Dhaka South unveils Tk4,004cr budget, boosts cleanliness allocation by 262%

Dhaka South City Corporation today (30 July) unveiled a Tk4,004.60 crore budget for FY2026-27, giving top priority to cleanliness and waste management.

The allocation for the sector rose by Tk236.77 crore, or around 262%, from the original budget for the previous fiscal year. Spending on health and mosquito control also increased by nearly 120% to tackle dengue.

"This year's budget has been prepared by creating new revenue sources and cutting unnecessary spending, without imposing additional taxes or raising tax rates on citizens," Dhaka South Administrator Bir Muktijoddha Md Abdus Salam said while announcing the budget at Nagar Bhaban auditorium in the capital.

The budget projects Tk1,815.74 crore in revenue receipts and Tk1,457.93 crore in development receipts. Operating and capital expenditure has been set at Tk1,559.68 crore, while development expenditure stands at Tk1,904.42 crore.

Cleanliness allocation rises 262%

Dhaka South has allocated Tk327 crore for cleanliness and waste management, up Tk236.77 crore, or around 262%, from Tk90.23 crore in the previous fiscal year. The new allocation is about 3.6 times the previous amount.

According to the budget, Tk180 crore has been allocated for wages of casual cleaning workers, Tk55 crore for drain cleaning, Tk20 crore for developing the central landfill, Tk10 crore for modernising heavy waste-carrying vehicles, and Tk8 crore for purchasing and repairing waste bins and containers.

The budget also includes plans to launch a "Clean Care" app and hotline, observe "Cleaning Day" on the first Saturday of every month, upgrade six secondary transfer stations, turn the Matuail landfill into a "Resource Circulation Park", and set up a new compost plant.

Mosquito control spending nearly doubles

The budget allocates Tk121.66 crore for health and mosquito control, up Tk66.35 crore, or nearly 120%, from Tk55.31 crore in the previous fiscal year.

Of the allocation, Tk55 crore will be spent on workers' wages, Tk50.50 crore on insecticides, Tk8 crore on fuel, and Tk7.50 crore on mosquito-control equipment.

Roads receive largest own-funded allocation

Of the Tk1,904.42 crore development expenditure, Tk806.49 crore will come from Dhaka South's own funds.

Road and highway construction and repairs will receive the largest share of this allocation at Tk526.60 crore.

Another Tk40 crore has been allocated for platform development, sheds, ticket counters and toilets at the Kanchpur inter-district bus terminal.

Dhaka South has also allocated Tk40 crore to install artificial intelligence-based traffic signals at 22 intersections with technical support from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology.

The budget includes Tk45 crore for developing Dhanmondi Lake and Tk7 crore for tree plantation and afforestation.

Ongoing government development projects will receive Tk554.84 crore.

Of this, Tk236.48 crore has been allocated for the Inner Circular Ring Road, Tk153.86 crore for canal restoration and renovation, Tk96 crore for the Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy Shishu Park project, Tk36 crore for waste-management equipment and mechanised parking, and Tk32.50 crore for constructing community centres.

Projects awaiting approval have been allocated another Tk519.24 crore.

The amount includes Tk190 crore for road and drainage development in 18 wards under five new zones, Tk180 crore for repairing major roads, drains and footpaths, and Tk109.24 crore for infrastructure development in zones 2, 4 and 7.

Another Tk20 crore has been allocated for repairing damaged roads and drains in Zone 3, while Tk20 crore will be spent on modernising six community centres.

Drainage master plan under preparation

Dhaka South has identified 33 waterlogging hotspots across its 75 wards.

Portable pumps and suction machines will be deployed in these areas to remove accumulated water.

The Institute of Water Modelling (IWM) has been appointed to prepare a drainage master plan for 57 wards. Government approval has also been secured for two major drainage outlets.

No new taxes, burial and cremation fees halved

The budget imposes no new taxes and does not increase existing tax rates.

Dhaka South plans to expand its tax net through a GIS-based digital survey, new holding assessments and automation of the revenue system.

The corporation aims to collect Tk941.09 crore from municipal and other taxes, Tk200 crore from road-cutting fees, Tk150 crore from trade licences, Tk60 crore from rents from shops and terminals, Tk25 crore from public toilet leases, and Tk25 crore from advertisement tax.

The burial and cremation fee at graveyards and crematoriums has been reduced from Tk1,000 to Tk500. Dhaka South also plans to introduce digital numbering for graves.

Abdus Salam said the budget prioritised balanced development across zones, waterlogging reduction, dengue control, pollution control and improvements to roads and traffic management.

He said the measures were part of efforts to implement the corporation's "Clean City-Green City" vision.

The budget was approved at the 14th meeting of Dhaka South on 26 July. At Tk4,004.60 crore, it is Tk163.22 crore higher than the original Tk3,841.38 crore budget for FY2025-26.