Ditching of policy advice reason for dev crisis
Researchers, experts tell International Growth Centre, Brac Institute of Governance and Development discussion
Ditching of policy recommendations in development work is leading to a crisis, noted researchers and experts told a discussion in the capital yesterday.
By and large, 80 percent of suggestions for inclusive and sustainable development are usually not followed through, said architect Tanwir Nawaz who worked as a senior consultant in formulating the Strategic Transport Plan (STP) for greater Dhaka.
He cited as examples arbitrary development bypassing the Detailed Area Plan of Dhaka and STP.
The International Growth Centre (IGC) and Brac Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) organised the discussion on formulating research agenda on urbanisation challenges at The Daily Star Centre.
Expressing frustration over procrastination in implementing the metro rail project, Tanwir underscored the need for improved bus services as an immediate measure, adding that a third of the capital's productivity went to waste for traffic congestion. For the ignorance, vested political interests get precedence over collective public interests in development programmes, said noted economist Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, executive chairman of Power and Participation Research Centre.
Instead of being an economic opportunity, urbanisation is now turning into a crisis with the manifestation of environmental pollution, immense loss of work hours due to traffic congestion, migration in desperation and stagnation in foreign investment, he said.
Urban poverty is a major area about which the decision makers lack researched knowledge, he said, adding that the urban culture which people desire was another area.
Architect Iqbal Habib, member secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon, said traffic gridlock in the capital was worsening every day with the existing rail tracks left unutilised, pedestrian passages illegally occupied and circular waterways left neglected.
Private cars account for only eight percent of the three millions trips made daily in the capital, occupying 80 percent of the available road width, he said.
The denial of planned development is a consequence of the absence of vibrant democratic institutions like the current parliament and a lack of governance lead, said Sultan Hafeez Rahman, country director of IGC and executive director of BIGD.
WaterAid country representative Khairul Islam also spoke while Fahad Khalil, a professor of economics at University of Washington, moderated the discussion.