Dhaka cleaners threaten to stop waste collection

The Primary Waste Collection Service Providers (PWCSP) on Tuesday threatened to stop collecting household wastes if they are not given authority to provide certificates and attestation to the cleaners within seven days, reports news agency UNB.

They also demanded to put an end to ‘waste tender’, terming it a “conspiracy” to snatch the earnings of 19,000 cleaners.

The PWCSP leaders made the demands at a human chain in front of the National Press Club in the morning.

PWCSP president Nahid Aktar said although waste collection and management is the duty of two city corporations, they alone can’t operate the whole operation.

Around 19,000 cleaners of PWCSP jointly work with the city corporations for waste management in the capital and charge only Tk 25,000 to Tk 30,000 monthly for their services, she said.

“We spent this money for cleaners’ salaries, allowances and office cost. City dwellers pay two per cent of their holding cost for waste management,” Aktar said.

“But waste management cost has been fixed at Tk 100 and ward councillors are set to overtake this duty through tender and cleaners fear of losing their jobs if that happens,” she added.

Already 10,000 cleaners in Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) have lost their jobs after the DSCC floated the tender for waste collection.

This has hiked the waste management cost for the city dwellers from Tk 25 to Tk 100, she said, adding that in some cases councillors are charging Tk 300 to Tk 500 from the city dwellers.

During the crisis moment of coronavirus pandemic, additional burden is imposed on the city dwellers while many cleaners are losing their jobs because of this waste management tender system, Nahid claimed.

“People have to submit documents of TIN, VAT and Tax for tender registration. How can the cleaners manage such documents?” she asked.

“We’re giving an ultimatum of seven days to meet our demands. Otherwise, we’ll stop collecting waste,” she warned.