In a late night drive, Dhaka North City Corporation began demolishing illegal billboards on the road from Bijoy Sarani intersection to the Chandrima Udyan.
The advertising agencies, who own the billboards, alleged that the DNCC does not have the authority to remove them because they are placed on Air Force’s property.
The drive began around 9:45pm led by DNCC Chief Executive Officer BM Enamul Haque. Chief Waste Management Officer Bipon Kumar Saha was also present.
DNCC Mayor Annisul Huq was scheduled to join the drive but he had not until filing of this report.
Bipon Kumar said: “No one can set up billboards without the city corporation’s permission and therefore the billboards here are illegal...We will demolish all illegal billboards within the corporation’s jurisdiction.”
The advertising agencies on the other hand claimed that they had got the billboards’ space on lease from the Air Force. Moajjem Hossain Amirul, head of Dalas Advertisement, told reporters: “We do not know the source of his [Mayor Annisul] power... It’s a smirch for the army.”