The locals got electricity lines just a few years ago but still they are deprived of water supply, gas connection and sewerage system. However, tonnes of wastes from the city's sewerage lines are disposed in the area, polluting the river and other water bodies.

Locals said they are deprived of development due to lack of able leadership and the authorities' negligence. Abdul Jabbar, a local, said Basila is under DCC while Keraniganj is out of the city, but the people of Keraniganj are enjoying all civic amenities.

Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd has recently started laying gas pipelines in the area but construction of a road by the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) hindered the work, sparking protests by the locals.

Hundreds of people on February 2 protested the construction work by the RHD as they were frustrated by the hindrance to the gas network. The RHD is constructing a bridge on the proposed approach road towards the third Buriganga bridge.

Officials from both RHD and Titas however promised to the locals that they will complete the construction without hindering the pipeline work.

Titas officials said the company is working on about 4-kilometre gas network at Basila with 3-inch and 4-inch pipe, a portion of which would cross the approach road.

The RHD is yet to construct the road along which many low-lying areas are to be filled up for setting the gas network. In the meantime, RHD in a letter requested Titas to suspend the pipeline work for some time so that they can start work on the approach road.

When Titas stopped work, locals protested the RHD move. "We don't need the bridge, we need gas," said Ashraf Ali, a local sand trader. "The bridge is going to serve the people who live on other side of the river. It will rather produce traffic congestion for us."

A high official of the Titas said gas networking and the RHD work are inter-related. "Titas wants to finish the pipeline work in time," he said.

Locals said the Titas and RHD authorities have assured the people that they are not going to suspend the gas networking and complete their work in time. They want that the work must be done without hindering the gas pipeline work.

However, an RHD official at Basila said they are not creating any obstacle to gas networking in the area. "People have become confused as both the works were being done simultaneously. I hope everything will be complete in time."