Dhaka city in a mess!

The problems of Dhaka city are well known. But there is little or no coordination among Rajuk, the city corporations and the four dozen or so government agencies which govern everything from water, gas, electricity to city planning, to address the issues coherently. And one of the best examples of this is Rajuk having designed a 20-year master plan without consulting the Dhaka City South mayor who technically governs half the city. It is useless to put the blame on the mayors who literally have no power over vital matters that affect the development of Dhaka city. 

The problems of Dhaka have multiplied over the decades and successive mayors have been demanding a metropolitan government that would bring all the service providers under one body. Indeed, the city was divided into two city corporations in 2011 with the purpose of better governance, but without operational jurisdiction over all the service providers, it is no wonder that the mayors couldn't deliver on their promises. We fail to understand the reluctance on the part of the government to address these issues.  

Dhaka is a city of more than 16 million residents, and growing, and the need for a structured city governance has not been felt more acutely than now. We can draw lessons from other cities in the region to see which model fits our needs best but it is clear that there is dire need to reduce the number of agencies and put them under one overarching authority that will cut down on both red tape and provide better coordination. Only then can city residents hope to get delivery on services they pay for.