Administrative paralysis grips Dhaka South City Corporation

Over ten million citizens live under the jurisdiction of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), one of the country’s most densely populated urban areas. However, residents are suffering due to administrative inefficiency and lack of services. Despite a change of government 15 months ago, no permanent administrator has been appointed. Ten key posts remain vacant, and many officials are burdened with multiple responsibilities. With a shortage of manpower, the city corporation is running in a makeshift manner, severely affecting road repair, mosquito control, waste management, and healthcare services.

On Monday, Md. Mahmudul Hasan, Director General of the Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Inspection Wing of the Local Government Ministry, was appointed as the administrator of DSCC. According to the gazette, he will exercise the powers and duties of the mayor under Section 25(ka)(3) of the Local Government (City Corporation) (Amendment) Ordinance 2024, in addition to his existing responsibilities.

Earlier, on October 29, the Local Government Ministry removed former administrator Md. Shahjahan Mia without specifying a reason. On August 5 last year, two days before the fall of the Awami League government, former mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh left the country. Since then, three officials have served as administrators at different times.

According to DSCC’s Secretariat, ten major posts—including Chief Property Officer, Chief Health Officer, Chief Urban Planner, Chief Accounts Officer, and Chief Auditor—remain vacant. Although a Chief Revenue Officer was appointed, he has yet to join. Out of 3,166 approved positions, 1,307 are vacant. Due to the prolonged hiring freeze, many officials are managing two or three offices simultaneously.

DSCC’s operations—such as roads, drainage, waste removal, and health services—directly impact residents’ lives. But with top positions vacant, public services are suffering. Five regional offices—Regions 1, 3, 7, 9, and 10—currently have no executive officers, disrupting field-level management.

Officials say the absence of a Chief Revenue Officer has halted revenue collection growth, while the lack of a Property Officer has led to re-encroachment on recovered lands. Without a Chief Health Officer, dengue and other health crises are being poorly managed. The absence of an Urban Planner is causing uncoordinated development, and without auditors, financial transparency is declining.

Dr. Nishat Parvin is temporarily managing the health division. The Deputy Chief Health Officer’s position is also vacant, leaving hospitals under DSCC severely understaffed. The veterinary division has only four officers for ten zones, making market supervision nearly impossible.

Other departments—procurement, property, protocol, welfare, and ICT—also face critical staff shortages.

Unlike Dhaka North City Corporation, where a permanent administrator has been appointed, DSCC’s public service delivery has nearly stalled. Road repair, waste management, and birth registration activities are delayed.

Residents have expressed frustration, saying they often find no officials in ward offices and paperwork remains pending for months. They urge the government to fill vacancies immediately to restore effective service delivery.

Urban planner Professor Dr. Adil Muhammad Khan said the absence of a permanent administrator and ward councilors is unacceptable in a megacity like Dhaka. The government must appoint a capable administrator and ensure functional local representation for proper city management.

khaborwala/TSN