PABNA, July 30 (V7N) – The 150-year-old Pabna Municipality is continuing its official activities from a building declared abandoned years ago, raising concerns over safety risks and poor public service delivery.
Established in 1876, Pabna Municipality was upgraded to a first-class municipality in 1989. However, residents say the institution has failed to keep pace with modern urban service requirements due to infrastructure limitations, manpower shortages, and inadequate facilities.
The municipal office building was officially declared abandoned by the government in 2012, but no new administrative building has been constructed so far. As a result, officials and employees continue to work in the ageing structure, creating fears of a possible accident at any time.
The municipality is also struggling with a severe shortage of manpower. Of the 124 approved positions for officers and employees, only 71 are currently filled, leaving 53 vacancies.
Covering an area of 27.20 square kilometres, the municipality has around 220 kilometres of roads. While approximately 660 cleaners are required to maintain the roads and public spaces, only 194 are currently working, leaving a shortage of 466 workers. Similarly, only 45 employees are engaged in drainage cleaning against a required workforce of 120.
Residents have complained about poor waste management, clogged drains, and prolonged waterlogging during the rainy season. Khairul Islam, a resident of Ward No. 7, said many areas remain submerged after rainfall due to irregular cleaning of drains, with some places experiencing waterlogging for several months.
Kamal Sen, a resident of South Raghunathpur area, criticised the municipality for repeatedly increasing taxes without improving essential services. He urged the government to take immediate steps to resolve the institution’s longstanding problems.
Pabna Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Forkan Reza Badsha Biswas said citizens have been deprived of quality municipal services for decades despite the municipality’s long history. He called for urgent action to improve service delivery.
Pabna BSCIC Industrial Estate Association President Afzal Hossain Raja said the municipality faces problems in almost every sector and requires a coordinated approach to overcome the challenges.
However, Pabna Municipality Administrator Khairul Islam said steps have already been taken to improve services and develop infrastructure. He said a proposal has been submitted to include the municipality in a development project and that an application has been made for funding to construct a new municipal building.
He added that initiatives have also been taken to construct residential facilities for municipal workers living in the Harijan colony. The administrator expressed hope that government support would help transform Pabna Municipality into a modern institution providing improved services to citizens.
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