Accessibility to riverfront
From time immemorial rivers have had a powerful hold over mankind and humans have always been drawn towards rivers. Especially in the urban context, rivers are important to us not only for they can facilitate trade and transportation, but they can also provide a much needed breathing space. An attractive riverfront is a quality natural space where people can relax, slow down, unwind and come to close contact with the nature. Besides, it can be a place of social gathering as well. People coming here get the chance to be acquainted with each other and mutual interaction. This interaction can foster a sense of community and enhance social cohesion. In fact, psychological and social well being of inhabitants is an important determinant of the quality of urban life and rivers can play a crucial role in this context.
Like many great cities, the historic core of Dhaka is inextricably related with rivers. The city is virtually like an island framed by four rivers and it will not be an exaggeration to say that it is located amidst of the most dynamic hydrological system of the world. Our glorious past had a strong association with the river Buriganga, the dominant lifeline of Dhaka. During the 19th century and even during the beginning decades of the 20th century, the Buckland Bund was an attractive place for recreation and social gathering. People used to come here to enjoy the enchanting view of the river and relaxed ambience of the place. It was the most favorite venue for hundreds of morning walkers. Steel benches were placed at regular interval where one could sit and enjoy the cool breeze from the river. In fact, the riverfront with clean water enhanced the image of our past glorious city. The Nawab Bari (Ahsan Manjil), Ruplal House, red bricked Northbrook Hall -- all these elegant structures added pride to the riverfront scenario.
But it goes without saying that once the mighty Buriganga today has lost its entire splendour. Illegal encroachments in the shape of industries, shops and markets have choked up the precious riverfront. River water has become polluted, stinky and filthy spreading obnoxious odor. The most unfortunate thing is that the riverfront has become completely inaccessible. No more people come here to breathe fresh air and spend some delightful hours in the late afternoon.
Rapid urbanization of Dhaka has seen the demise of open spaces. Scarcity of recreational facilities, ever increasing haphazard economic activities, chronic urban problems like traffic congestion have made the life here more and more hard and hectic day by day. Isolation of inhabitants from nature has limited the desire and capability to take care of their mental and social development as well. In this circumstance, when Dhaka is desperately seeking natural environment, revival of riverfronts can bring an array of benefits for us to improve the quality of urban life. People always feel strong ties to rivers. Besides the Burigonga one can find the riverfront of Turag as a place of delightful festivity during the rainy season especially in Ashulia and its adjacent areas.
Rivers span around 110 km of our capital city. But most the places are presently inaccessible. Riverfront should be physically, visually, conceptually made accessible. Initiatives have to be taken to create pedestrian and bi-cycle friendly communities and to develop the places as outdoor recreation destinations. We have opportunities to create social and cultural attraction along the riverfront. There are still some dominant historic buildings along the riverfront of the Buriganga. Most of them are dilapidated and in poor physical state. But not gone forever. Still today, these edifices bear the sign of the identity and heritage of our city. Conservation of these buildings can be a way how we can create both attractive and historic community spaces along the riverfront.
For the last few years restoration of rivers of Dhaka city has got much priority among us in response to media and some praiseworthy campaigns like “save rivers, save Dhaka”. BIWTA which is the main authority responsible in this context has taken some initiatives at different times to clean up the riverbank. Recently the government has taken a mega project of Tk 945-crore to bring in fresh water by connecting the Buriganga with the Jamuna River. Of course these are some good initiatives in the sense that at last, we have turned our vision towards the lifeline of Dhaka. But at the same it is also true that such kind of piecemeal steps will not suffice in the long run and cannot bring the desired result. At this juncture, perhaps everybody will agree with the famous quote “When the last tree is cut, when the last river has been poisoned, when the last fish has been caught, then we will find out that we can't eat money.” In fact, this is very much true for the livability of Dhaka City. The time is therefore here and now that we go through a holistic, multi-disciplinary and planned approach to save our rivers.
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