UNB, Dhaka :
Although two years have elapsed since the bifurcation of the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) into two administrative zones, north and south, it has failed to yield any tangible benefits for the city dwellers.
According to experts and officials, the much-debated bifurcation has, in fact, weakened the services for lack of manpower and ‘mismanagement’.
The unprecedented delay in holding the elections to the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) is also adding up to the lacuna between what is chartered and what is delivered to the citizens, they added.
The city residents have seen no DCC election for more than 11 years as the last polls in the integrated city corporation were held on April 25, 2002.
Talking to UNB, noted urban planner Prof Nazrul Islam said, “Although the government has split the Dhaka City Corporation with a promise to ensure better civic service, it has failed to show something tangible or positive. I’ll rather say that the standard of services has declined (in the two corporations).”
Prof Nazrul went on: “Civic nuisances in the capital have continued to thrive – the city dwellers are deprived of free walkways, better roads, ample lighting and hassle-free traffic system. Rickshaws can ply everywhere as there’s no control over their movement while garbage and dirt flood the city roads in many areas in absence of proper waste management system.”
Naser Alam, a city resident living at Baridhara area under DNCC, said despite the splitting of the city corporation, citizens are getting lesser services compared to the past.
He alleged that the city corporation authorities have failed to take any noticeable
step to control the mosquito menace or to
clean up clogged up drains and cloaked sewerage lines.
In November 2011, the Local Government Ministry split the erstwhile Dhaka City Corporation into two administration zones-DNCC and DSCC — with a mandate to ensure better services to the city residents.
The bifurcated city corporations are being run by administrators for the last two years due to delay in the elections to the corporations.
In absence of elected mayors, two additional secretaries are appointed on deputation as the administrators after every six months for running the corporations to comply with the City Corporation Act.
Asked whether they have been able to ensure civic services, DNCC administrator Md Anwarul Islam Sikder told UNB that they are facing a little bit of problem in providing services to the city residents because of manpower crisis, inadequate transport facility and logistic support.
“There’re 36 ward councilors in the undivided city corporation. After bifurcation, there exists an inadequate manpower,” he said. DNCC chief executive officer BM Enamul Haque said a recruitment process is underway to resolve the manpower crisis.
He also said they are pledge-bound to provide adequate civic services and working on for the needed improvement in the regard.
Claiming that they are providing better services to the residents compared to the past, Enamul Haque said “People are not facing harassment in obtaining birth registration certificates as they had to endure in the past.”
He also mentioned that initiatives to expand the DNCC have already been taken, among other things.
Enamul Haque said, “The process to include a wide range of areas, including Turag, Dakkhinkhan, Uttarkhan, and parts of Bhatara, Satarkul, Horirampur, Banasree, Aftabnagar and Basundhara residential areas, in DNCC is underway.”
He, however, said the DNCC is facing some obstructions from several influential people in the expansion works. Echoing Enamul, CEO of Dhaka South City Corporation Anser Ali Khan said they have been able to reach most of the services to the door-steps of residents by dint of the splitting of the corporation.
Although two years have elapsed since the bifurcation of the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) into two administrative zones, north and south, it has failed to yield any tangible benefits for the city dwellers.
According to experts and officials, the much-debated bifurcation has, in fact, weakened the services for lack of manpower and ‘mismanagement’.
The unprecedented delay in holding the elections to the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) is also adding up to the lacuna between what is chartered and what is delivered to the citizens, they added.
The city residents have seen no DCC election for more than 11 years as the last polls in the integrated city corporation were held on April 25, 2002.
Talking to UNB, noted urban planner Prof Nazrul Islam said, “Although the government has split the Dhaka City Corporation with a promise to ensure better civic service, it has failed to show something tangible or positive. I’ll rather say that the standard of services has declined (in the two corporations).”
Prof Nazrul went on: “Civic nuisances in the capital have continued to thrive – the city dwellers are deprived of free walkways, better roads, ample lighting and hassle-free traffic system. Rickshaws can ply everywhere as there’s no control over their movement while garbage and dirt flood the city roads in many areas in absence of proper waste management system.”
Naser Alam, a city resident living at Baridhara area under DNCC, said despite the splitting of the city corporation, citizens are getting lesser services compared to the past.
He alleged that the city corporation authorities have failed to take any noticeable
step to control the mosquito menace or to
clean up clogged up drains and cloaked sewerage lines.
In November 2011, the Local Government Ministry split the erstwhile Dhaka City Corporation into two administration zones-DNCC and DSCC — with a mandate to ensure better services to the city residents.
The bifurcated city corporations are being run by administrators for the last two years due to delay in the elections to the corporations.
In absence of elected mayors, two additional secretaries are appointed on deputation as the administrators after every six months for running the corporations to comply with the City Corporation Act.
Asked whether they have been able to ensure civic services, DNCC administrator Md Anwarul Islam Sikder told UNB that they are facing a little bit of problem in providing services to the city residents because of manpower crisis, inadequate transport facility and logistic support.
“There’re 36 ward councilors in the undivided city corporation. After bifurcation, there exists an inadequate manpower,” he said. DNCC chief executive officer BM Enamul Haque said a recruitment process is underway to resolve the manpower crisis.
He also said they are pledge-bound to provide adequate civic services and working on for the needed improvement in the regard.
Claiming that they are providing better services to the residents compared to the past, Enamul Haque said “People are not facing harassment in obtaining birth registration certificates as they had to endure in the past.”
He also mentioned that initiatives to expand the DNCC have already been taken, among other things.
Enamul Haque said, “The process to include a wide range of areas, including Turag, Dakkhinkhan, Uttarkhan, and parts of Bhatara, Satarkul, Horirampur, Banasree, Aftabnagar and Basundhara residential areas, in DNCC is underway.”
He, however, said the DNCC is facing some obstructions from several influential people in the expansion works. Echoing Enamul, CEO of Dhaka South City Corporation Anser Ali Khan said they have been able to reach most of the services to the door-steps of residents by dint of the splitting of the corporation.
