City walls are poster-free during elections. Why not year-round?

Bangladesh is home to a rich and diverse heritage of unique art; think of our rickshaw art that was recently recognised by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage. But one area where the nation has constantly failed at is keeping our walls free of the chaos of unimaginative and unsightly posters. 

Whether it is a public washroom or the fence of a property along a random road, the walls often reflect a lack of beauty, besmirched with numerous types of new posters covering up the ugly remnants of past ones. 

But along with improvements in the economy and infrastructure, the aesthetics of the country's walls are also improving. 

Anyone who has seen the walls before the 2008 election can notice the difference — they are now much cleaner and campaign posters have moved from the walls to temporary overhead ropes. 

But unfortunately, that is only during the weeks and months preceding elections. What happens throughout the year? 

"That is because now the election commission is more active in implementing the law; usually, no one cares about the law throughout the year," said Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).

"We enact many important laws. There has been no shortage of laws in Bangladesh, but enforcement matters. If the law exists only in books and not in action, there is no meaning in having the law," he added.

He admits that some improvement has been seen, but overall, that remains inadequate. He points out that those who are responsible for implementing the law, in one way or another, encourage or provide leeway to those who do not abide by the law.

Iftekharuzzaman also mentions, "Using plastic-laminated paper is illegal, which is grossly prevalent. This also should be addressed."

Throughout the year, posters usurp the electric poles, private and public walls, bridges, flyovers, etc. Consider the poster movement of 'Poster Milon,' a title netizens gave to the Jatiya Party's presidium member Hazi Saifuddin Ahmed Milon for his poster bombing throughout the city; you will find his posters where you would not even imagine seeing one.

Posters of politicians from other areas have also made their way on to city walls. For example, posters of Lion Rashed Hawlader, the MP candidate for Barguna-2, can be seen in the Banglamotor area of the capital.

Another concern is the colour of the posters. At election time, we see all-black and white posters. But the scenery is different all year-long.

Shahriar Hossain, the secretary-general of the non-profit Eco-Social Development Organisation, highlighted that the text on the posters is printed using 12 colours — the majority of which are toxic.

"When these posters enter water bodies, they contaminate the water. Fish and trees end up ingesting toxic chemicals. These pollutants can subsequently find their way into the human body through the food chain, leading to various diseases, including liver and urinary system problems, and in some cases, even cancer. Additionally, laminated posters lead to water stagnation," he explained. 

Although the government enacted the Graffiti Writing and Poster Sticking Control Act in 2012 to prevent such activities, the act has been observed more in breach than in observance.

The law aims to prevent the defacement of public and private property by unauthorised posters and graffiti. According to the law, anyone who wants to paste posters or write graffiti on walls or other places must obtain prior permission from the relevant authorities and pay a fee. 

The law also allows the city corporations and local government authorities to designate specific places where posters and graffiti are allowed. Violating the law can result in a fine of up to Tk15,000 or a jail term of up to 15 days.

Not long before the election campaign begins, the posters for Victory Day are displayed in a significantly different manner, even for the same political leader. For instance, the electoral posters of Awami League MP candidate Bahauddin Nasim that hang in black and white above, have no resemblance to his Victory Day posters, which are colourful and affixed to the wall in defiance of the Posters Control Act. When enforced, which, in this case, occurs only during the election period, a single reform makes an exemplary difference. 

Local governance specialist Tofail Ahmed raises concerns about the aftermath of the election. "Who will clean the mess after the election? Laminated posters can be detrimental to the environment if they are not properly taken care of. In the city, city corporations might take some action, but outside, this is mostly ignored."

"Also, when posters are put up on the walls, it is the city corporation's responsibility to take immediate action and fine them. And it should be done all around the year," he opined.