STAFF CORRESPONDENT, Ctg

With the mayor remaining absent from his office, the activities of Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) have come to a standstill.

CCC officials also haven’t been very active, with many being absent from work. Those who came to the office declined to talk to the media.

“Amid the current situation, we are feeling very insecure,” said a CCC official, preferring anonymity.

According to sources, miscreants vandalised the offices of at least 12 ward councillors of CCC in different areas of the port city on Monday.

Several vehicles under the CCC conservancy department were also set on fire.

Since then, most CCC ward councillors have gone to hideouts, and CCC conservancy workers have not been going to localities for waste removal, fearing attacks.

Residents of the port city are suffering due to the waste removal activities being stopped for three days.

Waste was found to be piled up while visiting different areas of the city, including Katalganj, Askar Dighir Par, Chatteshwari Road, and Chawk Bazar.

“We cannot walk through the road due to the stink from the garbage piled up by the side of the road,” said Masud Haider, a resident of Katalganj area.

CCC chief conservancy officer Commander Latiful Haque Kazmi could not be contacted, as his cell phone was found switched off.

Contacted, CCC Chief Executive Officer Sheikh Md Tauhidul Islam said all the officials and staffers were feeling insecure.

“We have taken some security measures on our own, as we are not getting any support from police,” he said.

“A total of 12 ward councillors’ offices have been vandalised on Monday, while miscreants destroyed all equipment for waste management kept in those offices,” he said, adding that valuables worth Tk 1.57 crore have been destroyed in CCC ward 41.

They also vandalised some 12 vehicles of the CCC, of which, four were of the conservancy department, he said.

Asked why the mayor has been absent from office, Tauhidul said as police are providing no security, the mayor is not coming to office.

“I hope the situation will return to normalcy within the next week,” he added.