Dhaka's dev hampered for non-collaboration

Speakers at a seminar yesterday said development of the capital is hampered due to lack of collaboration between Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) and other city authorities.
They suggested that the city corporation authorities and other government bodies should be brought under a sole framework to improve collaboration.
This observation came at the seminar titled “Role of Rajuk in the development of capital” at Jatiya Press Club in the city
Paribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba) and Urban and Regional Planning department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) organised the event.
Mahabubul Alam, a member (planning) of Rajuk, said there are some problems in the principles of Rajuk.
Rajuk was not allowed to work independently, he said, adding that the organisation was used to make “BNP polli” and “Awami League polli” in different periods, which hampered the capital's development plan.
Different government bodies are involved in the same activities that were under Rajuk's jurisdiction, which caused the city planning authorities to lose much of its effectiveness, said Sayed Azizul Haque, superintendent engineer of the Public Works Department.
Rajuk failed to do its job due to lack of well organsied plan and skilled manpower, said Dr Israt Islam, associate professor of Urban and Regional Planning department of Buet.
Journalist Kamal Lohani, speaking as the chair, requested Rajuk to form an advisory board comprising the people of different professions to ensure its transparency as well as comprehensive development.
Other speakers criticised the detail area plan (DAP) of Dhaka city for having several problems including the lack of directives for having open fields and water bodies.
Abu Naser Khan, chairman of Poba, Hafizur Rahman Moyna, general secretary of Poba, Prof Golam Rahman, former vice-chancellor (VC) of Khulna University, Prof Nurul Islam, VC of Eastern University, and architect Shamsul Wares, among others, spoke at the programme.