Bangladesh
PM Sheikh Hasina PM wants occupation-free, walkable footpaths
Own Correspondent, Dhaka, March 7: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed the concerned authorities to take necessary steps to keep all the footpaths of the capital free from occupation and make those walkable for pedestrians.
She said, "Those of us who are engineers or architects, when they make a plan, at least make the footpaths walkable, and not occupied."
She was speaking at the inaugural function of the project titled Construction and Development of Road Infrastructure and Drainage System (Phase-I) of the newly included 18 wards of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) on Sunday (March 6). She virtually joined the programme organized at the premises of Kanchkura High School, Ward 44, DNCC through video conference from Ganobhaban. The Prime Minister directed the mayor to further develop waste management in developed areas like Gulshal, Banani and Baridhara.
The Prime Minister said, "I will not blame anyone else. This catastrophe (footpath occupation) happens when we plan."
She also called it unfortunate. Mentioning that densely populated Harirampur was once very neglected, the Prime Minister said, "If the work of the project is implemented, the standard of living of the people of the region will be further improved. Then they will be able to live in a healthy environment."
Sheikh Hasina said, "We are trying to make Dhaka modernize, green and a city habitable with limited resources. I have added 18 wards by adding new unions."
She said projects have been taken here to create various civic amenities including playgrounds and public toilets. She also expressed hope that the new Dhaka will become more beautiful through this. Because the 24 engineering battalions in charge of this work are also created by her and whenever they are given the responsibility of any work they are doing it smoothly. Starting from Chittagong hill tracts, they are serving the people in different places.
