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Govt to prolong DCC adhocism

Says extension of administrators' tenure will ensure 'better service'

Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee
Instead of making way for elections to the two Dhaka city corporations, the Awami-League led government now moves to extend the tenures of city administrators to one year from six months.
The local government and rural devel-
opment (LGRD) ministry has sent a proposal in this regard to the cabinet division for approval, touting the move will help improve the city services.
Interestingly, the government cited the same reason when it split the city corporation in 2011 and appointed two government officials to run the two DCCs for six months.
However, the city dwellers say they did not get any benefit of the move. In fact, the services have worsened with no public representative in the city offices, they alleged.
THE PROPOSAL
Admitting the city services were going downhill, the LGRD ministry blamed it on the "only 180-day tenure" of the administrators.
"It is not possible to adopt long-and mid-term policies by the shortterm administrators,” said the proposal, seeking to amend the Local Government (City Corporation Act) 2009, and have the administrators' tenures extended.
"The administrators get transferred by the time they get to know about the city corporations' methods of operation and the overall situation. As a result, it's not being possible to adopt and implement plans in public interests. Thus, the city-dwellers are being deprived of the expected services," said the letter signed by KM Mozammel Haque, additional secretary of the ministry.
The Daily Star has obtained a copy of the letter.
The proposal is likely to be placed at today's cabinet meeting, said ministry sources.
The LGRD ministry also proposed that the president promulgate an ordinance to amend the law immediately as parliament is not in session at the moment.
Faruk Jalil, administrator of Dhaka North City Corporation, considers this justified.
" It is very difficult for an administrator, appointed for six months only, to take up any long-term plan. If we adopt any such plan, its implementation faces hurdles as the administrator gets changed midway through," he told The Daily Star.
"It simply destroys the rhythm of the work," Faruk Jalil added.
The LGRD ministry letter also mentioned that many schools, coaching centers, private hospitals and clinics, and diagnostic centres have been set up without city corporation registration. As a result, the city corporations cannot monitor the activities of these institutions and are not getting any taxes from them.
It also recommended that stricter punishment be introduced for breaking city corporation laws.
The highest punishment is Tk 5,000 for an offence and there is no provision for imprisonment in the existing law.
“So, people don't feel any hesitation in committing crimes. This worsens the overall situation," the proposal read, seeking increased fine and provisions for imprisonment for violation of the city laws in the amendment.
THE REALITY
The last election to the undivided Dhaka city corporation was held in 2001. BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka was elected mayor.
Though his tenure ended in May 2007, he continued office until November 29, 2011 when the AL-led grand alliance government split the city into two, with 36 wards in Dhaka South City Corporation and 56 in Dhaka North City Corporation. Two bureaucrats were put at the helm of the city corporations.
The government had claimed this would improve services for city dwellers. However, even three years after the
bifurcation, those living in the city say things have only gone worse.
"We are facing a lot of hassles in collecting birth, death and citizen certificates. Bureaucrats doing the job of elected representatives are not available when we need them," Shiv Sharma, a private service holder and resident ofSiddheshwari area, told The Daily Star yesterday.
"It's a lot easier to reach an elected representative than a bureaucrat," he said, adding that this also hampers development activities.
Farid Uddin, a resident of New Eskaton area, said mosquito repellent was sprayed in his area only once last year.
"With no elected ward councilor in place, we had none to complain to," he added.
Other city services were also in a bad shape, according to media reports.
However, it is still uncertain when elections to the two city corporations would take place.
The Election Commission earlier had moved to hold the polls, but failed to go ahead due to legal complications over redrawing the boundaries of the wards of the city corporations.