DHAKA is no doubt excessively populated and polluted. Though there have been demands many times to make the city livable, but the government and the concerned authorities have paid no heed to this. A High Court Division Bench on Monday directed the government to protect all canals, parks and playgrounds from the grip of powerful land grabbers. This directive is not new. The court also gave similar directions several times before. All went unheeded. The HC has now directed the concerned secretaries of the government and the Bangladesh Water Development Board chief to immediately stop the encroachments and earth filling.
We share the concerns of the High Court as the people have the right to lead peaceful and healthy lives in the city. Dhaka is full of civic nuisances, which are growing unchecked due to the insensitive encroachment of open spaces, parks, indiscriminate filling of natural canals, wet lands and other water bodies and more recently deforestation has also been added to its woes. The natural mode of living in the city has been destroyed by some greedy people who are involved in such heinous activities. They are mostly politically backed, some are even elected representatives; and maintain a connection to the party in power and therefore, it has become a daunting task for the city authorities to halt them. Our political culture has been lowered down to such a position that every irregularity here can be managed or covered up with the mercy of political loyalty.
Encroachment of canals, grabbing lands or destroying civic life is not a matter of public interest as the country is run by not civility but anarchy. Therefore, for the 15 million plus city dwellers, it seems, there are hardly any other options left other than getting accustomed to its never-ending nuisance.
But we still believe the living conditions in Dhaka can be improved if immediate steps are taken by the city’s decision makers.
Though the unplanned and uncontrolled pace of urbanisation has taken its toll on the city’s living conditions, but the High Court, civil society, and above all, the citizens are undoubtedly trying to maintain the city as a living hub. It is an inspiring fact that the common people are now moving ahead to save the city from the grip of the land grabbers. More people are now becoming environmentally conscious, which undoubtedly proves that the city of four hundred years cannot be degraded only due to the need of greedy people. We thank the High Court and appreciate it for such a timely decision. Now, we hope the authorities concerned would take the necessary steps as per the court’s directives. If not so, we believe the HC can’t lose, it can take punitive actions against those who ignore the court orders. None can be above the law and the law can’t give mercy to those who are destroying our capital by grabbing lands, parks, canals and thus making the city uninhabitable.
