Political parties urged to include city government in manifestos

Poor coordination and the limited authority of city mayors are driving the deteriorating condition of cities, including Dhaka, and forming a strong city government is essential to address the crisis, urban experts and politicians said today (19 January), urging political parties to include it in their election manifestos.

"Meaningful urban change is not possible without establishing a full-fledged city government by bringing Wasa, Rajuk and the police under city corporation control," said Mohammad Azaz, administrator of the Dhaka North City Corporation at an urban dialogue at Hotel Lakeshore in the capital.

Titled "Dhaka Bachanor Ishtehar," the dialogue was organised by the Urban Development Journalist Forum (UDJFB), Bangladesh and the Gulshan Society.

Azaz said city corporations currently have authority mainly over waste management and installing streetlights, while eviction drives fail due to the absence of policing power.

"Without a dedicated police force, eviction drives cannot be made sustainable," he said.

Azaz said around Tk19-22 crore is collected every month from traffic law violation fines in the Dhaka North City area, but none of it goes to the city corporation.

"Not a single taka from these fines is allocated to the city corporation, even though it has to spend hundreds of crores on traffic signals and infrastructure," he said.

BNP chairperson's adviser and freedom fighter Abdus Salam said there is no effective coordination among Rajuk, city corporations and other service agencies, and that Dhaka was divided into two city corporations for political reasons.

"Over the past 17 years, institutions have weakened, and recovery requires a strong, elected government that people must give time," he said.

The freedom fighter said population pressure on Dhaka and environmental protection are national issues, adding that saving the Buriganga, Shitalakkhya, Turag and Balu rivers requires a long-term master plan.

Calling a city government essential, he said mayors cannot function effectively without policing authority and suggested placing the Dhaka mayor in a stronger position under the prime minister.

He also said BNP has identified 10 priorities for Dhaka, including cleanliness, healthcare, youth employment, functional roads and footpaths, modern waste management, public security, effective education institutions and improved civic services, which will be included in the party's election manifesto.

The event was chaired by UDJFB President Motin Abdullah, while Gulshan Society President Barrister Omar Sadat presented the keynote paper.