Dhaka's Two City Corporations to Hire 3,430 Sanitation Workers on Daily Wages

Dhaka's two city corporations are set to hire nearly three and a half thousand workers on a daily-wage basis. A total of 3,430 people will be recruited for waste removal, cleaning and mosquito-control work.

Of them, the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) will hire 2,026 workers on a temporary basis, while the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) will hire 1,404. The Local Government Ministry approved the recruitment proposal for the two cities on October 12.

The ministry has written to both city corporations warning them to ensure there is no irregularity in the recruitment process. The letter states clearly that if any irregularity occurs, the responsibility will fall on the authorities concerned.

Under the letter's conditions, workers may be hired on daily wages only against genuine need in an emergency; no hiring will be allowed without urgent necessity. Nor can the corporations hire beyond the approved numbers — for example, no more than 2,026 workers in the south city.

The letter also says no one may be hired on a monthly basis under any circumstances; the work must be done strictly on daily wages. The wages of the new workers must be paid from the city corporations' own budgets, and no additional money may be sought from the Local Government Ministry. Wages must follow the policy issued by the Finance Division.

Under the Finance Division's policy on engaging temporary workers on a daily basis, the daily wage for a worker in the Dhaka north and south city corporation areas is 800 taka, which works out to 24,000 taka a month. The policy sets daily wages at 750 taka in other divisional cities and city corporation areas, and 700 taka at district and upazila levels.

People concerned say the two city corporations cannot run their daily services properly with the existing workforce and need more staff. But there is a history of political influence in recruitment in both cities, with political leaders and influential people trying to place candidates of their choice. There have also been allegations of money being taken from people with promises of making their jobs permanent.

A responsible source at the Local Government Ministry said the two city corporations have not yet finalised the process for hiring this large workforce. Until now, third- and fourth-class jobs were filled through outsourcing or private agencies. But on September 21 the Finance Ministry amended the 'Service Procurement through Outsourcing Policy, 2025', which now says recruitment cannot be done through any private agency. Ministries, divisions and offices can recruit people directly, or through the Finance Division-approved specialised agency IIFC (Infrastructure Investment Facilitation Company) if they wish.

Last Monday, a meeting on implementing and monitoring Dhaka city's cleanliness activities was held at the Prime Minister's Office in Tejgaon. At the meeting, the Prime Minister's Principal Secretary, ABM Abdus Sattar, said the offices and agencies concerned may also recruit this workforce directly themselves if they wish.

Dhaka South City Corporation Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Khaibar Rahman said the recruitment process has not yet been decided and will be determined in discussion with the Local Government Ministry. He said the administration is fully alert to ensure there is no irregularity, and the city corporation will work according to the ministry's instructions.

Dhaka North City Corporation CEO Mohammad Asaduzzaman said they have an acute need for adequate manpower, and a proposal for additional staff was sent to the ministry long ago. However, the ministry's approved document has not yet reached them.

Former DNCC administrator Mohammad Ejaz said more manpower is needed to quickly remove the amount of waste generated in Dhaka every day, and to strengthen cleaning and mosquito-control activities. But he stressed that cent percent transparency and accountability must be ensured in this recruitment. He suggested the two city corporations form a strong and neutral committee that can complete the entire recruitment process free of influence.