20 monitoring teams to take the field to make Dhaka liveable; government flat allotments to be cancelled if larvae are found

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Mir Shahe Alam has directed 20 monitoring teams, formed on the prime minister's instructions, to take a strict position to build the Dhaka metropolis into a clean and liveable city.

He said there would be no compromise on cleanliness. If an unclean environment or Aedes mosquito larvae are found in a government residence, the flat allotment will be cancelled directly and large fines will be imposed on those who break the rules.

The state minister made the remarks as chief guest at a meeting on implementation and monitoring of Dhaka's cleanliness activities, held at 3 p.m. on Monday, 26 October, at the Shapla Hall of the Prime Minister's Office in Tejgaon.

The state minister said the prime minister has been active from the first day to make Dhaka liveable and has himself seen the condition of various government hospitals and quarters. But raids on large government quarters, luxury apartments and hospitals found Aedes larvae and a picture of extreme neglect, he said.

State Minister for Housing and Public Works Ahammad Sohel Monjur was present as special guest. The meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister's Office Principal Secretary A B M Abdus Sattar, was attended by members of the 20 committees in charge of monitoring the cleanliness activities.

Addressing the monitoring committee members, the state minister said they are working in the field as the prime minister's representatives, and directed them to take legal action and impose strict fines wherever irregularities and larvae are found. Government employees who cannot keep their own quarters clean have no qualification to live in government housing, he said.

The state minister expressed hope that with the coordinated and strict role of the teams, a visible change would come to Dhaka within the next one to two months.

On the city's beauty and infrastructure, he said RAJUK and Dhaka South City Corporation are working to clean Hatirjheel, Dhanmondi, Banani and Gulshan lakes and restore their former beauty. Re-excavation, guide wall construction and netting work is under way on 29 canals of the North City Corporation and 26 canals of the South City Corporation, he said.

Keeping in mind that plastic or iron dustbins are stolen, a decision has been taken to make new bins from fibre board, which the two city corporations will install in phases, the state minister said.

To implement the prime minister's directions, 20 special monitoring committees have been formed in 20 zones based on the areas of each zonal executive officer's office under Dhaka North and South City Corporations. Ten committees will work in Dhaka North and ten in Dhaka South. Officers at director level of the Prime Minister's Office are leading these zonal committees.