DSCC, DNCC chalk out plan for Eid management

The two Dhaka city corporations have prepared separate plans for the management of cattle markets, waste collection and transfer, and setting up prayer venues ahead of the Eid-Ul-Azha celebration just two weeks away.

However, there is no plan regarding the management of bus terminals during the journey of home-bound people.

Documents show that the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) made arrangements for leasing 27 temporary and one permanent cattle markets, of which 11 markets are under the DSCC and 17 under the DNCC.

DSCC Chief Estate Officer (Additional Charge) Mohammad Mobashwer Hasan said that nine of 11 temporary cattle markets have been leased so far, and the bidding has entered its second phase.

However, no sacrificial animal trading will be allowed at the permanent Sarulia cattle market this year as the area has been acquired by the Water Development Board, a DSCC official said.

The DSCC official also said that nine of the 11 cattle markets received bids higher than the base value, while satisfactory bids were not received for the remaining two markets. Fresh tenders may be invited for those two markets.

The temporary DSCC cattle markets will be set up at the vacant riverbank area west of Postogola crematorium, vacant land beside Maitree Songho Club in North Shahjahanpur, vacant space of Rahmatganj Club, vacant land in Amulia Model Town, and the vacant area at Shyampur-Kadamtali truck stand.

Markets will also be set up at vacant land in Aftab Nagar (Eastern Housing) Blocks E, F, G and H, vacant land adjacent to Shikdar Medical and Amin Mohammad Group premises, unused roadside areas from Kajla Bridge to the Matuail Mridha Bari water pump, vacant roadside space from Dayaganj Rail Crossing to Jurain Rail Crossing, vacant land near Mostamaji intersection in Banasree Housing, vacant land on the southeast side of Brothers Union Club, and vacant land north of Golapbag Outer Staff Quarters.

Meanwhile, in addition to the permanent Gabtoli cattle market, DNCC plans to set up 16 more temporary cattle markets.

The DNCC’s temporary markets will be located at Mirpur Section-6 (Eastern Housing), the 16-bigha vacant field at Mirpur Kalshi Balur Math, adjacent to Dhaka Polytechnic Institute, vacant land beside Merul Badda kitchen market, and vacant land beside Ikra Madrasa in East Hazipara.

Other markets will be set up on vacant land beside the 40-foot road in Bosila, Mohammadpur; at Bowbazar adjacent to Diabari in Uttara; in the area from Bhatulia Saheb Ali Madrasa to Ranabhola Avenue and the Ranabhola sluice gate area in Sector-10 Uttara; at Rahman Nagar residential area adjacent to Kanchkura Bazar; on the western side of Mastul Checkpost; vacant land beside the Suti Bhola canal in Bhatara; vacant land in Bonorupa Residential Project; Mahakhali T&T ground; vacant land of Swadesh Property under Badda police station; and vacant land owned by Bashundhara Group at Boro Beraid.

A DNCC official said that bids higher than the government-fixed rates have so far been received for seven markets, while the remaining tenders are still under review.

The DNCC only opened tenders for 13 markets, while the relevant documents for the remaining four tenders are expected to be opened on 14 May.

According to sources at both the city corporations, cattle trading at the markets will continue for five days, including the day of Eid al-Azha.

On 30 April, the DNCC held a preparation meeting for animal waste management with the DNCC administrator, Safiqul Islam Khan Milton, in the chair, the meeting minutes said.

According to the documents, among other decisions, they would train butchers in 10 zones, form 10 waste management monitoring teams, arrange additional vehicles, keep the landfill ready for dumping additional waste, and engage local volunteers for waste management, and they will be given special shirts.

Meanwhile, attending a meeting at the DSCC Nagar Bhaban, its administrator, Adbus Salam, said that they had cancelled some workers’ leave for waste management works during the Eid.

Every year, the DSCC arranges two Eid prayers for the city dwellers at the National Eidgah. DSCC Executive Engineer of Zone-4, Saiful Islam Joy said that the preparation of National Eidgah is underway and they are preparing the venue to accommodate 35,000 people, including VVIPs.

The DNCC also arranged two Eid prayers on the open ground near the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre. However, DNCC Public Relations Officer Jobayer Hossain said that they would arrange the Eid prayer at the ground this time.

The three bus terminals at Mohakhali, Gabtoli and Sayedabad are owned and managed by the two city corporations in Dhaka, which remain busy during the Eid and other major occasions.

But the DNCC authorities, experts say, never care about mismanagement at the bus terminals as they are leased out to the contractors.

According to the DSCC and DNCC organogram, there is only one manager for each terminal, who rarely visits the infrastructure.

Wishing anonymity, a top DNCC official said, “The bus terminals have become the money-making machines for city corporations. They leased these out to contractors and the contractors control the terminals through a yearly contract. The city corporation rarely invests in Gabtoli and Mohakhali bus terminals.

He also said, “The facilities, including benches and toilets for passengers, have turned for the worse. The contractors allow different kinds of vehicles inside and near the terminal, causing traffic problems. There are also illegal shops inside the terminals.”

A resident of Dhanmondi and former president of Bangladesh Institute of Planners, Professor Adil Mohammed Khan, said, “It is very difficult to be happy with the performance of the DSCC and the DNCC. One thing they do well is waste collection and transfer.”

He said, “For the last few years, the DSCC and the DNCC wanted to control open slaughtering and selection of slaughter spots, while containing waste in limited spaces, but they failed. Another failure, officially, is that the cattle markets are allowed to operate for five days during Eid, but the contractors started construction of structures long ago, and the structures remain in place several days after Eid, violating rules.”

He also said, “In the bus terminals, the city corporations show unforgivable apathy to their duties. Bus owners, workers, and contractors rule the terminals. There is nobody to check bus entry, positioning, and exit, and fare collection from passengers.”