Moyeen Khan calls for phased plan to make Dhaka cleaner, greener

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD) Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan on Monday called for short-, medium- and long-term plans to improve Dhaka’s environment, with greater coordination among government agencies to tackle waterlogging, waste management and declining green space.

He also stressed the need for sustained media campaigns to raise public awareness about cleanliness.

Moyeen Khan made the remarks while chairing a review meeting at the Local Government Division conference room on waterlogging-mitigation and environmental initiatives undertaken by the Dhaka North and South city corporations.

State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam attended the meeting.

The minister said garbage left on streets during the day damages the city’s appearance and creates foul smells. He directed the authorities to prioritise waste collection at night instead.

He also recommended planting perennial flowering saplings along both sides of roads, saying Dhaka should be developed not only as a clean city but also as an aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly one.

Moyeen Khan directed relevant agencies to accelerate implementation of the government’s “Clean City, Green City” vision and strengthen coordination on waterlogging, canal restoration, greening, waste management, beautification and traffic management.

The meeting reviewed ongoing development and cleanliness programmes across the capital.

Officials said boundary demarcation of 29 canals under Dhaka North City Corporation has made significant progress, while similar work on canals under Dhaka South City Corporation is underway.

Beautification and greening programmes are also continuing in both city corporations.

Officials also reported that fireflies have begun appearing at night in Dhaka’s Miyawaki urban forest, citing their return as a positive sign of environmental improvement.

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