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's Office. Sayeda Rowshan Qadir studied political science at Dhaka University and rural sociology at Cornell University. She has to her credit a number of publications, including a book on slum dwellers and squatters of Dhaka city. Her areas of interest include women and development, local government and rural development. Sitara Alamgir studied economics at Dhaka and Boston Universities. She has published several articles in the field of local government finance and urban civic amenities. Sayeedul Huq, a sociologist was trained at Dhaka University and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen. His areas of interest are local government and rural development in a comparative framework.