DNCC moves to ease public sufferings

With the aim to spare people sufferings, particularly from traffic jams, ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) this year dropped six makeshift cattle markets from the previous year's list.

However, the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) again retained the Armanitola playground, which will affect traffic in Nayabazar, its adjoining areas, and on the Second Buriganga Bridge at Babubazar, which is used by long-haul buses between Dhaka and southern districts.

The north city corporation cancelled the cattle market at Agargaon. Last year, it caused huge sufferings to the patients of four adjoining hospitals. At that time, the health ministry sought the home ministry's intervention in halting the operation of the Agargaon market but failed.

Cattle overflowed onto the streets, causing traffic chaos in front of the hospitals in the area which could have caused the death of patients needing emergency treatment on the way.

The market was next to the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital, the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR), Dhaka Shishu Hospital, and the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital. They are just a few hundred yards away.

Closed to the market were also the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, National Institute of Mental Health and Hospital, and National Institute of Kidney Diseases and Urology.

Thousands of patients, including many with critical accident injuries, visit the hospitals every day.

The DNCC also cancelled the markets at Uttara Azampur Government Primary School field, open space adjoining Banani Railway Station, open space adjoining the bypass of J Block of Baridhara, and open space adjoining Uttara Sector 11 and 13.

Traffic congestion and the environment of educational institutions and diplomatic zones were taken into consideration for the cancellation, said a DNCC official.

“We have received objections from different organisations including the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, and following that we cancelled the cattle markets in the areas this year,” the official, seeking not to be named.

Both the city corporations have invited bids. DNCC and DSCC will reveal the names of the bidders on August 10 and August 12 respectively.

Armanitola playground is dubbed the largest of the city's makeshift cattle markets but its space appeared to be too small for the number of sacrificial animals put on sale there. As a result, huge traffic congestion was created in the surrounding areas last year.

Asked, Chief Estate Office of DSCC Khalid Ahmed said they would ensure vehicular movement during the operation of the cattle market to prevent cattle blocking the busy road.

However, DSCC dropped the cattle market at Golapbagh.

Eid-ul-Azha will be celebrated in last week of September.