In the bustling heart of Old Dhaka, a project intended to bring modern sanitation to the public has taken an unexpected political turn.
A public toilet, still under construction and funded by the World Bank, has been occupied and converted into an office for the Swecchasebak Dal, an associate organisation of BNP.
The facility is part of the Dholaikhal reservoir restoration project, a Tk22.86 crore initiative by the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) to build two modern public toilets. Today, the building on the south-west side of the reservoir is draped in political identity.
Two large banners hang from the structure, identifying it as the “Dhaka Metropolitan South Swecchasebak Dal Ward No 44 Head Office.”
Inside, the walls are lined with election campaign materials for BNP leader Ishraque Hossain, alongside portraits of the ward unit’s convener, Md Suman Hossain, and member secretary, Md Payel Sheikh.
For decades, the Dholaikhal reservoir was a victim of neglect, ending up as little more than a “garbage dump” due to encroachment and pollution. In 2023, the “Dhaka City Neighborhood Upgrading Project” was launched with the goal of transforming it into a vibrant public space.
During the inauguration, the then Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Tapas envisioned a landmark superior to Hatirjheel, featuring walkways, cycle tracks, greenery, an open stage, and children’s play areas.
However, the reality on the ground remains far from that vision. While contractors Charu Enterprise and Masud Hi-Tech Enterprise have received Tk16.6 crore for work progress reaching 81.55 per cent by late April, critical components remain unfinished.
The perimeter walls are incomplete, the main entrance is an empty frame, and roughly 600 metres of road are yet to be paved. The planned greenery and 20 public benches are nowhere to be seen.
The DSCC recently approved an additional Tk6 crore to fix design flaws, but that work has yet to start.
Of the two public toilets, only one is functional; the south-west structure remains a shell, lacking its final finishing touches because it is currently serving as a political headquarters.
Mehedi Hasan, a site engineer for Charu Enterprise, told TIMES of Bangladesh that the occupation began after 5 August last year. “We cannot complete the finishing works because they are using it as an office,” he explained.
The firm’s accounts officer, Riazul Kabir, suggested the arrangement might be “temporary,” noting that locals began using the site during a cattle market when construction was halted due to technical errors.
He claimed the occupants have promised to vacate once the next phase of work begins.
The political occupants, however, view their presence as a form of reclaiming the space. Mohammad Nazim, convener of Sutrapur Thana Swecchasebak Dal, alleged that the site was previously used as a Swecchasebak League club for criminal activities and drug peddling.
“Since we do not have our own office, we are sitting here temporarily on party advice,” he said, adding that they will leave once project work resumes.
As the political banners flutter over the unfinished latrines, Project Director Rajiv Khadem confirmed that the estate department has formally requested the property department to take “necessary action” to recover the site.
For now, the public’s basic amenities remain sidelined by political necessity.
