Unauthorised billboards resurface in Chattogram city

In 2015, the former mayor of Chattogram, AJM Nasir Uddin, declared the port city free of billboards in order to preserve the natural beauty of its hills and greenery.

In January 2016, Chattogram City Corporation conducted a campaign to remove billboards from the city with the participation of several executive magistrates from the Chattogram district administration.

This successful drive resulted in the removal of numerous unauthorised billboards that had been placed in the city by individuals with political connections and influence.

However, with the drives being relaxed in recent years, numerous unauthorised billboards have reappeared in the city once again.

Photo: TBS

There are conflicting statements regarding this issue from both advertising companies and the city corporation. Officials from several companies claim that they have leased spaces for billboards from the city corporation, while the city corporation denies this claim.

Sources said while 141 advertising companies were previously authorised to install billboards in the city, there are currently no legitimate companies engaged in such installation.

The 5.6-kilometre Akhtaruzzaman Flyover, which runs from Muradpur to Lalkhan Bazar area of the city, is lined with numerous digital billboards of various companies on both sides of each pillar. Motorists complain that the bright lights from these digital sign boards cause visibility issues at night, which can lead to accidents.

Photo: TBS

A company named Trademax has installed over two hundred digital billboards on the Akhtaruzzaman Flyover. Md Ashraf, an official of the company, said that it had leased the billboards from the city corporation in exchange for payment.

A notice seeking advertisements for branding purposes was seen hanging on a billboard above a passenger shed in Chawkbazar area of the city. Similar notices were also observed in other areas of the city, such as Sholashahar, Agrabad, and Karnelhat.

When contacted through the phone number provided in the notice, a person named Suman claimed that the billboards had been installed with the approval of Chattogram City Corporation.

Photo: TBS

Sheikh Muhammad Towhidul Islam, chief executive officer of Chattogram City Corporation, has stated that he is not aware of any permission given to these companies to install billboards in the city.

Abu Isa Ansari, urban planner at Chattogram Development Authority, said, "The city corporation is responsible for the beautification of the city. It also involves the issue of government revenue. If the city corporation claims to have no knowledge of the installation of billboards, then questions arise as to who is running the city?"

In 2016, there were approximately 6,000 billboards in the areas under the jurisdiction of Chattogram City Corporation. Of these, 3,666 were set up on corporation-owned premises, while the rest were set up on private and government properties. However, the current number of billboards in the city is currently unknown.