DNCC mayor inaugurates drive to remove overhead cables

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Mohammad Atiqul Islam inaugurated a drive to remove illegal overhead cables in the capital's Gulshan area on Thrusday.

The drive started with the removal of overhead cables on Gulshan Avenue.

"The tangled overhead cables are still the same as they were 10 years ago. But this city cannot be allowed to continue like this. It seems that these hanging cables are the real image of Dhaka. Look at the five star hotel on one side of this place, the tangled wires on the other side. None of us wants to see this image of Dhaka. I had promised before Eid that all tangled overhead cables will be removed from October 1," The DNCC mayor said while inaugurating the drive.

"We have met seven times with the Nationwide Telecommunication Transmission Network (NTTN), Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB), Cable Operators Association of Bangladesh (COAB) and held a series of meetings with everyone to resolve the issue," he added.

Mayor Atiqul also added: "One thing I would like to say is that whenever we have a meeting with NTTN, ISPAB, COAB, whenever we start a meeting, it seems like everyone has animosity towards the other. ISPAB blames NTTN, NTTN blames COAB."

Atiqul Islam said, "At the moment you know that Covid is going on in the country, school children are sitting at home and studying online and on television. Many are working online from home, making a living, all in all, the environment is different. I have received many requests from parents.

"The DNCC is pulling down the overhead wires from north to south of Gulshan Avenue. There are a total of nine turns on Gulshan Avenue. At these nine turns, they have been given seven more days at their request. The wires of the crossing will also be cut after seven days."

The DNCC mayor stressed: I don't want to go the short-term approach. Service providers are removing the wires and cables themselves. I have called them here because Dhaka is for all of you."

"NTTN is not working here, I think it is a failure of NTTN," he said.

"They have been licensed for 10 years, why didn't they take the line underground? So I have decided to put the lines underground. They have agreed. For this they will pay rent to DNCC."

"I have already instructed the engineering department that any new roads built will have cable lines under them. We want a lasting solution. After the removal of overhead cables on Gulshan Avenue, all the wires will be removed from Gulshan 1 on the east and west side of the road, and from Gulshan2 on the east and west side."

The mayor expressed concern that if the cables are pulled down off the whole of Dhaka city in a day, then the city will collapse.

"Our children will not study. I believe that the way we are conducting the operation, we will try to bring down the wires in the entire area of ​​DNCC within the next one year. We have to get it down," he said.

DNCC Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Selim Reza, Secretary Mozammel Haque, Chief Engineer Brigadier General Amirul Islam, COAB President SM Anwar Kabir, ISPAB President Mohammad Aminul Hakim among others were present during the drive.