Horse dung, sewage, masonry make Nimtoli-Bangabazar road a terrible passage

With horse dung littered everywhere and stinking effluents spilling out of drains and bins, the Nimtoli-Bangabazar road in Dhaka looks more like an open refuse bin than a thoroughfare used by thousands of people.

Pedestrians may beat the stench by covering their nostrils but cannot altogether avoid the risk of stumbling on bricks, construction materials, or piles of goods placed on pavements by vendors.
 
While locals point a finger at the city corporation’s indifference for the mess, the authorities blame it on the callousness of the local people.
 
While walking down the road beneath the Mayor Hanif Flyover, this correspondent encountered on Thursday about 15 horses tied at different places.
 

These animals are used for hauling traditional carriages, locally called ‘tom-toms’.

There are some 50 horses belonging to seven ‘tom-tom’ owners of the area, known as Anandabazar Ghora Potti, said Rakib, proprietor of the Tukuraja Tom-tom Service.

“But only two of them have their own stables. The rest keep their horses by the roadside. Most of us don’t have the space needed for stables.”

But he admitted that horse dung was a major contributor to the road’s messy condition.

“We have the place cleaned every day. So, the stench is less here,” Rakib said, pointing to the spot where his horses were kept.

There is a kitchen market, a residential locality, and dozens of shops along the road.

A local trader alleged the city corporation did not properly clean the sewers and the dustbins. “Sometimes, we get them cleaned ourselves. But that cannot be a permanent solution.”

Sohel Rana, manager of a courier service office situated there, said, “Nobody tries to keep the road clean. Since the city authorities seem not to bother, indifference has crept in among the locals as well. They dump waste everywhere.”

The road becomes even more treacherous and obnoxious during the monsoon, says Selim Mia, owner of a roadside tea stall.

“If you came a few weeks ago, you would have seen how horrible the condition of the road can be!

“See, those people cannot walk along the road without covering their noses,” he said, pointing to a group of pedestrians.

Contacted, local ward councillor Farid Uddin Ahmed Ratan said, “The problems will soon be solved ... Road repair work in Chankharpool and clean-up drives in Nimtoli and Bangabazar area have begun from Tuesday.”

Some haphazardly parked horse carriages had been removed from the road a few times, he claimed. “I do not know if some are still there. Steps will be taken if they are back.”