Can we make Dhaka more livable?

Photo: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

It is clear to most that Dhaka is overpopulated and in need of desperate overhaul of urban planning. The capital city of a country speaks volumes for the nation itself and Dhaka is no different. It is the industrial, bureaucratic, economic centre of Bangladesh. Dhaka consistently ranks as one of the most unlivable cities in the world largely because of its high population density and unbearable traffic among other factors. And in this regard, Rajuk, the organisation primarily in charge of making and implementing the city's urban planning projects, deserves special mention as it has hardly been successful in helping materialise concrete plans to make Dhaka more livable. 

The urban core of this city has been occupied well while much of the fringe areas are under water. The low and middle class income groups combined make up 90 per cent of Dhaka's population. These less privileged groups face innumerable hurdles and the city's urban planning, or a lack thereof, plays a vital role. The inadequacy of the transportation infrastructure and affordable housing contribute to the overall bleak living conditions faced by this segment of the population in particular. Out of the 15 million people who currently reside in Dhaka, only a mere 10-12 per cent can truly afford to do so. Many who are forced to live in slums deal with sanitation and water issues on a daily basis, things that we, the ordinary folks, take for granted. 

Rajuk handles all matters concerning major shifts in the urban planning sector. Back in 1997, Rajuk appointed four consulting firms to prepare the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) for Dhaka. The DAP comes third in order in the three tier Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan (DMDP) 1995-2015 and consists of planning for a particular establishment to be erected in an area. Many issues have been faced in Rajuk's attempts to bring success to the DAP. From detailed map problems to the hierarchy in the three tier system not being followed, the DMDP policies have not brought success. It is highly unfortunate that in one of the most populated areas of the world, the state of urban planning is substandard to an extent that it would not be an understatement to call it an utter failure.

Dhaka's economic growth has been steady for the past decade, even during recession. It demonstrates the resilience of the city, despite it lacking a viable urban planning structure. Reforms in urban planning can affect this growth, and we must look at it practically. In the long-run, the state of urban planning cannot sustain the prosperity we are experiencing as more people come into the city. Dhaka is one of the biggest reasons for the overall development of Bangladesh, and the city needs a large-scale clean up for the sake of accommodating the growing number of people and vehicles, and thereby retaining its growth momentum.

One must question how long Dhaka can deal with the increasing congestion and overpopulation. Every year about half a million new faces move to the city. Urban areas and the slums especially are worsening in condition. Just this past Eid, the 'river of blood' flowing through the streets was a stark reminder for us, and for the international community as well, as to how much work there is still to be done to transform Dhaka into the habitable capital we hope for it to be. In this regard, Rajuk, the central body that holds the power to change the face of Dhaka city, must be held accountable for its negligence and lack of action in implementing its grand plans. They must answer to the general population, and especially to the less privileged segments of society, what they are doing for these citizens, in terms of fostering a livable environment.