Nobody will be allowed to run illegal billboard business: DNCC mayor

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Atiqul Islam has said that all illegal billboards in the city will be removed and nobody will be allowed to run an illegal billboard business.

The mayor made the statement while the DNCC was running a demolition drive near the police box at the intersection in front of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Wednesday.

Mutakabbir Ahmed, zonal executive officer of DNCC's zone-7, led the demolition drive.

A huge billboard and some other illegal structures near the police box were demolished during the drive.

The DNCC mayor said, "This ugly billboard is visible to people who just come out of the airport. Such an awful billboard is not desirable at all, but this one remained here for 16 years."

He further said, "No illegal billboard will be allowed in the city. Foreigners make negative comments about Bangladesh and Dhaka city when they see this billboard immediately after coming out of the airport."

The DNCC mayor also stressed that he will spare no one, no matter how powerful they are, to get rid of all the illegal billboards in the city.

He said, "I want to give a message to the people through this endeavor – that is this city belongs to everyone, and everybody must show love to this city. Some people are expressing their political identity through these billboards, which is not desirable at all."

"We will run our campaign, but we will not harm this city to establish ourselves," he added.

Md Anisur Rahman Naim, councilor of ward-49, and councilor of the 17th reserved seat Jakia Sultana were also present during the drive.