Dhaka, May 1 -- Although Shariatpur Municipality was promoted to a first-class municipality 20 years ago, people living there have yet to receive many amenities worthy of the status. The municipality does not even have a supply of safe drinking water. Most areas do not have sufficient streetlights.

As the streets are engulfed in darkness at night, incidents of theft, robbery and mugging have continued to rise. A spike in drug addiction has also been noticed in the area.

Shariatpur Municipality Commissioner and Additional Deputy Commissioner Pinky Saha says streetlights are not the municipality's only problem. However, 200 new streetlights will be installed, she said.

Municipality residents complain that the bulbs in the lampposts have ...