DNCC cuts factory access road after attack on administrator

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has cut off the access road to a factory in Uttarkhan following an attack on DNCC Administrator Shafiqul Islam Khan during a dispute over waste disposal.

The road leading to Neptune Accessories Solutions, an export-oriented garment accessories manufacturer, was excavated late Sunday night. DNCC said the work was part of a long-delayed drainage project, while factory workers alleged the move was intended to pressure the factory after the incident.

According to DNCC, construction of the drain had been delayed due to objections from the factory authorities. Zone-8 Regional Executive Officer ANM Badruddoja said the road would be restored within a week after the drainage work is completed.

The dispute stems from a temporary Secondary Transfer Station (STS) built in front of the factory in 2023. Factory officials claim foul odours and roadside waste disrupted operations and prompted complaints from foreign buyers. They also said the High Court had issued an order restricting waste dumping at the site.

Tensions escalated on Sunday when city corporation workers were dumping waste near the factory entrance. An argument between factory staff and sanitation workers turned into a clash. Later, Administrator Shafiqul Islam Khan and local MP SM Jahangir Hossain visited the site, where another confrontation broke out.

DNCC alleged the administrator and the MP were attacked by people hired by the factory owner, while factory workers claimed they intervened after the owner was being harassed.

Police said DNCC has filed a case over the incident, and 22 people have been arrested so far.

Urban planners say the dispute highlights longstanding concerns over the location of waste transfer stations, arguing that such facilities should be established through proper planning to minimise conflicts and public inconvenience.