Minister for Road Transport and Bridges, Railways and Shipping Sheikh Robiul Alam has said the government aims to establish an accountable urban governance system, emphasising active public participation in service delivery across city corporations.
“Effective urban management requires shared responsibility among the government, city corporations, and citizens,” he said while addressing a public hearing organised by the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) to make its citizen services and development initiatives more dynamic, transparent, accountable, and participatory.
The hearing, covering issues in DSCC’s Region-1, was held at the Russian Cultural Centre in Dhanmondi and chaired by DSCC Administrator and freedom fighter Md Abdus Salam. Residents, civil society representatives, business leaders, journalists, and officials from Dhanmondi, New Market, Kalabagan, Shahbagh, and surrounding areas attended.
Participants raised concerns and offered suggestions on waste management, road and infrastructure development, water logging, sanitation, trade licences, holding taxes, public health, and other civic services.
Expressing optimism, Robiul Alam said the hearing would help bridge public expectations with government development plans, improving service quality and accountability. He announced that Dhanmondi Lake would not be used for commercial purposes under any circumstances and revealed a Taka 350 crore project to address water logging in the area. He also highlighted efforts to regulate street vending and enhance oversight on issues affecting public interest.
The minister added that the government is committed to implementing changes that citizens expect, aiming to build a transparent, accountable, and participatory urban governance system.
Md. Abdus Salam noted that DSCC had surpassed previous records in cleanliness operations, including the removal of sacrificial animal waste during Eid-ul-Adha. He stressed that maintaining a clean city is a shared responsibility and urged citizens to follow regulations. On Dhanmondi Lake, he said initiatives are underway to make it more aesthetically pleasing, environmentally friendly, and publicly accessible, with no commercial projects planned.
Regarding street vendors, the administrator said they would be allowed to operate in designated areas and would be educated on proper waste disposal to facilitate more efficient garbage removal. He assured that public complaints, suggestions, and expectations would be prioritised to improve urban services.
DSCC officials confirmed that similar public hearings will gradually be held across all ten regions of the city corporation.
