Manpower crisis grips Gazipur City Corp as key posts vacant for decade

Gazipur City Corporation, the largest in Bangladesh by area, has been grappling with a severe manpower crisis since its inception, with the absence of a mayor and prolonged vacancies in nine key administrative positions disrupting essential services for over 50 lakh residents.

City corporation officials report that the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives has been informed of the situation. However, due to the lack of approval for the recruitment policy, new hires cannot be made, leaving the city's administrative machinery paralysed.

Established on 16 January 2013, through the merger of the former Gazipur and Tongi municipalities, the city corporation spans 329.90 square kilometres.

Despite being elevated to city corporation status, it still operates with the outdated staffing structure of the old municipalities due to the lack of an approved organisational framework.

Although an official organisational structure was finally approved in 2022 – ten years after the city corporation's formation – the recruitment policy remains pending. Without it, the city corporation cannot make new hires or promotions, meaning it has been operating with municipal staff for over 12 years.

Experts say this persistent shortfall in leadership and staffing has not only slowed project implementation but has also compromised service quality, frustrated residents, and fuelled widespread discontent.

Officials suggest that appointing personnel on deputation could help temporarily bridge the gap, but long-term improvement depends on swift policy approval and staffing.

According to the city corporation insiders, the Engineering Department, which is responsible for the city's roads, bridges, and infrastructure projects, has long been operating without a chief engineer or an additional chief engineer. Most of the eight regional engineering departments are currently run by staff in acting roles, including two supervising engineers and eight executive engineers.

Besides the engineering posts, critical administrative positions – such as secretary, chief property officer, accounts officer, executive magistrate, public relations officer, chief health officer, programmer, and procurement officer – are also vacant, severely hampering day-to-day operations.

Residents argue that the absence of a mayor has created a leadership vacuum in one of the country's fastest-growing industrial zones. With the additional burden of chronic staff shortages, the city has failed to deliver on the promises that came with its elevation to a city corporation.

Advocate Jalal Uddin, president of the Gazipur Citizens Forum, said, "The change from municipality to city corporation is merely symbolic. We haven't seen any real improvement in civic services. The same issues from a decade ago continue to plague us now."

He added, "In the past three city corporation elections, we elected mayors with high hopes, but none of them completed their terms. Now, the city suffers from mismanagement, irregularities, and a sheer lack of accountability.

"If basic staffing needs cannot be met, why was the city upgraded at all? All we hear when we go to the city office is, 'There's no staff.' We demand immediate recruitment and approval of the necessary policies to fix this."

ANM Munir Hossain Mollah, senior vice president of the Gazipur District Anti-Corruption Committee, said, "After 12 years as a city corporation, basic amenities are in shambles. The city is dirty, streets are broken, and traffic congestion persists."

He also pointed out the unplanned drainage and sewage systems, warning that with the rainy season approaching, many streets and homes could face severe waterlogging.

"No one seems to care. This city corporation has failed its residents. The government must act immediately to fill the vacancies and restore functionality."

Speaking to TBS, Chief Executive Officer of Gazipur City Corporation Abdul Latif Khan, acknowledged the crisis, saying, "We're operating with old municipal staff and struggling to provide timely services. Filling the vacant posts will significantly improve the situation."

Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, who is currently serving as the city corporation's administrator, has taken some steps to curb irregularities and launched citizen-friendly initiatives. However, their success has been limited by the chronic staff shortage.

"I'm trying to build a more citizen-centric city corporation," said the divisional commissioner.

"The ministry has been informed about the vacant positions, but without an approved recruitment policy, we're unable to move forward with appointments or promotions. The matter is under active review, and we are hopeful for a resolution soon.

"Until then, the residents of Gazipur remain caught in a bureaucratic deadlock – one that has left a sprawling industrial hub struggling to provide even the most basic public services," he also added.