Following the imposition of emergency many ward commissioners, allegedly involved in various crimes, went into hiding. Many others were arrested by the joint forces.

Although a number of the ward commissioners have returned from their 'self imposed hideouts', several others are still keeping a low profile and avoiding public appearances.

The commissioners' absence in the administration has virtually frozen the local government activities in their designated wards, depriving thousands of residents from collecting valuable legal documents including the likes of marriage or citizenship certificates despite inevitable emergencies.

Iftekhar Ahmed, a service provider from Mirpur (DCC ward no. 9) is suffering from a heart disease and is in desperate need of passports as he is planning to go abroad for treatments. However, Monowar Hossain Dipjol, the local ward commissioner being unavailable in the office, Ahmed can't get his documents and photographs approved, let alone obtaining his citizenship certificate.

"I desperately need the passports issued immediately, but the officials from the (commissioner's) office keep telling me to come back later as the commissioner is not there," said a frustrated Ahmed.

"Now I reckon that I will have to find the local female commissioner to get the papers issued," he added.

Efforts to contact Monowar Hossain Dipjol, commissioner for DCC ward no.9 through both land phone or cell phone turned out to be futile as nobody answered the calls.

Asked, his personal assistant told the correspondent Dipjol was last seen in his office earlier during the first quarter of January and he does not know when the commissioner would be back. "He is not in the office and I have no idea when he would be back," he said.

Ahsan Ullah Hasan, commissioner of DCC ward no.6 could not be found in his office on June 21 on 11:00 am. His family members told the correspondent that he is not home and could not give any satisfactory answers about his current whereabouts.

When contacted the family of Selim Ullah, DCC commissioner for the ward no.42, they told the correspondent that he is not at home and could not give any satisfactory answer on when he would be back.

Iftekhar Islam, secretary for the designated ward said that he receives roughly around 40 to 50 people who come for citizenship certificates for various reasons including school admissions, marriages, driving licenses and job opportunities everyday.

"I have not seen the commissioner since January 11 and a huge amount of work has been piled up since then," said Islam.

Munshi Bajlul Basid, commissioner of the DCC ward no.7 claimed that he is regularly operating his office. "I am available in my ward and operate my office everyday as absence of the commissioner would hamper the different developments works in the ward and the general people would suffer," said Basid.

"Why they (other commissioners) have gone into hiding is a question best be answered by them," was the answer from Basid when asked about the reason that made majority of the commissioners disappear.

According to DCC sources, the ward commissioners' responsibilities are similar to those of UP chairmen. "They are supposed to look after the development works within their vicinities and approve various legal documents such as citizenship, marriage, character along with residential certificates," said Majibur Rahman, secretary of DCC.

"The commissioners are also responsible for overseeing the operations of specific government owned establishments such as community centres and playgrounds that fall under the ward vicinity," he added.

The female commissioners, although have similar authorities to those of the male commissioners and can operate the various local government activities, female commissioners alleged that their influences are pretty much limited in the papers.

"It is somewhat annoying to have identical authorities with the male commissioners, especially when we have virtually no authorities at the same time," said Nasima Mannan, female commissioner for the reserved seat no.11.

"There is only one female commissioner for 3 DCC wards and with most of the male commissioners absent from their offices wethe female commissioners have been getting more visitors and applicants for different certificates," she added.

Asked why DCC authorities have not taken any measures to better the overall situation to ease public sufferings, DCC Mayor Sadeaque Hossain Khoka pointed out to the options available to the ward residents.

"The duties of the ward commissioners absent from the administration is usually designated to the commissioner of the adjacent ward," said the Mayor. "In cases of emergencies, the residents can seek help of the local female commissioner who is responsible for the combined operations of 3 adjacent DCC wards," he added.