Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) never took responsibility for any accidents that occurred in the capital although these two city corporations are the mother organisations for the well-being of the city dwellers.
Instead of taking responsibility, all service providers in the city blamed each other. Mayors of the city corporations who have been elected by the vote of the people also blame other service providers for any incidents that happened in the capital.
Many people were killed in major incidents like devastating fire at Nabab Katra of Nimtoli, fire at Chawkbazar's Churihatta and a recent BRT girder accident in the capital's Uttara. But DSCC and DNCC did not take responsibility for these incidents. Rather, they blamed other service providers. On the other hand, concerned service providers also denied their alleged negligence in these incidents.
Mubasshar Hussein, president of the Institute of Architects Bangladesh said, “City corporation mayors are the representatives of the people. They are elected from the direct vote of the people. Responsibilities for any incidents that occurred in Dhaka city go to them. This rule is seen abroad. But our country is the opposite of this trend. The government does not give responsibilities to the mayors but issues trade licenses. All service providers should take responsibility for any incident that happened in the capital.”
On August 15, a girder of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project fell from a crane on a private car in Dhaka's Uttara leaving five people dead and two others injured.
After the incident, authorities concerned blamed other organisations for the tragic death. DNCC mayor Atiqul Islam visited the spot and declared a shutdown of the BRT project work. On Sunday last, the mayor sat in a meeting with MRT, National Housing Authority, RAJUK, BRT project concerned, and representatives of the Roads and Highways Department at his Gulshan office.
In the meeting, he declared to conduct mobile court if any irregularities happen in the work by the service providers and also urged all to become aware to avert a further accident.
Sarwar Hossain, a resident of Uttara, alleged that there is no safety measure in the BRT project area. Thousands of people cross the BRT project area daily taking the risk of an accident. Authority only noticed the issue after the death of five people.
He also alleged that none want to take responsibility after the incidents. “We don’t know bureaucrats. We know the mayors as we have elected them by vote. But they (Mayors) blamed others to save themselves. Where will the people get an answer?”
Surprisingly, in another incident on the same day, five pedestrians were injured after rods fell on them while being lifted using a crane during the construction work of Gulistan Hall Market in the capital.
City dwellers alleged that two city corporations conduct various development projects for the whole year where many irregularities and mismanagement are common. There are many allegations against the two city corporations including controlling the hike of prices of the daily essentials, dengue prevention, and eviction of footpaths. But they (City corporations) never take responsibility for these allegations. As a result, more than 1.5 crore citizens in Dhaka never get a good result, they lamented.
Urban planner Dr Akter Mahmud said, “A total of 56 organisations have been providing services in Dhaka. Every organisation has its own rules and regulations. For this reason, if an accident occurs, the responsibility is not to go to city corporations. To bring the city corporations under responsibility all organisations will have to bring under one umbrella or formation of urban government is needed.”
Contacted, DSCC mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh told Bangladesh Pratidin that DSCC does not provide trade licenses since 2018.
“Many factories, restaurants, and chemical godowns are illegal in the city corporation. We have already identified 1,924 chemical warehouses by conducting drives as per the decision of the Cabinet division. A list has been sent to the ministry.”
In response to another question about the illegal connection of electricity, water, and gas without permission of the Commerce Ministry, he said, respective organisations should investigate how factories get an illegal connection without permission.
“We have to see such accidents every year if effective measures are not taken in this regard,” added the mayor.
@ This report appeared on the print version of Bangladesh Pratidin on Tuesday (August 23) and has been rewritten in English by Golam Rosul
