Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Shafiqul Islam Khan has claimed that a political leader who has publicly advocated allowing battery-run auto-rickshaws on Dhaka’s roads owns 700 such vehicles.
He made the allegation on Friday morning while speaking to journalists at Mirpur-10 after inaugurating a programme to recreate graffiti depicting the July uprising on metro rail pillars.
Without naming the leader, Shafiqul Islam said the secretary general of a major political party had publicly urged the government to accept demands for allowing battery-run auto-rickshaws to operate on city roads.
He described the position as contradictory, alleging that the leader had a personal financial interest in the issue.
“The matter is extremely ridiculous,” he said, adding that the DNCC had learned that the leader owned 700 auto-rickshaws. He did not provide further details to substantiate the allegation.
Reiterating the city corporation’s position on footpath encroachment, Shafiqul Islam said all footpaths across Dhaka would be gradually cleared of illegal occupation.
He urged business owners to ensure that no one illegally occupied pedestrian walkways or set up shops in front of their establishments.
“The current government is giving the highest priority to public interest. The city corporation will never do anything that city residents do not want,” he said.
Shafiqul Islam added that beautification and greening work was underway on reclaimed footpaths.
Damaged and broken walkways were being repaired to make them more accessible to pedestrians and improve their appearance.
The DNCC administrator also alleged that a particular political party was calling footpath hawkers and giving them provocative advice.
Warning against activities that could undermine public interest, he said the city corporation is prepared to resist any fresh conspiracy with the support of city residents.
“If anyone engages in fresh conspiracies against the public interest, we are prepared to resist them with the support of city residents,” he said.
