Special Correspondent :
Dhaka, the country’s capital city, faces the risk of collapse within a decade or so, according to prediction by people with specialization in the relevant field. Now it is the responsibility of the policy-makers and government functionaries—and also the people to give due importance to the warning and devise ways and means accordingly.
City space has already proved inadequate for a population of 15 million—and growing at the rate of about seven per cent annually due to migration from rural areas. The city’s slums which are temporary homes to at least 40 per cent , experts in the field said.
Dwelling houses cannot accommodate the huge number of people migrating from the rural areas to the city. They are creating pressure on its existing facilities like roads, transports and utility services that are required for decent living, they added.
Dhaka’s expansion both vertical and horizontal is taking place more in a haphazard manner than under a comprehensive plan. A detailed area plan (DAP) has been drawn but by the time permanent structures have surfaced threatening proper implementation of DAP, they said.
For decades urban mess has been allowed to continue, consequently, chaos has taken dominance over rules and regulations in all areas, from traffic system to service providers, they observed. Even the potential threat of a powerful earthquake could not deter greedy developers and house owners alike to go for vulnerable structures.
The decision makers have so far failed to stop encroachment on our rivers, canals, government lands and public spaces so invaluable for the physical environment of a
large city, they said adding, “air and water pollution has crossed all limits with the city’s ground water level going down at an alarming rate every year. All these are factors that suggest the city’s collapse.”
When contacted Professor Nazrul Islam, Chairman, Centre for Urban Studies (CUS) talking to The New Nation on Tuesday said urbanization for the whole country has been taking place rapidly in an unplanned manner. In this context, he recalled the formulation of a national urban policy encompassing all the major sectors of urban development following a three-day conference, organised by Bangladesh Urban Forum jointly with the government and UNDP in December, 2011. The policy, he said, is however, yet to get the government nod.
Had the policy been approved, he said, the government could move ahead with relevant projects phase wise to give a balanced urban development throughout the country.
Referring to the capital city, Professor Nazrul said the Forum recommended containing the migration of the people towards the capital through development of regional metropolitan cities, secondary cities and also small towns. The Forum stressed the need for higher level of coordination among the development organisations in the city for establishment of good city governance, he said adding , ” The capital demands highest level of commitment from the government and participation of the people.”
Dhaka, the country’s capital city, faces the risk of collapse within a decade or so, according to prediction by people with specialization in the relevant field. Now it is the responsibility of the policy-makers and government functionaries—and also the people to give due importance to the warning and devise ways and means accordingly.
City space has already proved inadequate for a population of 15 million—and growing at the rate of about seven per cent annually due to migration from rural areas. The city’s slums which are temporary homes to at least 40 per cent , experts in the field said.
Dwelling houses cannot accommodate the huge number of people migrating from the rural areas to the city. They are creating pressure on its existing facilities like roads, transports and utility services that are required for decent living, they added.
Dhaka’s expansion both vertical and horizontal is taking place more in a haphazard manner than under a comprehensive plan. A detailed area plan (DAP) has been drawn but by the time permanent structures have surfaced threatening proper implementation of DAP, they said.
For decades urban mess has been allowed to continue, consequently, chaos has taken dominance over rules and regulations in all areas, from traffic system to service providers, they observed. Even the potential threat of a powerful earthquake could not deter greedy developers and house owners alike to go for vulnerable structures.
The decision makers have so far failed to stop encroachment on our rivers, canals, government lands and public spaces so invaluable for the physical environment of a
large city, they said adding, “air and water pollution has crossed all limits with the city’s ground water level going down at an alarming rate every year. All these are factors that suggest the city’s collapse.”
When contacted Professor Nazrul Islam, Chairman, Centre for Urban Studies (CUS) talking to The New Nation on Tuesday said urbanization for the whole country has been taking place rapidly in an unplanned manner. In this context, he recalled the formulation of a national urban policy encompassing all the major sectors of urban development following a three-day conference, organised by Bangladesh Urban Forum jointly with the government and UNDP in December, 2011. The policy, he said, is however, yet to get the government nod.
Had the policy been approved, he said, the government could move ahead with relevant projects phase wise to give a balanced urban development throughout the country.
Referring to the capital city, Professor Nazrul said the Forum recommended containing the migration of the people towards the capital through development of regional metropolitan cities, secondary cities and also small towns. The Forum stressed the need for higher level of coordination among the development organisations in the city for establishment of good city governance, he said adding , ” The capital demands highest level of commitment from the government and participation of the people.”
