Vow to choose 'right persons'
Tangail town dwellers unite as campaign starts
This open waste dumping area beside the road at the entrance of Tangail municipality at Ashekpur bears testimony to the authorities' utter negligence to public health and decency of town. Photo: STAR
Contestants for the mayoral and councillor posts have started door-to-door campaign ahead of the election in Tangail municipality while the town dwellers are concerned about electing the 'right persons' who would solve their problems and ensure basic civic facilities. Unplanned construction of buildings, especially during the last few years, has turned the town into a concrete jungle while residents are suffering much due to poor drainage system, indiscriminate dumping of wastes and lack of necessary footpath along the main streets, said locals. Established in 1887, the municipality now comprises 18 wards and the number of voters is 99,100. “Dirty water remain stagnant at different places including my area due to lack of proper drainage system. The Victoria canal in the town has already died due to construction of markets on it. Dirty and stinking water on the drains under the markets have become breeding grounds of mosquito, turning the area unhygienic," said Rafiqul Islam, a resident of ward No 18 (Biswas Betka area) of the municipality. "So, we the voters are thinking about choosing the right candidates who have commitment to solving the problem," he added. Businessman Shahadat Hossain, a resident of ward No 16, said the town has turned into a concrete jungle due to unplanned and indiscriminate construction of numerous markets and commercial and residential buildings. "Surprising though, the main streets of the municipality are without any footpath. Consequently, traffic jam and associated problems cause sufferings to commuters and pedestrians. I will vote for the candidates who will take steps considering the future of the municipality," he said. “It is a matter of sorrow that huge wastes including polythene are dumped on the entrance of the town as the municipality authorities does not take any steps to dispose it properly,” said service-holder Shahidul Islam of Ashekpur area of the municipality. "Dozens of legal and illegal private clinics and hospitals dump their untreated and harmful wastes beside the main streets of the town, posing serious health hazards. We the residents want a planned town with all civic facilities," he said. The mayoral candidates -- incumbent Mayor of the municipality Jamilur Rahman Miron of Krishak Sramik Janata League, journalist Jafar Ahmed of BNP and Shahidur Rahman Mukti of Awami League have already pledged to the voters that they will make the municipality a clean and planned area with all civic facilities, if voted to the mayoral post.
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