ঢাকা উত্তর ও দক্ষিণ সিটি কর্পোরেশন নতুন করে দায়িত্ব বুঝে নেওয়ার পর এক কঠিন আর্থিকThe article highlights the financial predicament faced by Dhaka’s two city corporations. A significant amount of Tk 470 crore in pending work bills remains unpaid by the previous administrations. Compounding this issue, approximately Tk 1,400 crore in advance work orders have been issued, despite a depleted treasury.

The prevailing political climate, marked by public protests and elections, has severely impacted revenue collection, pushing it to an all-time low. In this dire situation, the newly appointed administrators of both city corporations have urgently appealed to the government for special financial allocations to ensure the continued operation of these civic bodies.

On Tuesday, the administrators of the Dhaka North, Dhaka South, and Gazipur City Corporations held a meeting with the Prime Minister at the Secretariat. Despite the financial constraints, the Prime Minister directed them to prioritize mosquito control and urban sanitation efforts to combat the impending monsoon season and the potential outbreak of dengue.

Following the meeting, the administrator of the South City Corporation informed the media that continuing work based on the previous work orders would be practically impossible. He further stated that an astonishing Tk 425 crore had been “looted” from the South City Corporation’s funds over the past 17 years, leaving its treasury completely empty.

The administrator of the Dhaka North City Corporation reported that their corporation has a mere Tk 25 crore in its treasury, which is sufficient to cover employee salaries for only two months. However, he pointed out that the previous government had issued work orders amounting to Tk 1,400 crore.

Despite these financial adversities, both the North and South City Corporation administrators have assured that they will proceed with public welfare initiatives on a priority basis. To ensure the smooth flow of water in the city’s canals, excavation work is set to commence soon.