I want to speak to the prime minister: Ariful Haque Chowdhury

Mayor of Sylhet City Corporation and member of BNP’s central executive committee Ariful Haque Chowdhury.
Photo: Prothom Alo

Mayor of Sylhet City Corporation and member of BNP’s central executive committee Ariful Haque Chowdhury, in an interview with Prothom Alo at his residence on 25 February, spoke about the development of Sylhet city and various related problems.

Prothom Alo: Money alone doesn’t ensure development and funds often have to be returned, unused. How have you been so successful?

Ariful Haque Chowdhury: First of all I must thank Allah. The people of Sylhet deserve the credit. I had a number of challenges before me. Water-logging, for instance, was a major challenge.

Prothom Alo: You say it was a challenge. That means in the coming monsoons, while Dhaka and Chattogram will be inundated, Sylhet will be fine?

Ariful Haque Chowdhury: Yes, unless there is any unpredicted natural disaster, it will be fine. The streams coming down from the hills and the canals have an important impact on Sylhet city, so I first carried out mapping of all these. I took assistance from the German development agency GIZ. I then identified three major problems. One, the course of the streams had been changed. Two, the streams which had been 40 to 50 ft wide, had narrowed down to just one or one and a half feet at certain places. Three, the flow has been obstructed of the streams which are linked to privately owned water bodies. Then again, in certain places there were sensitive structures which we have addressed in the respective localities and so did not need to resort to the government administration or the court. The previous finance minister Abul Mal Abdul Muhit was also very supportive. At one point of time I had been a ‘guest’ of the government for two years ((in jail) and work had come to a standstill. But I have almost managed to complete the work after my release.

So far, 2632 km of drains had been created, 50 km of road dividers and 200 km of roads. Also, 10 tubewells were set up and 195 km of water pipelines were laid. All these steps have solved 80 to 90 per cent of the water-logging problem.

Prothom Alo: But you haven’t managed to evict the hawkers from the footpaths.

Ariful Haque Chowdhury: I don’t know about that because it’s like a game of hide-and-seek. There are certain bottlenecks, like a syndicate behind the issue. Now that we have dealt with the water-logging issue, I have turned to widening the streets. After that I will take the business chamber along with me to deal with the problem of the hawkers encroaching the footpaths. But there has been some progress in this regard. You will not find any hawkers on the Sylhet streets before two in the afternoon.

Prothom Alo: What about hawker rehabilitation?

Ariful Haque Chowdhury: They were rehabilitated in Laldighi but they sold that and came back. Actually I want to start a Friday and Saturday market in Sylhet city, in a different street every week, except for where there are medical colleges or other such important establishments.

With the help of BRAC, the project to convert waste into wealth in Ward No. 3 is proving to be a success. Over the last one and a half months we earned Tk 70,000 by selling 3 tonnes of garbage. Our initial investment was only Tk 125.000. UNDP and Unicef are also showing interest in this project.

Prothom Alo: In other parts of the country, the ruling party and the opposition are at loggerheads, but how is the attitude of the local ruling party leaders towards your leadership?

Ariful Haque Chowdhury: The good news is that whether it is Sramik League or Sramik Dal, they are all in unison on these issues. They all met at my house.

Prothom Alo: So amidst all the adversity, you have set a precedent of an all-party meeting.

Ariful Haque Chowdhury: This was only with the workers. As a mayor, I am everyone’s mayor, so I am not going to decide that only Sramik Dal’s hawkers will remain here and no Sramik League’s workers. They are working people. I managed to explain to them that they shouldn’t be in a situation where they are chased by police or where they face extortion and have to pay ‘toll’.

Prothom Alo: Some internal tensions have held up a number of projects.

Ariful Haque Chowdhury: I have not allowed a single project to be held up. Some differences have cropped up. The councilors may not be happy with the way the contractors are working. Then again, sometimes the contractors sell their work to others. After I was reelected, I said that no contractor can sell any work.

Prothom Alo: What sort of cooperation do you receive from the district administration?

Ariful Haque Chowdhury: I get all cooperation from them. The former finance minister always extended his support. The foreign minister AK Abdul Momen is also extending all support. We have just received an allocation of around Tk 12 billion, the biggest development project in Sylhet so far. Bangladesh government is providing 80 per cent of the fund and the Sylhet City Corporation 20 per cent.

Prothom Alo: Where will you get this 20 per cent? How far have you increased taxes?

Ariful Haque Chowdhury: The source of funds is revenue income, holding tax. I did not increase taxes for two terms. Instead I ensured that the tax was collected. The people want to pay taxes, but face all sorts of obstacles and complexities. For example, expatriate Bangladeshis send money, but the caretakers do not deposit this. Now with online depositing facilities, this problem has been eliminated. Earnings totalled Tk 221.2 million in 2006-07. I was elected in 2013. From then the revenue collection has been Tk 594.1 million.

Prothom Alo: How has laying the power lines underground worked out?

Ariful Haque Chowdhury: This project of the Power Development Board is first being implemented in Sylhet city. They were selecting a city for the pilot project and so I approached the former finance minister and we were chosen. PWD has some reservations about the project but I took the risk and went ahead. But then I was sent to jail and the project was cancelled. But when I was released in 2017, I learnt it was suspended, not actually cancelled. I rushed to the former finance minister again and he gave a go ahead. But then it got entangled in bureaucratic red tape. There was a shortfall in funds and I said the city corporation would pay this. That is how the work finally started.

Prothom Alo: What other experiences can you share that will be inspirational for other mayors?

Ariful Haque Chowdhury: I have noted two things after taking up this work. Internet service providers do not pay me any taxes. They use the electric poles without paying any money for this. Another group is the dish businesses. I have sent their businesses underground. When we will need to fit night vision cameras, we will need cables. So if these services are included from now, we will benefit. I have signed an MOU with them. So far only 2.5 km of electric lines have gone underground and 5 km will be needed for the main city. I have proposed 25 km and have more or less got the approval. The 5 km is costing Tk 550 million.

The mobile companies are setting up their towers and doing business. I told them that you cannot do business for free. Their logic was that they pay the central government and so don’t need to pay us. I then issued a letter to the housing estates, saying that they hadn’t taken permission to allow towers on their multi-storey buildings. I was ready to disconnect the lines of two phone companies. That did the trick and they paid Tk 788 million.

Prothom Alo: What is the mantra for a qualitative and an effective change to the local government system?

Ariful Haque Chowdhury: If services are really to be taken to the doorsteps of the people, there can be no divisions. For example, just because I am a mayor from the opposition party, the deputy commissioner or the police super are in a dilemma. But I am the mayor with no other status. That is it. When a minister comes, I don’t sit waiting to be invited. I just turn up at the important meetings. But I realise that at times people are not easy. There are certain invisible obstructions. The prime minister has said that there will be hundred per cent development. I feel if this is to be so, then everyone must work together.

Prothom Alo: Have you had the change to share these thoughts directly with the prime minister?

Ariful Haque Chowdhury: I am sincerely trying to do so. I have submitted applications a couple of time to meet her, but I don’t think these have reached her. I met her during the oath-taking ceremony at Ganabhaban after I became mayor. She exchanged greetings with my family. She even had a photo session with the Sylhet councilors on the Ganabhaban lawn. She told me, if you work and you will get my cooperation. I want work to be done for the people. I am getting cooperation but there are some things that I need to tell her. I cannot write these things as these are sensitive issues. My security may be involved.

Prothom Alo: How many BNP councilors are there? What programmes do you have for Mujib Borsha? How far is the local BNP helping you close the gap with ruling Awami League?

Ariful Haque Chowdhury: We are quite a minority, just five or six. As for Mujib Borsha preparations, I think we are quite ahead of other city corporations. What I want to say is, don’t make Mujibur Rahman into a party institution. If he is the Father of the Nation, then there can be no divisions over him. He must be kept above controversy.

Prothom Alo: Any final words?

Ariful Haque Chowdhury: There are certain matters I need to discuss directly with the prime minister pertaining development activities that are being carried out for the people, the problems and so on. Since no one is delivering my message to her, I would like to convey the message to her through this interview. I have things to discuss with her that I cannot discuss with anyone else.

Prothom Alo: Thank you.

Ariful Haque Chowdhury: Thank you.