Commercial drape over residential zones protested

The residents of Dhanmondi, Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara yesterday vehemently protested the government move that would allow the designated residential areas to be used for 'semi-commercial' purposes.

This move would provide legal coverage for the unauthorised commercial structures already established in the areas, they said.

Talking to The Daily Star, leaders of various local organisations as well as local residents said they would not accept any move that further jeopardises the already diminished tranquillity of the residential areas. They declared that if the government did not draw back from the move, they would go for a movement along with environmentalists and members of civil society.

Traffic congestion and noise pollution have already become quite a problem in these areas because of mushrooming commercial complexes and shopping malls, they observed.

Recently, at a press briefing in the housing and public works ministry, Minister Mirza Abbas talked of the possible declaration of the areas for semi-commercial use. Later an agency report confirmed it.

Reports published in different dailies on Friday quoted official sources saying that as the single commercial area of Motijheel cannot accommodate increasing business activities, these are gradually making their way into residential areas.

The report however quoted the minister for housing as saying that the government is taking this initiative 'to check further deterioration of the liveable character of the residential areas'.

But the residents of these areas termed the move as 'a trick' to make illegal money. Referring to a survey conducted by the Public Works Department (PWD) they said there are nearly 327 unauthorised commercial structures in Dhanmondi alone.

Over the years, unplanned commercialisation took place in these areas right under the noses of concerned departments including Rajuk and PWD, in spite of continuous newspaper reports and written and verbal complaints from the residents.

In 1996 the Rajuk officially initiated the process declaring four roads in Dhanmondi as 'feasible for non-residential use' as the Dhaka Improvement Trust (DIT) initially had not earmarked any land for shopping complexes and commercial establishments.

Following this, the Rajuk started providing approval for commercial and non-residential use of residential plots in other areas including Gulshan, Uttara and Banani.

Meanwhile, protesting the move Dhanmondi Poribesh Unnayan Jote, in a statement, demanded the eviction of all illegal commercial structures within the framework of the Dhaka Metropolitan Master Plan (DMDP). It also demanded disciplinary actions against those responsible for setting up such unauthorised structures. They also threatened to form a social movement against the move.