Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Illegal graffiti ads dirtying city

Rizanuzzaman Laskar
Photo: STAR
Photo: STAR

Strange looking women in peculiar clothes have taken over most of the city’s roadside walls. Their grotesque and deformed postures annoy pedestrians.
Onlookers say this kind of particular advertisements is a torture to their eyes. “They look like aliens from mars,” remarked Shah Alam, a pedestrian in Badda.
The unpleasant looking wall advertisements from a private teaching institution stretching across many of the city’s walls are an instance of the problem that has been spoiling city’s street landscapes for decades: graffiti advertisements.
Among the various factors that are responsible for defacement of the city’s landscape, graffiti stands out against all others as an eyesore to everyone.
Dhaka dwellers say the city is becoming increasing dirty due to an increasing trend of putting up graffiti and sticking posters on walls for advertising purposes.
Small business firms including private coaching centres to electronics products retailers, from schools to beauty parlours, clinics to restaurants tend to creep up the walls.
“They are probably the cheapest and one of the most effective forms of advertisements,” said Mohammad Khalil, an artist who was seen painting graffiti on a wall near the Khilgaon rail crossing earlier in the week.
“They offer maximum exposure at very economic costs,” he said.
But someone should inform Khalil, his fellow advertisers and the marketers who use walls for advertising their products that people engaged in such activities can be punished for damaging public or private property as per existing law.
“You cannot help but wonder how can all these small business firms and advertisers can use street walls without any noticeable constraints while candidates for the national elections — probably the most important event of the country — were barred from using graffiti for campaign,” said Mahbubul Alam, a veteran from Malibagh.
Some of the advertisements also contain vulgar or improper remarks that many onlookers may find offensive.
“My son recently started going to school. He likes to read out loud almost everything he comes across — names of stores, posters, banners and of course the graffiti painted on the walls as you cannot miss them,” said Kamrul Hasan from Dhanmondi.
“The other day we were passing by a series of street advertisements on the wall. My son’s eyes caught an advertisement from an herbal clinic offering solutions to voluptuous and impotency related diseases,” he said. “His curiosity got the best out of him and he started asking questions about the meaning of those words.”
“It was a very awkward situation as I had no answer to his questions,” said Hasan. “It is shocking to see there is no form of restriction or even monitoring on what sort of things are being posted there. Are the authorities actually doing anything regarding this?”
Apart from street-side walls, many of these graffiti ads are creeping into private properties.
“Earlier last week, I woke up in the morning to find a large graffiti advertisement of a ball point pen in the front wall of my garage beside my front entrance,” said Kamal Hossain from Malibagh.
“I was enraged. I went to lodge a complaint with the local city corporation office. They said they would look into the problem. But no action has been taken although it has been over a week since then,” he said.
When contacted, the manager of an advertising firm told this correspondent they usually take permission from the owners before using their walls for graffiti.
However, this correspondent could not find one owner who could testify that the graffiti in front of their house was painted with their consent.
Sources at the Conservancy Department of DCC said they conduct regular drives to stop this practice.
“We usually contact the advertisers and ask them to repaint the walls back to its original form. We would take lawful measures against them if they do not comply to this direction,” said a DCC official requesting anonymity.
However, they could not say when the next series of drive would start.
Meanwhile, the LGRD and cooperatives ministry has drafted an ordinance proposing a ban on scrawling graffiti and pasting posters on the walls of houses and establishments in urban areas across the country.
The draft titled ‘Wall writing and poster control ordinance 2008’ also proposed stringent punishment including fines for violation of the ordinance, sources said.
According to the draft proposals, nobody will be allowed to use walls for writings or pasting posters to campaign for their interests. The law enforcement agencies will be empowered to direct companies or persons concerned to remove those.
Copy of the draft ordinance has been sent to the Election Commission (EC) to examine its provisions.
According to Zillur Rahman, a spokesperson for George Advertisement, the cost of a graffiti advertisement would vary depending on the type of paint used along with the length and width of the advert and also the location.
“I would recommend synthetic enamel pain as it has greater longevity and looks good too,” he said. “An average advertisement usually stretches around 5 feet in length and 12 to 15 feet in width with each square feet costing around Tk 15.”
“You would not have to worry about anything else. All you have to do is give us an outline of the kind of advert you want and pay the charges. We will take care of everything else,” said Zillur.

Courtesy: thedailystar.net

Related News

Six Seasons Hotel offers Chinese special BBQ buffet with B1G3 offer till October 31

City Desk : dhakamirror.com Six Seasons Hotel is excited to announce the BBQ buffet dinner – Chinese special! at its stunning rooftop restaurant, Sky Pool. This exclusive dining experience, complete with panoramic lake views, will be available until October 31, 2024. Perfect for those seeking the best buffet in Gulshan, this dinner also includes an ... Read more

ACI Motors enthrals Ctg Motor Fest with Yamaha super bikes

City Desk : dhakamirror.com ACI Motors Limited showcased their spectacular arrangement with a raft of events at the “7th Chattogram Motor Fest 2024” at GEC Convention Hall in the port city, according to a press release. The events were divided into bike display and touch and feel experience activities. Of the events, the automobile company ... Read more

17th Dhaka Motor Show begins in Purbachal

City Desk : dhakamirror.com The 17th edition of the Dhaka Motor Show kicked off at the Bangabandhu Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre (BBCFEC) in Purbachal area today. Automotive manufacturers of over 175 companies from 17 countries, including Japan, India, China, Malaysia, South Korea and the USA, are showcasing latest cars, bikes and other aftermarket supporting parts ... Read more

Mediterranean food fest to begin at Crowne Plaza Dhaka on May 16

City Desk : dhakamirror.com Crowne Plaza Dhaka Gulshan would arrange a Mediterranean Food Festival for its customers at The Flair, said a press release on Monday. The festival will begin on May 16. The festival will be led by Syrian-born executive chef Mohammad Khawaldeh and will present a rich array of flavors straight from seashores ... Read more

‘Smart School Bus’ era begins in Ctg City

City Desk : dhakamirror.com Students will now have to tap their smart cards to board a smart school bus. This will notify parents of their whereabouts and boarding time instantly. Likewise, a second message will be sent to parents alerting them to the location and time of their child’s drop-off as soon as the students ... Read more

Kaaruj opens exclusive store in Dhanmondi

City Desk : dhakamirror.com Kaaruj, the renowned brand known for its devotion to empowering local artisans and providing eco-friendly products, has celebrated the grand opening of its first-ever exclusive store in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, marking a noteworthy milestone. On Sunday (4 November ), a glittering inauguration ceremony was held at 27 Shaptak Square, Shop L03/13, 2nd ... Read more

Indian food festival at Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden

City Desk : dhakamirror.com Radisson Blu Dhaka will take its respective guests on a gastronomic voyage to enjoy the tantalizing flavours of “Indian Food Festival” starting from 21 October to 27 October, beginning from 1830 hours to 2300 hours at Water Garden Brasserie. Dhaka is a city that sees numerous tourists coming from various parts ... Read more

Spanish Food Festival opens at Le Méridien Dhaka

City Desk : dhakamirror.com The Spanish Food Festival has inaugurated, and Le Mridien Dhaka, one of the city’s top 5-star hotels and a brand of Marriott International is pleased to announce it. The Spanish Food Festival promises to deliver an authentic and immersive experience that will bring intriguing tastebuds to the guests. The hotel is ... Read more

Leather products exhibition to begin Oct 12

City Desk : dhakamirror.com The fourth edition of Bangladesh Leather Footwear & Leathergoods International Sourcing Show (BLLISS-2023) will begin on Thursday (12th October) at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in Dhaka. The international exhibition, from 12-14 October, is going to be jointly organized by the LFMEAB and Ministry of Commerce of Bangladesh. The organisers shared ... Read more

Dhaka Regency celebrating local culinary heritage

City Desk : dhakamirror.com To celebrate the local culinary heritage, Dhaka Regency Hotel and Resort has organized a food festival titled “The Local Culinary Heritage of Bangladesh 2023” from October 5 to 30, 2023 at its signature dining outlet, Grandiose Restaurant. ‘The Local Culinary Heritage of Bangladesh 2023’ food festival from 5 October 2023 to ... Read more

Dhaka to remain silent for one minute on 15 October

City Desk : dhakamirror.com The government has decided to observe a minute’s silence in Dhaka city on October 15 from 10:00 to 10:01 a.m. to raise awareness about noise pollution. The ministry of environment, forests and climate change took the decision in an inter-ministerial meeting at the secretariat on Wednesday to prevent noise pollution, according ... Read more

BURGER KING opens new outlet in Mirpur-12

City Desk : dhakamirror.com BURGER KING, a fast-food chain, has opened their ninth outlet in Dhaka. The address is Plot 45, Road 7, Block A, Section 12, Pallabi. Mirpur-12 residents can now indulge in the iconic WHOPPER and choose from a delightful selection of menu items right from the grand opening. The location is set ... Read more

Experience true fun at the new Sundora Kids toy store in Banani

City Desk : dhakamirror.com Sundora Kids, the official retailer of LEGO, Crayola, Haribo, and Elmer’s has opened a new toy store in Banani, Dhaka for kids of all ages as well as adult LEGO enthusiasts. On 24 August, Sundora hosted an opening ceremony that brought together VIP guests and kids ready to unleash their creativity. ... Read more

Café Sao Paulo organises ‘Tris Lasagna Festival’

City Desk : dhakamirror.com The Café Sao Paulo recently organised the ‘Tris Lasagna Festival’ with its Italian Master Chef Valter Belli. The campaign took place at Café Sao Paulo’s Dhanmondi and Banani outlets from 29 to 30 July, reads a press release. The Italian favourite of lasagna that we all know and love originated in ... Read more

RU celebrates 70th anniversary

City Desk : dhakamirror.com The authorities of Rajshahi University celebrated the university’s 70th founding anniversary on Thursday amid enthusiasm and festivity. The university acting vice-chancellor, professor Sultan-ul-Islam inaugurated the day’s events at 10:05am in front of the university administrative building by hoisting the national and the university flags, and releasing pigeons and balloons.

Dhaka Summer Con 2023 to be held on July 12-14 at ICCB

City Desk : dhakamirror.com To celebrate the rising popularity of pop culture in the country, the first-ever Dhaka Summer Con 2023 will be held at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in the capital for three days on July 12, 13 and 14. Event management and public relations company MediaQuest Bangladesh is going to organize ... Read more

Holiday Inn Dhaka City Centre launches Mediterranean restaurant ‘The Ilish’

City Desk : dhakamirror.com Holiday Inn Dhaka City Centre launched a one of a kind Mediterranean restaurant called ‘The ILISH’ on on 18 May. For those with an adventurous palate, this is a great opportunity to find new twists on the familiar feel, as there are only few Mediterranean themed restaurants in Dhaka, says a ... Read more

Week-long Asian food festival kicks off in Chittagong

City Desk : dhakamirror.com A week-long Asian Fusion Food Festival started at Hotel The Peninsula in Chattogram city on Thursday. Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) chairman M Zahirul Alam Dovas inaugurated the food festival at Laguna Restaurant located on the 5th floor of Peninsula Chattogram while general manager of Peninsula Chattogram Sumedha Gunawardene along with invited ... Read more

Chatgaya Food Festival held at The Peninsula Chittagong

City Desk : dhakamirror.com The Peninsula Chittagong desires to offer the diverse Chittagonian foods and textures to foodies in the city at the Chatgaya Food Festivalon from 27 April till 3 May 2023 at Laguna Restaurant. , reads a press release. This would be a great place to enjoy all types of Chittagonian traditional food ... Read more

Kites, fireworks fill Dhaka sky

City Desk : dhakamirror.com Poush Sangkranti, also known as Shakrain, was celebrated in Old Dhaka on Saturday evening.Kite flying, partying, and cuisine marked the Bengali month Poush’s end. Laser light shows, fireworks, and lanterns illuminated winter twilight. Shakrain is Old Dhaka’s traditional celebration. The streets of Sutrapur, Kaltabazar, Shakharibazar, Lalbagh, Faridabad, Tatibazar, Laxmibazar, Narinda, and ... Read more