Ishraque promises a top-class metropolis
BNP mayoral nominee Ishraque Hossain yesterday pledged to turn Dhaka south into a modern and world-class metropolis.
“City dwellers are riddled with problems and I am on the same page with them,” he said while presenting his 157-point manifesto at the capital’s Jatiya Press Club.
He promised to free the city from pollution, traffic congestion and waterlogging.
People face difficulties in accessing social services due to corruption, discrimination and lack of accountability, he said.
“I will implement a zero-tolerance policy against corruption in the city corporation,” he told reporters.
Ishraque, who has a post graduate degree from the University of Hertfordshire, is running for mayor in Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).
For issuance of birth and death certificates and trade licences, he promised to introduce a one-stop service for prompt delivery.
He is also considering whether to launch round-the-clock hotline services at the DSCC offices for people to lodge complaints that would be addressed promptly.
He will launch a set of 100-day priority programmes to resolve the pressing public issues.
Holding taxes will be fixed through discussions with the city dwellers, he said.
By coordinating with Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority and other utility service providers, the city corporation will be able to provide safe water and improved sewerage and drainage to the residents, he said.
Son of former mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, Ishraque said he would establish community centres and modern gymnasiums in each ward.
The gymnasiums and parks will have primary health check-up centres. Besides, there will be breastfeeding corners at every DSCC office and day-care centres in every ward.
He wants to install escalators at footbridges and introduce bus services for freedom fighters, elderly, physically challenged and underprivileged people.
There will be skywalks in different areas, he added.
The corporation will give special attention to protect people from vector-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya.
Markets of perishable goods will be set up at entrances of the city.
To combat air pollution, he said effective measures, including mist blowers, will be introduced.
The official activities will be conducted through softwares to get rid of bureaucratic tangles, he said.
There will be designated parking lots for cars and separate lanes on the streets for two-wheelers, he said.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Mirza Abbas, Prof Emajuddin Ahmed, Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President ASM Abdur Rob, were present at the press conference.
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