Development process lacks vision

Dhaka continues to suffer from the stigma of being unliveable, because whatever development it experiences is monocentric and uncoordinated, said urban and transport experts yesterday.

Unless population density of around 42,000 people per square kilometre is dispersed with decentralised development in other cities, the capital can never regain its liveability, they said. 

“But sadly, there is no vision in the development process to build Dhaka as a liveable city,” said Adil Mohammed Khan, general secretary of Bangladesh Institute of Planners.

Development projects are being undertaken in isolation, disjointed from one another, said Khan while delivering a keynote at the discussion on “How liveable is Dhaka”, organised by Nagar Unnyan Sangbadik Forum (NUSF) at Jatiya Press Club.

Development projects will soon prove either counter-productive or futile if not decentralised, he said, adding that 36 percent of 9,556-acre conservable flood flow zones, water retention areas and wetlands have been filled up over the past decade.

Traffic congestion, lack of coordination, water congestion, filling up wetlands and flood flow zones, mass migration to Dhaka city, scarce civic amenities, water, noise and air pollution, scarcity of safe drinking water and unhealthy housing are some of the challenges Dhaka’s development is faced with, he said.

“No sustainable urbanisation is possible without managing population density,” said Md Sirajul Islam, chief town planner of Dhaka South City Corporation.

Dr SM Saleh Uddin, technical expert of the 10-member committee for bus route rationalisation in Dhaka, said the government ignored the first priority of pedestrian facility provided in Dhaka’s Strategic Transport Plan and undertook priority of building flyovers and metro rail.

Almost none of such development schemes like Bus Rapid Transit is compliant with deadline, giving rise to enormous cost escalation, he said.

DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam also spoke at the event, chaired by NUSF President Amitosh Pal.