It is disconcerting that in Dhaka, a city that generates more than 7,000 tons of waste every day, finding a public bin is still challenging -- a basic gap in public infrastructure that should no longer be acceptable.
The absence of bins makes responsible waste disposal unnecessarily difficult. A pedestrian carrying disposables accumulated through daily activities should not have to walk for kilometres to find somewhere to dispose of them.
While this inconvenience certainly cannot excuse littering, it does highlight the responsibility of the city corporations to provide practical facilities that make good behaviour possible.
There have been attempts before. In 2016, more than 11,000 mini bins were installed across Dhaka, but most disappeared within about a year because of theft and inadequate monitoring.
The fact that the capital is facing essentially the same problem a decade later shows that simply installing bins is not enough.
The current plan by Dhaka South City Corporation to install 2,000 heavier, more durable bins is therefore welcome -- but this time, the authorities must also ensure proper placement, regular maintenance, monitoring, and timely waste collection.
Dhaka North City Corporation, meanwhile, should move quickly to finalize a dedicated roadside-bin program instead of leaving pedestrians without convenient disposal options.
At the same time, public responsibility cannot be overlooked. Bins are useful only when people actually use them, and damaging or stealing public facilities only makes an already difficult problem much worse. Littering should not become the default simply because facilities are inadequate.
Ultimately, this is about more than waste management. Public services should be designed around the everyday needs of citizens, while citizens must also take responsibility for protecting and using those services properly. A cleaner Dhaka will require both.
The city corporations must provide the infrastructure and accountability, and the public must do its part too. Only then can keeping Dhaka clean become a shared responsibility rather than an endless struggle.