Dhaka North launches three-day drive to clean up historic Paris Canal in Mirpur

Dhaka North City Corporation has launched a three-day cleaning drive to restore the historic Paris Canal in Mirpur, with its administrator pledging to overcome obstacles to reclaiming and beautifying the waterway.

The initiative, launched jointly with volunteer organisation Footsteps, aims to clean up the canal and support plans to develop a walkway along it.

Speaking at the launch today (27 October), Dhaka North Administrator Md Shafiqul Islam Khan said the corporation was working to realise Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s vision of “Clean Dhaka, Green Dhaka” and called on residents to help keep the canals clean.

“We are cleaning the canals and trying to create an attractive environment. It is your responsibility to keep these places clean,” he said, urging residents not to dump household waste into the waterways.

He also stressed the need to keep canals clear to prevent mosquito breeding amid rising dengue cases.

Responding to journalists’ questions, Shafiqul said a committee led by the corporation’s chief engineer had completed 85-90% of its work to review canal boundaries, following errors in demarcation under the previous government. The final boundaries would be determined soon, paving the way for removing illegal encroachments and completing rehabilitation, he added.

The administrator said discussions were underway with the French government on possible support for developing and beautifying Paris Canal.

He also cited the removal of a footpath encroachment in Mirpur-10, which had persisted for 25 years, saying the footpath had remained free of encroachment for two months with public cooperation.

The corporation’s Chief Engineer Brigadier General Rakibul Hasan, Chief Waste Management Officer Captain Iftekhar Hossain, representatives of Footsteps, the French ambassador and local political leaders attended the event.