Culprits behind messy roads to face music

The government yesterday formed a committee to identify and punish the officials responsible for untimely road digging and delay in repair works that caused untold sufferings to city residents this year.
The government asked the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) and Dhaka Wasa to complete the repair works by July 15, and also directed the agencies concerned to finish their tasks by May 15 next year before monsoon.
LGRD Adviser Anwarul Iqbal formed the committee at a meeting with the officials of DCC and Dhaka Wasa on finding ways to complete the road-digging works timely and drain out the rainwater.
The five-member probe committee, headed by Joint Secretary (Development) of local government division Mizanur Rahman, will submit its report by July 21.
Road digging takes place during monsoon every year and the current year is no exception to this, the adviser told reporters.
He said it happens due to the irresponsibility of some government agencies and the probe committee would try to find out why the DCC fails to complete the tasks timely.
The committee will also study the policy on road digging and reconstruction works in Dhaka city to find whether any change in the policy is required.
The adviser at the meeting expressed resentment over frequent road digging and lack of coordination among the government agencies concerned.
Although the policy on road digging and reconstruction does not allow giving permission for digging roads after May 30, except for some urgent cases, documents show the DCC issued permission for digging roads on June 23 this year, said an official who attended the meeting.
Noticing the issuance of permission for digging roads after May 30, the adviser asked the officials concerned to publish the Dhaka city road digging and reconstruction policy to make people aware of it.
The LGRD from now on will monitor the activities of the Dhaka Wasa while the elected representatives of the DCC will monitor its activities to ensure timely completion of their works.
“The city corporation collects tax from people but do not provide them with proper services,” Anwarul Iqbal said.
Khurshid Alam, secretary of local government division, Raihanul Abedin, managing director of Dhaka Wasa, and M Alauddin, chief executive officer of DCC, among others, attended the meeting.