Adviser Hassan Ariff warns of chaos in household waste collection

Adviser to the Ministry of Local Govt, Rural Development and Cooperatives AF Hassan Ariff has warned of a chaotic control over household waste collection across city corporations.

"Rather than following a systematic method for collecting household waste, the situation regarding waste collection in city corporations has become reminiscent of past land grabbing following the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government," he said during a view exchange meeting with officials from Dhaka South, Dhaka North, Narayanganj, and Gazipur city corporations today.

He warned these disruptors, saying, "There is ongoing occupation and conflict over control in various areas under the city corporations for household waste collection. We will take strict measures to control this, and if necessary, we will seek help from law enforcement agencies. We will not allow any disorder."

After the meeting held at the Mayor Hanif Auditorium of Dhaka South City Corporation, he said, "Ordinary people are suffering due to these conflicts over occupation. We have instructed the city corporations not to allow any form of land grabbing concerning waste management and collection."

Adviser Hassan Ariff says, "The main demand of the more than a thousand students who participated in the recent protest was for a discrimination-free society. Can such a society be obtained through shopping malls? The primary expectation of the student protestors was reform, through which a discrimination-free society could be established. Creating a discrimination-free society is an ongoing process that requires everyone to take responsibility."

He added, "Repairing the footpaths along the roads is urgent. In our Dhaka city, footpaths are made with blocks or tiles. After some time, the soil or sand beneath those tiles shifts, making it difficult to walk in various places along the footpath. They remain damaged for days, causing issues for pedestrians."

Many footpaths in Dhaka are constructed using concrete. Sometimes, these footpaths need to be dug up for utility services, which necessitates new budget allocations for repairs from the city corporation or the government. This results in wasteful expenditure of government funds, he noted.

He called for the introduction of new methods for constructing footpaths in Dhaka, stating, "City corporation engineers should think of new approaches for footpath repairs that can solve these issues and ensure sustainable development."

During the meeting, representatives from the four city corporations mentioned city corporations shared various challenges, problems, and operational aspects related to their work. 

The administrators, chief executive officers, and officials from all relevant departments of the city corporations were also present.