DCC’s community centres in poor condition

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Dhaka

Thursday, 23 February 2012

Author / Source : MD JAMIL KHAN

DHAKA, FEB 22: Dhaka City Corporation’s (DCC) community centres are in poor condition due to the authority’s mismanagement.
Most community centres are currently being used for anti-social activities, such as gambling, while other centres have been converted into offices for law enforcers. The Independent discovered that among the 90 wards in the capital, 47 community centres are run by DCC’s social welfare and cultural department. However five centres are used by RAB personnel and three by the police, who pay rent monthly to DCC.
The centres include Tikatuli freedom fighter Murad Community centre, Sayestha Khan Welfare centre, Khilgaon Taltola community centre, Mohammadpur community centre, Alhaz Abdur Rahim community centre, Fazlul Karim Community centre, Dhanmondi Vuter goli community centre and Sahidnagar community centre.
In addition, 77 wards based Alhaz Abdur Rahim community centre’s programmes are maintained by the local Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leader Rubai.  Rubai undertakes all his organising activities on the premises after setting up a club room on the centre’s third floor.
An anti-drug organisation “Protasha” is occupying the second floor without authorisation. Protasha has just six employees occupying a space that can seat 200 people. The authority is hard pressed to hold five programmes a month because managing the political leaders is very time-consuming.
The same situation exists at Fazlul Karim Community Centre because the Jubo League (south) president Hazi Md. Arman has set up an office room on its second floor. Banglshal Thana Sramik League also set up an office in the centre. All funds and programmes details are overseen by these leaders.
Ajimpur Mini community centre refused to provide details about any programme being held on the premises. Moreover, a decorator company handles the community centre’s functions, which is illegal.
Street kids and young men have been seen taking drugs and gambling at Forashgonaj Community centre in Lalkhuthi. Women in the area have complained of harassment from such peoples.
Local resident Arup Das said, “We have lodged complaints several times but no action has been taken to stop the harassment.”
The community centre act stipulates that, “There will be no office rooms in community centres and the centre authority have no jurisdiction to use outside decorators company instrument on it.”
In violation of the rules, the community centres are maintained by local political leaders and city residents in exchange for a large sum of money.
DCC chief executive officer Abul Kalam Azad said, “We must take action if we are presented with a formal complaint.” Regarding the offices used by RAB and police, he said “temporary offices can be set up and once they acquire an alternative office they will leave the centres.”