UNB, Dhaka :
Oversized and illegal billboards erected across the city by government and private organizations have become a cause for concern for the city dwellers, posing as potential death-traps during storms.
The haphazard billboards along with their steel support structures often fell on pedestrians or vehicles during strong wind or storm, causing untold damage, injuries and even death.
Deaths from billboard collapse during the monsoon season have become a common phenomenon in recent years, but as yet no effective measures have been taken by the authorities to prevent the accidents.
Independent MP Haji Mohammad Selim suffered minor injuries when a mega billboard collapsed and fell on the vehicle he was in, in front of Ramna Tennis Club near Shahbagh crossing during a storm on April 4.
Similarly the vehicle of Dipon Group Adviser Maj (retd) Muktadir along with several others was damaged from the collapse of a huge billboard near Kakoli crossing during the ongoing nor’wester season.
Sources at both the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) said prior permission is a must for corporations looking to erect billboards. Besides, it is also mandatory to take the approval of a structural design, made by a member of the Institute of Engineers Bangladesh (IEB) from the city corporations.
But in most of the cases, companies or individuals do not abide by the city corporations’ rules during installation of billboards, putting people’s lives and property at risk.
Many billboards are erected illegally using political influence. That’s why often both the city corporations as well as the law enforcing agencies are helpless to stop it, high officials of the two city corporations in Dhaka alleged.
According to official figures, the Dhaka South City Corporation owns 201 billboards, 198 unipole, and 235 mega billboards, while 527 billboard-spaces are individually-owned.
Dhaka North City Corporation owns 543 billboards, 475 electricity poles used for advertisement, 250 mega signboards, 190 mini poles and 30 passenger shades used for advertisement.
Besides, Dhaka city is littered with several thousands illegal billboards depriving the two city corporations (South and North) of revenues, the officials of the DCCs added.
Talking to UNB, Dipon Group Adviser Maj (retd) Muktadir said he luckily escaped serious injury but his motor vehicle was badly damaged when a large size billboard fell on it during a storm on April 4.
Replying to a question, he suggested use of modern digital bill boards to avert such incidents. There should be a standard pattern for a billboard considering possible risk factor during strong wind, Maj (retd) Muktadir added.
When contacted, general secretary of Bangladesh Outdoor Advertisement Owners Association (BOAOA) Md Rashed said if billboards are erected maintaining the existing policy of the two Dhaka City Corporations, it would minimize the chances of accidents.
According to the existing billboard policy, the maximum height of a billboard will not exceed 40 feet from ground level, while the size of billboards will be the same on the VIP roads running between Bangabhaban to Airport via Dainik Bangla crossing-Fakirerpool crossing-Kakrail mosque crossing-Sheraton crossing-Farmgate-Mohakhali and Banani crossing, said Rashed.
If the DCCs make billboard owners or lessees pledge-bound to implementing the existing policy, it will also increase the beauty of the city besides reduce the risks, he observed.
The BOAOA general secretary alleged that a number of billboards up to 100 feet in height have already been installed in different city points illegally using political influence.
If the city is hit by 100 km/h strong wind, there is strong possibility of massive causalties due to collapse of those mega billboards, he added.
Replying to a question, Rashed said if the DCCs issue an order to set up digital billboards replacing analog ones, we will follow the order. It will also enhance the beauty of the city, he added.
Talking to UNB at his office, Captain Bipon Kumar Saha, Chief Waste Management Officer of DNCC, admitted they can’t properly monitor the billboard installation process due to lack of adequate manpower.
“When we give permission, we take an undertaking from the lessees or billboard owners that they will be liable for any kind of incident or damage due to any kind of accident,” Captain Bipon Kumar Saha said.
He said, they have no plans as yet to turn all billboards into digital ones due to some difficulties, the chief waste management officer said.
Talking to UNB, Ansar Ali Khan, chief executive officer of DSCC, said “We should take a crash programme in this regard but it is not possible because of insufficient manpower. We should do many things but we can’t execute those for practical reasons.”
Oversized and illegal billboards erected across the city by government and private organizations have become a cause for concern for the city dwellers, posing as potential death-traps during storms.
The haphazard billboards along with their steel support structures often fell on pedestrians or vehicles during strong wind or storm, causing untold damage, injuries and even death.
Deaths from billboard collapse during the monsoon season have become a common phenomenon in recent years, but as yet no effective measures have been taken by the authorities to prevent the accidents.
Independent MP Haji Mohammad Selim suffered minor injuries when a mega billboard collapsed and fell on the vehicle he was in, in front of Ramna Tennis Club near Shahbagh crossing during a storm on April 4.
Similarly the vehicle of Dipon Group Adviser Maj (retd) Muktadir along with several others was damaged from the collapse of a huge billboard near Kakoli crossing during the ongoing nor’wester season.
Sources at both the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) said prior permission is a must for corporations looking to erect billboards. Besides, it is also mandatory to take the approval of a structural design, made by a member of the Institute of Engineers Bangladesh (IEB) from the city corporations.
But in most of the cases, companies or individuals do not abide by the city corporations’ rules during installation of billboards, putting people’s lives and property at risk.
Many billboards are erected illegally using political influence. That’s why often both the city corporations as well as the law enforcing agencies are helpless to stop it, high officials of the two city corporations in Dhaka alleged.
According to official figures, the Dhaka South City Corporation owns 201 billboards, 198 unipole, and 235 mega billboards, while 527 billboard-spaces are individually-owned.
Dhaka North City Corporation owns 543 billboards, 475 electricity poles used for advertisement, 250 mega signboards, 190 mini poles and 30 passenger shades used for advertisement.
Besides, Dhaka city is littered with several thousands illegal billboards depriving the two city corporations (South and North) of revenues, the officials of the DCCs added.
Talking to UNB, Dipon Group Adviser Maj (retd) Muktadir said he luckily escaped serious injury but his motor vehicle was badly damaged when a large size billboard fell on it during a storm on April 4.
Replying to a question, he suggested use of modern digital bill boards to avert such incidents. There should be a standard pattern for a billboard considering possible risk factor during strong wind, Maj (retd) Muktadir added.
When contacted, general secretary of Bangladesh Outdoor Advertisement Owners Association (BOAOA) Md Rashed said if billboards are erected maintaining the existing policy of the two Dhaka City Corporations, it would minimize the chances of accidents.
According to the existing billboard policy, the maximum height of a billboard will not exceed 40 feet from ground level, while the size of billboards will be the same on the VIP roads running between Bangabhaban to Airport via Dainik Bangla crossing-Fakirerpool crossing-Kakrail mosque crossing-Sheraton crossing-Farmgate-Mohakhali and Banani crossing, said Rashed.
If the DCCs make billboard owners or lessees pledge-bound to implementing the existing policy, it will also increase the beauty of the city besides reduce the risks, he observed.
The BOAOA general secretary alleged that a number of billboards up to 100 feet in height have already been installed in different city points illegally using political influence.
If the city is hit by 100 km/h strong wind, there is strong possibility of massive causalties due to collapse of those mega billboards, he added.
Replying to a question, Rashed said if the DCCs issue an order to set up digital billboards replacing analog ones, we will follow the order. It will also enhance the beauty of the city, he added.
Talking to UNB at his office, Captain Bipon Kumar Saha, Chief Waste Management Officer of DNCC, admitted they can’t properly monitor the billboard installation process due to lack of adequate manpower.
“When we give permission, we take an undertaking from the lessees or billboard owners that they will be liable for any kind of incident or damage due to any kind of accident,” Captain Bipon Kumar Saha said.
He said, they have no plans as yet to turn all billboards into digital ones due to some difficulties, the chief waste management officer said.
Talking to UNB, Ansar Ali Khan, chief executive officer of DSCC, said “We should take a crash programme in this regard but it is not possible because of insufficient manpower. We should do many things but we can’t execute those for practical reasons.”
