DNCC to support desludging in Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, Niketan

Dhaka North City Corpn building

Dhaka, July 2 – Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Md Shafiqul Islam Khan on Thursday assured all-out support for the smooth implementation of scheduled desludging services in Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and Niketan as part of efforts to improve sanitation and protect the urban environment.

He made the assurance at a coordination meeting held at the DNCC conference room to determine the implementation framework for the scheduled desludging programme in the four neighbourhoods.

The administrator urged all stakeholders to ensure that septic tanks are cleaned in accordance with proper regulations to prevent environmental pollution and safeguard public health.

He said DNCC alone is not responsible for all civic services in the capital, noting that agencies such as Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Dhaka WASA) and the power distribution authorities also provide essential services.

Emphasising the need for inter-agency coordination, Shafiqul said DNCC will continue working with the relevant organisations to deliver public services effectively.

Representatives of the Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and Niketan societies expressed support for the initiative and pledged full cooperation in implementing the scheduled desludging programme.

During the meeting, society representatives said parts of Dhaka are connected to Dhaka WASA's sewerage network, while others rely on septic tanks. However, in many areas sewage is discharged directly into drains, creating serious public health and environmental hazards, contributing to mosquito breeding and worsening waterlogging.

The DNCC administrator directed officials to take necessary measures to stop the illegal discharge of sewage into Gulshan Lake, Banani Lake, Baridhara Lake and other water bodies. He also stressed the importance of strengthening coordination among stakeholders and increasing public awareness on safe wastewater management.

The DNCC's Chief Waste Management Officer informed the meeting that DNCC and Dhaka WASA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on faecal sludge management on October 10, 2023.

Under the MoU, five private companies have initially been selected to conduct a two-month pilot, or "dry run", to assess their capacity to provide scheduled desludging services before the programme is fully implemented across DNCC areas.

The meeting was chaired by DNCC Administrator Md Shafiqul Islam Khan and attended by presidents and general secretaries of the Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and Niketan societies, as well as senior officials of DNCC and Dhaka WASA. - UNB