Kamal Siddiqui is a leading authority on local government in South Asia. Educated in the Universities of Dhaka, Leeds and London, he combines in him solid academic work with the practical experience of a civil servant, working at both grassroots as well as highest levels of policy-making and monitoring policy implementation. His important publications in the field include Megacity Governance in South Asia: A Comparative Study (Dhaka: UPL, 2004), Overcoming the Governance Crisis in Dhaka City (Dhaka: UPL, 2000), Local Governance in Bangladesh: Leading Issues and Major Challenges (Dhaka: UPL, 2000) and Local Government in South Asia: A Comparative Study (Dhaka: UPL, 1992; a Chinese translation of the book was brought out by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of China in I994). As Director-General of the National Institute of Local Government for over five years, he wrote training manuals, designed courses and curricula and trained a large number of local government functionaries. He has also advised the Chinese government on local government reforms. He is at present Principal Secretary in the Prime Minister Office.