Removing slums from the city

Slums are seen as an ever-present eye sore in our metropolis. Gradual elimination of this menace that mars Dhaka city's overall landscape will need capital investment by the government on a regular basis. The possible solution could be to go for building four-storied buildings with flats of 600 square feet each to replace the temporary dwellings on a yearly basis. The cost of each flat will come to around Tk 300,000. If the government provides Tk 30 million annually, about a hundred huts can be replaced every year.

The land will come by dismantling the huts and constructing buildings on it or on government land as and where possible. The hut owners will pay the same amount to the government, as they pay their landlords now, and use the funds in subsequent years to build more flats. Wherever there are huts, the government should acquire the land, and build such flats. The money spent for this exercise, can be recovered in stages by the government from the rent they will earn from such structures.  

Engr S A Mansoor

Dhaka