Relocate from Old Dhaka to Shyampur immediately, Mayor Taposh tells chemical businesses
Otherwise, utility services will be discontinued, he said
If chemical traders refuse to relocate from Old Dhaka to Shyampur immediately, the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) will initiate a combing operation after Eid-ul-Fitr, said Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, the mayor of DSCC.
"We will no longer allow flammable chemical businesses in Old Dhaka," he said, adding that the DSCC has already provided land to them in the city's Shyampur area.
He made the remarks during a discussion titled "The Effect of Traffic Congestion on Trade and Commerce in Old Dhaka and Identifying Means of Passage," organised by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Taposh said 1,924 chemical traders are running businesses in Old Dhaka, posing a threat to the lives of the residents.
"We will disconnect the utility services, including electricity and gas, of chemical businesses."
He advised the traders to shift as soon as possible.
The mayor described battery-run rickshaws as risky and suggested passengers avoid them.
He blamed shopkeepers for allowing hawkers to conduct trades on the footpaths in exchange for rent.