City dwellers are still experiencing poor civic services six months after the formation of the interim government.

Local government representatives were dismissed in over 300 municipalities and 12 city corporations after the fall of the Awami League regime on August 5 last year.

The government ordered city corporation executives to do the tasks of councillors, but the volume of work appears to overwhelm them.

Councillors are authorised to issue 23 types of certificates that include the crucial certification of birth, death, succession, character and trade licences.

The interim government replaced mayors with administrators in eight city corporations on August 19. Councillors of 12 city corporations and 323 municipalities were removed on September 27.

The 12 city corporations are Dhaka South, Dhaka North, Chattogram, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Barishal, Narayanganj, Cumilla, Rangpur, Gazipur and Mymensingh.

In the capital, the aforesaid certificates are now issued by ward-level offices with approval from the zone-level office of the city corporations.

People complain that they have to wait for several days to get the certificates.

A councillor could issue the certificate within an hour, partly because the councillors knew many residents of their neighbourhoods, and they did not need approval from another office.

Ashiqul Islam, a banker who lives in ward-27, said he needed to make a correction on the birth certificate of his son for his admission to a school.

He said he filed an application, and after 10 days, the ward secretary told him to wait for 10 more days. "But the school requires the certificate right now."

Secretary of the ward Rifat Rahman said his office had sent the application to the office of the registrar general immediately after it was filed.

Suvendu Kumar Dev, a resident of Dinajpur town, said, "I urgently needed a citizenship certificate and filed an application with the municipality. But I received the certificate the next day."

Property disputes used to be settled by mayors and councillors. In their absence, disputes are left unresolved, locals said.

Entrepreneurs and traders needing trade licences have reported that delays disrupt their operations.

In Chattogram City Corporation (CCC), 13 executives were ordered to handle the jobs of 41 councillors.

Special Magistrate Manisha Mahajan has been entrusted with the responsibility of two wards while regional executive officers Rezaul Karim, Shahrin Ferdousi and Raktim Chowdhury have the charge of five wards each.

The executives are expected to fill in for councillors on top of their regular duties, which severely hampers service delivery.

Many of these officials cannot visit their wards even once a week due to their heavy workload. As a result, the service seekers face delays.

Nazrul Islam, a local of ward-15, said, "I urge the city corporation to delegate one executive for each ward. Otherwise, people will continue to suffer."

CCC Chief Executive Officer Sheikh Mohammad Tauhidul Islam said there were not enough officers posted to the CCC on deputation to do the councillors' tasks.

"We are going through a transition, and I think everything will become normal," he said.

An officer at Mymensingh City Corporation said, "The executives take more time for certain tasks because they, unlike the local representatives, don't know the locals."

Shamsun Nahar, resident of the city's Kristapur said she needed a succession certificate to settle land ownership issues, but she could not secure it despite two weeks of frantic efforts.

In Gazipur City Corporation, Khairul Islam, former councillor of ward-29, said, "The common people are not getting even the basic services like the issuance of holding tax certificate, trade licence and birth certificate."

For an inheritance certificate or marriage certificate, they have to make multiple visits.

City Corporation Executive Engineer Mohammad Ibrahim Khalil said, "Even when the documents are ready, we cannot hand them over quickly, since it takes time to get the mayor's approval."

After taking charge as the administrator, Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Sabirul Islam said, "The current government wants to form a corruption-free, discrimination-free state. We will work towards that goal."

Gazipur Citizens Forum President Jalal Uddin said, "We elected the mayor with high hopes. But the city residents are still suffering."

Adviser Mahfuj Alam at a press briefing recently acknowledged that people were not getting regular services at city corporations and union parishads because the administrators could not deliver the services.

That's why the chief adviser proposed holding local government elections.

Our correspondents in Chattogran, Gazipur, Dinajpur and Mymensingh contributed to the report.