DHAKA city was comparatively clean this time immediately after the Eid-ul-Azha as public health awareness pressed by many residents locally along with two City Corporations’ efforts to clean the city produced some results. People at ward levels were prompt to wash blood and clear animals’ waste on their individual initiative while City Corporation’s volunteers collected those waste quickly from many places. It was unlike in the past when they would by and large abandon the animals’ blood and waste on the roadside and city corporations’ volunteers were also slow in their jobs. This time it was a visible improvement and much of the credit may go to the two City Mayors who made it a citizens’ issue prior to Eid festival.
It is true that the two City Corporations’ initiative asking people to slaughter animals at certain specified spots did not work. They also failed to supply bleaching powder and properly field volunteers at many other places to remove the waste quickly. But their public appeal not to slaughter animals indiscriminately on roadside and at lane and by-lane has at least worked to make them health conscious. Most spots were clean by mid-day or through the afternoon at individual initiative.
It is true that the two City Corporations’ designated spots listed over 600 in the South and North cities were found to be inconvenient on many counts. Many were muddy from rainwater and carrying meat homes from public grounds was much more inconvenient. Even the Mayors were aware of the difficulty and at the last moment they appealed the residents to go by their own convenience with utmost care to clean the spot themselves.
It appears that the two Mayors’ personal appeals somewhat worked but their organizations have failed to field prompt support services to clean the city at many places. Residents from most areas complained short supply or no supply of bleaching powder. The two cities had set a target to clean up Dhaka in 48 hours, but many places were still strewn with litter and cow-dung after the stipulated time. Locals complained of severe stench at Baitul Mukarram Gold Market, Kataban and Rampura areas and at many such places highlighting that the City Corporations’ staff were not active.
This year’s experience however suggests that leadership by city Mayors is critically important as far as creating public awareness on critical occasions like Eid-ul-Azha asking people to keep their own city clean. It is good when they ask the slaughtering must take place at selected places to keep the city clean but it requires efficient organizational ability. But hard efforts on the part of members and officials of the city corporations side by side with the cooperation of the city dwellers can prove helpful.
The Mayors have to show and assert leadership to get thing done by other agencies to make the capital livable and beautiful. Able leaders create opportunities themselves and they create their own status.
It is true that the two City Corporations’ initiative asking people to slaughter animals at certain specified spots did not work. They also failed to supply bleaching powder and properly field volunteers at many other places to remove the waste quickly. But their public appeal not to slaughter animals indiscriminately on roadside and at lane and by-lane has at least worked to make them health conscious. Most spots were clean by mid-day or through the afternoon at individual initiative.
It is true that the two City Corporations’ designated spots listed over 600 in the South and North cities were found to be inconvenient on many counts. Many were muddy from rainwater and carrying meat homes from public grounds was much more inconvenient. Even the Mayors were aware of the difficulty and at the last moment they appealed the residents to go by their own convenience with utmost care to clean the spot themselves.
It appears that the two Mayors’ personal appeals somewhat worked but their organizations have failed to field prompt support services to clean the city at many places. Residents from most areas complained short supply or no supply of bleaching powder. The two cities had set a target to clean up Dhaka in 48 hours, but many places were still strewn with litter and cow-dung after the stipulated time. Locals complained of severe stench at Baitul Mukarram Gold Market, Kataban and Rampura areas and at many such places highlighting that the City Corporations’ staff were not active.
This year’s experience however suggests that leadership by city Mayors is critically important as far as creating public awareness on critical occasions like Eid-ul-Azha asking people to keep their own city clean. It is good when they ask the slaughtering must take place at selected places to keep the city clean but it requires efficient organizational ability. But hard efforts on the part of members and officials of the city corporations side by side with the cooperation of the city dwellers can prove helpful.
The Mayors have to show and assert leadership to get thing done by other agencies to make the capital livable and beautiful. Able leaders create opportunities themselves and they create their own status.
