Fast-track services at Dhaka ward councillor offices
We are concerned that the process of obtaining necessary documents from the offices of Dhaka city corporations and wards hasn't improved much despite the administrative restructuring following the political changeover in August. According to a report by Prothom Alo, residents seeking certificates, registrations, or attestations continue to face delays and disruptions. With December already underway, this is particularly problematic for parents seeking school admission for their children, for which birth certificate is mandatory. Add to that the cumbersome process of birth registration—requiring the submission of parents' birth certificates and NID numbers which, in many cases, are either non-existent or fraught with discrepancies, adding another layer to their distress.
The ward councillor offices usually provide 14 types of services, including certifications and attestations, mosquito control, distribution of TCB products, etc. However, since the removal of elected ward councilors on September 26, these services have been provided by regional executive officers. The problem is, Dhaka city has 129 wards, divided into 20 administrative regions, which means each officer often has to oversee multiple wards simultaneously, stretching their capacity.
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For example, the workload of the 75 former ward councillors of Dhaka South City Corporation is being handled by only 10 officers. Additionally, the lack of clear schedule about their time or place of duty, relocation of some ward offices without proper public notification, officers' lack of familiarity with local residents, and high demand for services are also complicating operations. Moreover, due to the vandalism caused during July-August protests, many ward offices lack necessary equipment, further disrupting their operations.
All these problems have combined to cause confusion and inconvenience for residents, who are having to wait for multiple days or even weeks for basic certificates that should be available within hours. The ward councillor offices under the two city corporations of Dhaka had never been known for efficient delivery of services when there was a political government. There were many problems, while corruption allegations abounded. But to see some of these problems persist even now is disheartening, given people's expectations from the interim government. Dhaka residents deserve better and faster services.
Therefore, we urge the authorities to take necessary measures to equip all ward offices to meet growing demand. First, inadequacies facing the "ward secretaries" and their offices must be addressed urgently. Moreover, it is essential to restore and upgrade the equipment in ward offices to enable swift service delivery. The verification process for services like birth and death certificates should also be streamlined, and expedited, so that dependency on manual checks can be reduced. Finally, the city authorities must actively engage with the residents to address all their grievances.
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