MEDIA reports said the architecture educators who are currently discussing urban development of Bangladesh, particularly of Dhaka city, have expressed their all agreed upon concern about the wild urbanisation of the capital city.
According to reports the educators also indicated how no one is ‘choreographing urbanisation as policymakers lack clear vision’, which is leading to the destruction of conservable wetlands and croplands by private real estate developers in the name of urban development. This poses extreme danger for the ecological, environmental and hydrological systems in and around Dhaka. The reports discussed how planned urbanisation means living collectively and equitably in a civil manner, not earth filling of an area and building mere structures thereto. Apparently walking is given the highest priority in urban mobility across the world but pedestrians in Bangladesh are not only denied footpaths but also discounted, according to the report. Experts further opined that mass transportation like Mass Rapid Transit is a must for Dhaka but it will not work without a functional pedestrian system and emphasized how it is a civic right of a city dweller to have pedestrian passage, parks, playgrounds, plazas and festivals apart from basic services including safe water, electricity, education and healthcare. Unplanned and uncontrolled urbanisation is destroying such social spaces and severely hampering social, emotional and cultural growth, particularly of the children. Reports also showed how unplanned and uncontrolled urbanisation has caused traffic congestion, overpopulation, pollution, health crisis and lack of basic services in different cities (particularly Dhaka) in Bangladesh.
It is natural that people in rural areas or other cities dream of a better life and thus migrate to the capital Dhaka because of better economy, incentives and entrepreneurship. In order to accommodate these people, immense pressure falls on the infrastructure of the city which cannot respond to any needs of urban life effectively because of it. Uncontrolled urban growth ensues because of improper regulation by the government and the vicious cycle continues.
The government of Bangladesh needs to wake up and understand that Dhaka’s problems cannot be solved just by looking at Dhaka alone and other major cities need to be organised in a planned manner so that the whole country improves, giving equal opportunities to all of its citizens all over the country.
