Ten years after a major eviction drive cleared Chattogram's skyline, billboards are making a return to the port city.

New billboard structures have recently appeared at key intersections across the city, including Jamal Khan, Kazir Dewri, Probortok, GEC, Lalkhan Bazar and Tiger Pass.

The reappearance of billboards has frustrated many residents who remember a time when advertisements dominated the skyline, obscuring the city's hills.

The campaign to remove billboards began in January 2016 under then mayor AJM Nasir Uddin, following sustained pressure from civil society groups. At the time, Nasir vowed that the Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) would never allow billboards to return.

His successors, former administrator Khorshed Alam Sujan and former mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, largely maintained that position.

After assuming office on November 5, 2024, current Mayor Shahadat Hossain also pledged not to allow billboards in the port city. However, the recent appearance of new structures has prompted questions about the administration's commitment to that promise.

“In the past, we saw that those involved in the billboard business were affiliated with the ruling party. This time, the situation appears no different,” said Advocate Akhtar Kabir Chowdhury, president of the Chattogram chapter of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SHUJAN).

"If the present mayor cannot demonstrate courage to take action against people from his own party, then what change has come after the fall of the autocratic government?" he asked.

Amid growing criticism, the CCC launched an eviction drive on February 19, beginning at Kazir Dewri.

Mohammad Ashraful Amin, acting chief executive officer of the CCC, said no permission had been granted for any billboard installation.

"We have ordered those who installed the structures to remove them immediately," he told The Daily Star.

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Mayor Shahadat Hossain reiterated his opposition to illegal structures but indicated that digital displays would be treated differently.

"LED screens will remain. People need a place to advertise. LED screens exist in Dhaka and in cities abroad as well," he said.

The mayor said the CCC would allow owners a “reasonable period” to dismantle the unauthorised structures.

"If they do not remove them, we will take those down ourselves," he warned.

Residents, however, have called for strict regulations to ensure that digital advertising does not lead to a repeat of the past.

Mizanur Rahaman, a resident of Lalkhan Bazar, said billboards and LED screens are common in many cities around the world but are usually subject to strict regulations.

"In our country, these are set up indiscriminately," he said.

He urged the authorities to adopt a planned approach if digital advertising is permitted.

"If the CCC allows them, designated locations should be identified to prevent misuse and ensure they do not obstruct the city's view again," he added.