Dhaka South City Corporation

Dhaka South City Corporation
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Name	Dhaka South City Corporation
Native name	ঢাকা দক্ষিণ সিটি কর্পোরেশন
Settlement type	City corporation
Established	2011
Area km2	109.2
Population	4,299,345 (2011 census, part of Dhaka)
Mayor	Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh
Coordinates	23.7179°N 90.4115°E
Country	Bangladesh
Division	Dhaka Division
District	Dhaka District

Dhaka South City Corporation is one of the two municipal corporations that administer the core of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. It was formed in 2011 by bifurcating the former Dhaka City Corporation to improve municipal administration across a dense urban core that includes historic Old Dhaka, commercial hubs, and significant infrastructural assets. The corporation oversees civic functions across wards that encompass major landmarks, transportation nodes, and residential neighborhoods in the southern sector of the metropolitan area.

History

The municipal history of the corporation area traces to colonial-era municipal institutions such as the Dhaka Municipality and later the Dhaka City Corporation which evolved through reforms after the Partition of India (1947), the Bangladesh Liberation War, and post-independence urbanization policies. The 2011 administrative split that created the southern entity was influenced by debates within the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives (Bangladesh), legislative provisions enacted by the Parliament of Bangladesh, and precedents from other South Asian urban governance restructurings like the Greater Mumbai and Karachi City District. Key political figures involved in the post-split period include leaders from the Awami League (AL), opposition parties such as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and elected mayors who navigated interactions with national agencies like the Dhaka Metropolitan Police and statutory bodies including the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK).

Administration and Governance

The corporation is headed by an elected mayor whose office coordinates with ward councillors drawn from local electoral wards, reflecting frameworks similar to municipal systems in Kolkata Municipal Corporation and Chittagong City Corporation. Administrative divisions include zonal offices, engineering wings, tax collection units, and public health sections that liaise with national institutions such as the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Bangladesh), the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, and regulatory authorities like Bangladesh Water Development Board. Governance challenges have entailed inter-agency coordination with transport bodies like the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) and infrastructure projects funded by multilateral lenders such as the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.

Geography and Urban Structure

The corporation covers a contiguous urban area spanning historic districts including Old Dhaka, commercial corridors like Motijheel, and waterfronts along the Buriganga River and proximity to the Turag River. Urban form combines precolonial fabric, colonial-era planning landmarks, and post-independence high-density residential sectors similar to patterns seen in Karachi and Manila. Land use includes markets such as Newmarket (Dhaka), industrial clusters near Tejgaon Industrial Area, institutional sites like Dhaka Medical College and transport hubs including Kamrangirchar and Sadarghat Launch Terminal. The corporation’s ward map reflects varied built environments from narrow lanes of Chawk Bazar to planned roads in the Gulistan and Shahbagh precincts.

Infrastructure and Services

Service provision encompasses municipal water distribution interfacing with the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA), urban sanitation and waste management programs, road maintenance along arteries such as Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, and street lighting across major thoroughfares. Public health campaigns coordinate with institutions like the Dhaka Medical College Hospital and immunization programs run by the Expanded Programme on Immunization (Bangladesh). Public transport nodes include connections to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib International Airport, intercity bus terminals, and integration with projects such as the Dhaka Metro Rail and bus rapid transit proposals supported by bilateral partners including the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Economy and Development

The corporation’s jurisdiction hosts commercial sectors concentrated in Motijheel, wholesale markets at Kawran Bazar, and service industries anchored by financial institutions like the Bangladesh Bank branches and corporate headquarters. Small and medium enterprises in neighborhoods such as Old Dhaka and industrial estates like Tejgaon contribute to employment, while development initiatives reference programs by the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank urban resilience projects. Land value dynamics are influenced by infrastructure investments, regulatory frameworks set by RAJUK, and fiscal measures including municipal taxation and business licensing.

Demographics and Society

The population within the southern corporation area is diverse, comprising long-standing communities in Old Dhaka as well as internal migrants from divisions such as Chittagong Division and Sylhet Division. Religious and cultural institutions include historic sites like the Ahsan Manzil, Star Mosque, and numerous bazaars and festivals linked to Pohela Boishakh and other cultural calendars. Educational institutions within the area include University of Dhaka adjacent campuses, colleges such as Dhaka College, and a range of schools contributing to human capital profiles captured by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Challenges and Future Plans

The corporation faces urban challenges observed in megacities: flood risk management along the Buriganga River, traffic congestion on corridors connecting to Dhaka Cantonment and Tejgaon, solid waste overflow, informal settlements in areas like Keraniganj fringe zones, and pollution concerns monitored by the Department of Environment (Bangladesh). Strategic plans reference collaboration with national and international partners including the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and initiatives aligned with the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 and Vision 2041-era urban proposals. Proposed interventions emphasize infrastructure upgrades, integrated transport planning with the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority, waste-to-energy pilots, and participatory planning involving ward-level constituencies and civil society groups.

Category:Local government in Bangladesh Category:Dhaka