It is very unfortunate that essential urban services such as household waste collection in the capital have long been captured by politically connected interests. An investigation by Prothom Alo has found that across Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), waste collection has turned into a highly profitable and largely unregulated business marked by arbitrary fees, extortion, political patronage, and intimidation. Residents are being forced to pay inflated charges far above the rates set by the city corporation, while different groups compete to control this lucrative sector.

Although DNCC regulations reportedly fixed household waste collection fees at Tk 100 in older wards and Tk 50 in newly added wards, residents in many areas are paying far more. In Mohammadpur, Mirpur, Shewrapara, Dakshinkhan, and Bhatara, households are reportedly being charged Tk 150 to Tk 300 per flat. In affluent areas such as Gulshan and Banani, hotels and restaurants are paying several thousand taka each month. The business reportedly generates hundreds of crores of taka annually, creating strong incentives for political actors and criminal groups to maintain control over the system.

During the Awami League era, the party leaders and councillors allegedly controlled this business. Now, leaders and activists affiliated with BNP and its associated organisations are reportedly controlling operations in many areas. The names of the extortionists may have changed, but the system appears unchanged. Waste collection operators have described being forced to pay monthly extortion money to continue operating, while some reportedly lost control of their businesses after refusing to comply with extortion demands. The situation is pretty much similar in Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC). The question is: how long will this culture of extortion continue?

Due to this situation, the city corporation is losing both revenue and control over the sector. Data shows that DNCC has 342,688 holdings, including buildings and flats. If each holding is charged an average of Tk 150, the waste collection business earns at least Tk 5.14 crore every month. It is unfortunate that the city corporation is losing such substantial revenue.

We urge both city corporations to urgently introduce a transparent and centrally managed framework for household waste collection with fixed fees, enforceable licensing, digital payment systems, and strict oversight. Political interference in waste management must not be tolerated, regardless of which party is involved. If necessary, the city corporations should directly manage collection services through their own workforce, instead of leaving control to politically connected intermediaries. Restoring accountability in this sector is essential to protect residents from exploitation and to ensure better service delivery.