Where basic amenities remain elusive

Residents of the newly-added wards in Dhaka North City Corporation expressed dissatisfaction after being denied civic amenities, claiming that life was far better when they were under the union parishad.

During a recent visit to several wards in zone 10 (wards: 37, 38, 41, and 42), The Daily Star correspondents found that the reality falls far short of expectations when it comes to major issues that people face in their communities.

Although high-rises have mushroomed in these areas, basic facilities -- better roads, streetlights, electricity, gas, and proper waste management -- remain elusive for its residents.

NO GAS FOR 4 MONTHS

"It has been four months since the gas supply was suspended in our line. But we still have to continue paying just for subscribing to the service," said Saiful Islam, a resident of Satarkul area in ward 41.

"We have been urging the company as well as the councillor to solve the crisis but they continue to turn a blind eye. So we have to buy gas cylinders, which costs us extra money," he added.

After failing to disconnect some illegal connections, the authorities suspended the gas supply of the entire line, he added.

Talking to the Daily Star, residents of Pukurpara, Taltola, and Merulkhola under ward 41, and different areas, including Beraid under ward-42, shared a similar experience.

"We were better off under Union Parishad," said another resident, Forhad Hossain.

"We thought we would finally see the light of development when our area came under DNCC five years ago. But becoming a part of the city corporation has only brought sufferings to us," he added.

UNDER THE WATER, THERE WERE CROPLANDS

While visiting the Pukurpara area under Satarkul, these correspondents found an empty boat, waiting at the bank of what seemed a "waterbody".

But after a few minutes, a man approaching the boat proved these correspondents wrong saying, "Once I used to cultivate crops here. But the entire place went underwater, thanks to unplanned development."

Mujibur Rahman, who was formerly a farmer, said, "Tall buildings were being built around our croplands, which ended up blocking the regular flow of water. As a result, our lands submerged during monsoon and turned into such water bodies."

"Is this what development costs?" he asked.

While visiting Moynartek area under ward-38, Md Ridoy, a young rickshaw-puller, said, "You are lucky that you did not come here during monsoon. You would not even see these roads, as they remain underwater for most of that time."

Iqbal Hossain, a resident of Beraid, echoed the same. "As there is no proper drainage system in this area, it goes under knee-deep water after only half an hour of rain."

Photo: Rashed Shumon

NARROW ROADS, NO STREETLIGHTS

Apart from Satarkul's main road, most of the roads are in a dilapidated state. These roads are so narrow that only two small vehicles can move through them at a time.

Mohammad Abdullah, 70, a resident of Beraid, said, "The roads were made when we were under the union parishad. They have not been repaired even after five years of being a part of the city corporation."

While talking about the streets, a youth showed some newly-installed streetlights with electricity poles. However, residents still have to depend on outdoor lamps while walking on streets at night, as those are still not functional, he said.

NO WASTE MANAGEMENT MECHANISM

In absence of a proper waste management system, many people dump household wastes into nearby canals or wherever they can. The roads remain dirty with garbage, as the authorities do not take any measures to clean them.

Farhad Hossain of Pukurpara area (ward 41) said, "We collected funds from locals to repair the old sewerage line and clean the streets. But all these are responsibilities of the city authorities. What are they doing?"

"Waste and accumulated rainwater have also become a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes," he added.

THE DARK SIDE

Drug abuse has become a major issue in these areas, as a large number of youths in the neighbourhood are addicted to narcotics, according to locals. But councillors do not take the initiatives to solve this social crisis, said Kabir Hossain, a resident.

While talking to The Daily Star, Shafiqul Islam, a former councillor of ward 41, said, "As the first elected councillor, I tried to enrich civic facilities. The gas supply was normal during my tenure but residents now have been suffering from disrupted gas service."

He said two roads were also constructed during his time, which remain as the last bricks installed on these roads to date.

On drug addiction, he said, "I managed to improve the situation, which is again worsening."

THE AUTHORITIES' TAKE

Contacted, the current councillor of ward 41 Abdul Matin admitted that the condition of his ward is the same as it was under the union parishad, if not worse.

"I fear facing the people of my area and avoid social gatherings as I know I have not fulfilled most of my promises to them," he said.

"Gas supply will resume soon. We will adjust bills for those who have been paying without getting the service," he claimed.

He blamed budget constraints as the reason behind the current situation in the area.

Ward 42 Councillor Ayub Anshar Mintu also pointed out the scarcity of budget. "We only got around Tk 17 crore as budget last year. We are trying to improve the facilities using this low allocation," he said.

"We have been working on constructing a new road, installing streetlights and some other development works, which will be visible soon," he added.

Kazi Ziaul Baset, executive officer of zone 10 (additional charge), refused to comment on the matter when contacted.