Dhaka ward councilors in hiding, people deprived of services

The ward councilor offices under two city corporations in Dhaka have mostly been shut since the ouster of Awami League government on 5 August, leaving the city dwellers in lurch.

While visiting the Water Tank area in Agargaon on Tuesday, the office of Forkan Hossain, councilor of 28 no. ward under the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), was found under lock and key. The office building was inaccessible, as the approach alley was filled with rubble from a nearby construction site. 

According to locals, the office has been locked since 5 August, while the councilor and the office staff have since refrained from joining work. A significant number of people are regularly going to the office to avail services, but only to see the facility shuttered.  

The ward councilor offices in Dhaka provide some 14 types of services, including birth and death registration, attestation of various documents, verification of identities, and conducting various civic services. 

Shahjahan Islam, a resident of Taltala in Agargaon, went to the office to complete the birth registration of his child. It was the fourth day he was visiting the office, but only to see the facility closed. 

The ward councilor and his office’s secretary could not be reached over the phone despite repeated attempts. It was learned through conversation with at least three residents of the area that councilor Forkan assaulted many people for various reasons and went into hiding to evade public anger. 

Masud Alam Siddik, the secretary of DNCC, said the authorities are planning to appoint officials against the councilors who are not attending offices. 

Meanwhile, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), Mijanur Rahman, said they are struggling to continue services in the changed scenario. He, however, hoped to overcome the obstacles soon. 

At least 11 of 54 ward councilors  under the DNCC are not attending their offices, leaving residents in the lurch. The public has no idea about their whereabouts, while attempts to reach them over the phone remained unsuccessful. Their offices are mostly locked or vandalised. 

The office of 24 no. ward councilor councilor Mohammad Safiullah was found closed on Tuesday. It was vandalised and set on fire on 4 August. 

Anwarul Kabir, secretary of the councilor office, said his official computer and printer were looted, while furniture and documents were burnt. People are visiting the office for different purposes, but there is scope to serve them. He also has no idea about the whereabouts of the councilor. 

Some 27 councilors under the DNCC are signing various documents from undisclosed locations, while the remaining 16 councilors are visiting their offices for a short time to complete essential tasks.   

Meanwhile, the DNCC noted in a report to the local government ministry that 48 of the 54 councilors are not attending their designated offices, compounding sufferings of service-seekers. The report was submitted in the second week of the current month. 

Residents under the DSCC are also facing service interruptions to a significant extent. At DSCC, the birth and death registration services have been uninterrupted as the regional executive officer’s office takes care of it. 

There are 75 wards under the DSCC, while at least 66 councilors have now been in hiding, and the secretaries have refrained from visiting the councilor offices. It was learned that a significant number of councilor offices were vandalised and burned during the changeover in the political landscape. 

Local government expert Tofail Ahmed said the authorities may fix one week for the councilors to join their offices and conduct civic services across the city corporation with those who respond to the call. However, it is not a permanent solution.