grants. It remained as a municipality for over 130 years though the number of population have been rising with time. Later in 2001, the ministry of local government meeting on declared to turn two divisional headquarters, Barisal and Sylhet to city corporations and passed "Barisal City Corporation Act, 2001". An administrative move was made abolishing the Barisal Municipality as the final step to introduce the administrative body as a city corporation. On 25 July 2002, the municipality was officially upgraded as Barisal City Corporation.

Administration The city corporation is run by a joint staff of elected public representatives and government officials. Officials both come from departmental recruitment and the administrative cadre service of the country. The area of BCC is divided into 4 thanas: Kotwali, Kawnia, Bandar and Airport. The thanas are subdivided into 30 wards and 225 mahallas. It is administrated by 30 councilors, 9 woman councilors and the mayor elected in the local government election for a five-year tenure.

Functions and Services The Barishal City Corporation (BCC) is responsible for administering the city and ensuring the provision of essential infrastructure and public services. Its functions include urban planning, transport management, healthcare, education, waste management, water supply, and security. Through these services, BCC aims to improve the quality of life for residents and promote sustainable urban development. +Departments of Barishal City Corporation#Departments Functions / Services1Office of the MayorExecutive administration; city governance; supervision of all BCC services2Chief Executive OfficeDepartmental coordination; service implementation monitoring3Administration And EstablishmentHR management; staff recruitment; service delivery monitoring4Finance and Accounts Budget preparation; financial planning; payment processing; accounts management; internal audit5Engineering Road-cutting permission; building design approval; contractor registration; land demarcation certificates6Urban Planning and DevelopmentRoad, drain, bridge, culvert and footpath development; land development; planned residential areas; city beautification7Electricity Installation and maintenance of street lights; lamp-post management; city illumination8Transportation and CommunicationUrban transport management; traffic & parking control; emergency transport; corpse handling; bus terminal management; road roller & ambulance services9Waste Management and CleaningSolid waste collection and disposal; street cleaning; drain clearing; mosquito control; landfill management10HealthHospital & clinic management; maternal & child immunization; vitamin A campaigns; midwifery and health technology training11Registrar Birth & death certificates; nationality, inheritance & character certificates12EducationManagement of schools, madrasas, Sanskrit tolls, kindergartens, technical institutes; adult education; teacher training; cultural & theatre institutes13Water Supply and SewerageClean water supply and sewerage management in the entire city corporation.14RevenueTrade license issuance & renewal; holding tax collection; shop/market allotment; lease and asset management15Security and Law and OrderCity security; joint operations with BMP; CCTV installation and monitoring16MagistracyArbitration-based case settlement; mobile courts; anti-adulteration drives17Housing and Public WorksDistribution and maintenance of residential plots and flats18Cultural and Social DevelopmentNational Day celebrations; charity programs; and children’s park and playground construction & maintenance19Environmental ProtectionPollution control; climate change mitigation; urban greening; tree plantation20Religious Welfare Support for Eid, Puja, and religious events; Qurbani market permissions; land allocation for religious events Annual budget Barishal City Corporation (BCC) has announced a budget of for 2025-2026 fiscal year.

Wards and councillors

Barishal City Corporation is administratively divided into 30 wards. Each ward is represented by one elected councillor, while additional reserved women councillors are elected for groups of wards, as provided under the Local Government (City Corporation) Act. Councillors of Barishal City Corporation Ward Locations covered Councillor Party Ward-1 BM College area Vacant TBD Ward-2 Alekanda Ward-3 Rupatali north Ward-4 Kaunia Ward-5 Karnakathi riverbank Ward-6 Barishal riverfront north Ward-7 Sagardi Ward-8 Town Hall area Ward-9 Barishal Stadium area Ward-10 Sadar Road area Ward-11 Niamati Ward-12 Sher-e-Bangla Medical College area Ward-13 Chawk Bazar Ward-14 Kakoli Ward-15 Bogura Road area Ward-16 Amtala Ward-17 Kalibari Road area Ward-18 College Road area Ward-19 Launch Ghat / Port area Ward-20 BM College south Ward-21 Barishal Sadar central Ward-22 Kashipur Ward-23 Dapdapia / Dargabari Ward-24 Rupatali south Ward-25 Rupatali riverbank Ward-26 Kawnia south-west fringe Ward-27 Charkaua west Ward-28 Charkaua north Ward-29 Airport road area Ward-30 Airport / northern fringe Reserved women's seats 31 Women's seat-1 Vacant TBD 32 Women's seat-2 33 Women's seat-3 34 Women's seat-4 35 Women's seat-5 36 Women's seat-6 37 Women's seat-7 38 Women's seat-8 39 Women's seat-9 40 Women's seat-10

List of mayors

Deputies The deputy mayor (also known as Panel mayor) is a second-ranking official of city corporation. 3 Panel mayors are appointed from the council member to assist the mayor through voting. The 1st panel mayor with the highest number of votes is appointed as deputy mayor or acting mayor. In the absence of the mayor, the deputy mayor controls all functions of the City Corporation. Other 2 Panel mayors also assist mayor and to oversee major offices within the executive branch of the BCC. Serial No. Post Name 01 Panel Mayor 1 Vacant 02 Panel Mayor 2 Vacant 03 Panel Mayor 3 Vacant

Past elections Election Result 2023

Election result 2018

Election result 2013

Election result 2008

See also List of city corporations in Bangladesh Barisal Division

Notes

Ahsan Habib Kamal served as acting mayor from when Barisal City Corporation was created until the first city election could be held. Awlad Hossain Dilu served as acting mayor while Sarwar was under arrest.

References