Community participation will make Dhaka city liveable

Turning Dhaka into a liveable and clean city is not possible without community participation, said officials and community leaders at the launch of a road cleaning programme in Gulshan yesterday.

“With constraints of resources and skilled manpower at the city corporations, direct community participation in delivering civic services can ensure more productivity, accountability and efficiency,” said ATM Shamsul Huda, president of Gulshan Society.

They were speaking at the inauguration of a community road cleaning programme, “Adopt a Road”, organised at Gulshan Lake Park by Gulshan Society and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).  

Seventy out of total 147 roads in Gulshan residential area have been adopted by individuals and companies for keeping the roads clean in a more effective way. Hopefully, rest of the roads will be adopted soon, said Huda, adding that it is a partnership initiative of the local community and the city corporation.

One who adopts a road has to pay Tk 1.8 lakh annually for its maintenance and supervise the cleaners with the help of the society, which has already hired 60 cleaners.

The cleaners will be responsible for cleaning the roads at night and the city corporation during the day, said Huda, also a former chief election commissioner.

This practice has been in place in Baridhara residential area, a relatively smaller neighbourhood, for over the past decade, he said.

The idea could be replicated in other residential areas as well, said Commodore MA Razzak, chief waste management officer of DNCC.

DNCC Mayor Annisul Huq said north Dhaka generates 2,500 tonnes of solid waste every day.

As to clearing the roads, he said some embassies on the plea of security had put up concrete blocks and other obstructions on roads and sidewalks. “We have requested them to clear the roads soon.”

M Bazlul Karim Chaudhury, chairman of Rajuk, said the government has undertaken a Tk 2,900 crore development project which includes a water treatment plant, eight bridges and beautification of Gulshan-Baridhara-Banani Lake.