The HC bench of Justice Md Rezaul Haque and Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar passed the order on August 14 following a petition by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela).
“We’ve removed 200 banners and billboards from the city after the High Court order. We will continue removing the others,” Annisul said yesterday.
He said, “We’ve done a lot of tasks. Dhaka city is now almost free of billboards. Even after that every day we see new banners and festoons, and many of these are political.”
In the past, ruling Awami League directed its activists to avoid using photographs except those of Sheikh Hasina and Bangabandhu during any political publicity.
Referring to that, Annisul said the DNCC has a written copy of the direction. He also reminded everyone that no one could use his or her own photo in any billboard for political reasons.
He, however, said, “Political and government billboards will always remain there and the DNCC will always give permission for setting them up.”
Later, the mayor requested the councillors from his city corporation to take steps for the removal of illegal banners and billboards from their respective areas.
At that point, a reporter told him that many councillors themselves put up billboards and posters for their own publicity.
In reply, Huq admitted the issue and said “three to four” councillors are involved in the practice. He also requested them to stop doing that.
Expressing frustration over putting up unauthorised banners and posters, Annisul said, “We make footbridges and paint them so nicely. However, the next morning we see posters all over them. Don’t you feel sorry?
“While an organisation is trying to clean the city, you are putting up posters everywhere,” he said, addressing those who indulge in the illegal practice.
Billboards are also noticed on top of different local shops.
“Some companies try to publicise their brands on those billboards which is illegal,” he said. He also drew everyone’s attention to the use of graffiti for doing publicity activities.
Later, the mayor urged all city dwellers to take permission before setting up billboards and posters in any city corporation areas.
Contacted, Chief Executive Officer of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Khan Mohammad Bilal said they had been carrying out cleaning activities to remove unauthorised billboards and poster from the city corporation area.
The DSCC would publish an advertisement to raise public awareness about the issue, he told The Daily Star over phone.
Source: The Daily Star
