Waste collectors protest ‘interference from councillor’s office ’

According to waste collectors of Nagar Sheba Multipurpose Co-operative Society, the local councillor's office has interfered with their collecting waste from Dhaka North City Corporation.

To protest this, workers of the Primary Waste Collection Service Provider (PWCSP), the parent organisation of Nagar Sheba Multipurpose Co-operative Society, formed a human chain on Wednesday in Ward 7 of Mirpur 2.

According to the protestors, since Monday, musclemen followers of the local councillor held up garbage trucks in D, E, and F blocks of Ward 7 in Dhaka North. Since then, no one from Nagar Sheba Multipurpose Co-operative Society has been allowed to collect trash from the area.

Md Saddam Hossain, who collects waste trash from E and F blocks of Mirpur 2, said, around 7.30 am on Monday, president of the local Pragati Juba Sangha, Md Haider, and six others stopped their collection truck.

"They said we could not move the trash without showing them some papers," Hossain added.

Other waste collectors and cleaners in the area say that strong-arm followers of the local councillor have often interrupted and interfered in their work and demand money in extortion from time to time.

Nahid Akter Lucky, president of PWCSP, said, "Our organisation (PWCSP) has been collecting garbage for the last 20 years for the city corporation with its permission. But some people now want to take over our job for their personal benefit."

The Business Standard contacted Md Haider, president of Pragati Juba Sangha, about the allegations, but he said they were baseless.

Notably, permits issued by the Dhaka North City Corporation to waste and trash collecting organisations are good for six consecutive months, and must then be renewed.

Nagar Sheba Multipurpose Co-operative Society's trash collection permit expired on 25 September and the renewal process is underway.