‘20 monitoring teams to step up Dhaka clean-up drive’

The government will deploy 20 monitoring teams across Dhaka to improve cleanliness and make the capital more liveable, with Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives State Minister Mir Shahe Alam warning of hefty fines and cancellation of government housing allocations for violations.

Speaking at a meeting on cleanliness operations and monitoring at the Shapla Hall of the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon on Monday, the state minister said there would be no compromise on maintaining clean surroundings.

He said government residential buildings found in unhygienic conditions or containing Aedes mosquito larvae could face strict action, including cancellation of housing allocations. Officials responsible for violations would also face financial penalties, he added.

“Those who cannot keep their government quarters clean have no right to live in government housing,” the minister said, instructing the monitoring teams to take legal action wherever irregularities or mosquito larvae were found.

State Minister for Housing and Public Works Ahmed Sohel Manzur attended the meeting as a special guest.

Mir Shahe Alam said Prime Minister’s Office officials had inspected government hospitals and residential quarters and found mosquito larvae and evidence of negligence in several locations.

On urban improvement, he said the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) and Dhaka South City Corporation were working to restore the cleanliness and appearance of Hatirjheel, Dhanmondi, Banani and Gulshan lakes.

He added that renovation work, including canal excavation, construction of guide walls and installation of protective netting, was under way on 29 canals under Dhaka North City Corporation and 26 under Dhaka South City Corporation.

The two city corporations have also decided to install new fibreboard bins to address problems caused by the theft of plastic and metal waste bins.