PM Tarique Rahman plans a clean Dhaka like Tokyo: focus on waste removal, cutting air pollution and planting trees

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has announced a plan to make Dhaka and the whole country clean. He said he wants to build Dhaka into a clean city like Japan's capital Tokyo.

The prime minister made the remarks on Wednesday (28 October) evening at an exchange meeting with expatriate Bangladeshis organised by the Bangladesh community at Hotel New Otani in Tokyo. For this, the government is emphasising waste removal, reducing air pollution and planting trees in various places.

Comparing Dhaka's cleanliness situation with Tokyo's, Tarique Rahman said: 'Today I asked one of those who came with us, how did you see Tokyo? He said, I saw no dirt on the roads. And in Dhaka there is so much dirt everywhere.'

The prime minister said: 'Efforts are under way to clean Dhaka and the whole country. A lot of waste has accumulated everywhere. News of Dhaka's air pollution also often appears in the media. To improve this situation, initiatives must be taken to plant trees in various places and reduce air pollution.'

He said: 'If waste keeps accumulating everywhere, at some point germs and diseases are created from that waste. To keep people healthy, the environment must be kept clean and waste must be removed properly.'

The prime minister mentioned building a clean city for ordinary people as one of the government's most important reforms. He said: 'People cannot walk because of waste, are falling ill because of waste, or the country's air is being polluted — what better reform can there be than this?'

Tarique Rahman said that if people stay healthy as a result of a government step, that is the big reform to him. If Dhaka can be made clean like Tokyo or Japan, it will be an important achievement for the people.

Noting that public cooperation is needed to implement any reform, the prime minister said people of all classes and professions will get the benefits of initiatives such as development in education, health and the environment. From a rickshaw puller and CNG driver to doctors, lawyers, teachers, employees and businessmen — these initiatives will have a positive impact on everyone's life.

He said: 'As a politician, by reform I mean that reform whose benefits my marginal people get.' He wants to prioritise initiatives that will play a role in improving the living standards of working people. He sought the cooperation of the country's democratic people in implementing these works.

The prime minister alleged that an attempt is being made to create a situation so that the BNP cannot implement reforms that would benefit marginal people. He said that, urging support for the government's initiatives if they seem right, he is not asking for votes; rather, he is seeking the opportunity and support to implement works taken for people's welfare. At that time, the expatriate Bangladeshis present applauded in support of the prime minister.

At the event, the prime minister also criticised the mockery on social media about Md Tarique Rahman, member secretary of the Amjanata Party, who went to Japan as his travel companion. He said there is much criticism about him, yet many have nothing to say about the country's various problems.

At the beginning of the exchange meeting, the prime minister answered various questions from expatriate Bangladeshis. At that time he presented the government's plans on Japanese language education, children's healthcare, their development through sports and other activities, easing business and trade, closed factories, investment and employment. The prime minister said the government must work hard, be patient and work unitedly to improve people's living standards. He sought the cooperation and prayers of all democratic people of the country, including expatriates, to build the desired Bangladesh.

Conducted by BNP executive committee member Abdus Sattar Patwary, the event was attended by the prime minister's wife Zubaida Rahman, Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, finance and planning adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, Civil Aviation Minister Rashiduzzaman Millat, State Minister for Energy Anindya Islam Amit, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority chairman Ashik Chowdhury and other travel companions of the prime minister. At the event, Japan BNP presented a photograph as a gift to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his wife Zubaida Rahman.