Experts at a programme said Tuesday that Dhaka city has been losing liveability in the absence of rule of law and anti-people activities.
Criticising the various relevant authorities involved in the urban planning and development, they said there were four development plans for Dhaka but none was implemented due to unexplained reasons.
Day by day every inch of the city has been gobbled up and almost all the rivers and canals are filled up and public places grabbed by powerful quarters in violation of master plans as the custodians have been turned into predators, they added.
They termed Bangladeshis an anti-planning nation.
These were stated at the launching of an "Urban Dialogue Series on Emerging Global Trends in Urban Thinking" at the Towfiq Aziz Seminar Hall at the Daily Star office in the city. Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) in partnership with the Daily Star organised the event.
Architecture faculty of the Catholic University of the USA Adnan Morshed made the presentation while Bangladesh Urban Institute (BURI) Convener Hossain Zillur Rahman presided over the session.
Former works and communications adviser Major General (Retd.) Ghulam Quader and former president of IAB Mubasshar Hussain were present as the discussants.
Speakers said there is no need for any government to raise the GDP growth rather it's the people of the country who will increase GDP on their own for their survival. GDP should not be the measurement of social advancement rather it should be liveability, they added.
Mubasshar Hussain said Bangladesh is ranked third in terms of per capita sweet water and Dhaka is one of the rarest cities surrounded by four rivers. Unfortunately those rivers are encroached by educated people and industrialists.
Criticising those holding power and higher positions who violate laws, he said laws will be abided by all only when it will be applicable to all. He termed Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) the biggest land grabber, saying the allotted plot of Rajuk is sold in black market at an abnormal price.
Referring to the present traffic congestion, he said working hour worth Tk 200 billion and fuel worth Tk 120 billion are lost annually due to the problem.
He suggested to take plans up considering the overall development of the country, development of the district town with modern hospitals and schools to stop migration of people to Dhaka, development of easy communication system prioritising trains for balanced urbanisation.
Hossain Zillur said the main indicator of progress is rule of law which is absent in Bangladesh. There is no need for any government for GDP growth but the government is required for establishing rule of law. People themselves will increase the GDP on their own.
Progress will be visible when there will be equity, everyone will abide by the law.
"Dhaka has been losing liveability because there is no rule of law. Predators are the ultimate winners here," said the former adviser to the caretaker government.
"We have to be angry, courageous and scale up our activism to get rid of the present situation. Otherwise we can just shut up and go home," he added.
Shehidul Hasan, former chief engineer of the LGED, said the role of the regulators should be proper to save Dhaka from devastation. Also establishment of rule of law and political commitment is necessary for healthy urbanization, he added.
Referring to the various growth centres of the country, he said there is no planning authority there and the municipality is approving the town plans although they are not capable of doing it.
Ghulam Quader said the detailed area plan (DAP) could not be approved in the first place due to pressure from the realtors as many of their projects could be affected.
He said although it was feasible, the metro rail project was not approved. The cost of traffic jam could compensate the cost of the underground rail in one year time.
He suggested optimisation of resources and raise various issues of concerns time and again.
In his presentation, Adnan Morshed said 75 per cent of the world's population will live in urban areas by 2050. Thus how the humans plan for cities will determine the nature of the world's sustainability.
He said Dhaka has been ranked as the worst liveable city in the world although the country's overall economy has developed.
He said liveability means equitable access to resources, public transportation, quality of life, standard of living or general well-being of people. GDP should not be the yardstick of progress rather liveability should be the indicator such as how people are progressing socially or the habits of dealing with hygiene.
He said the urbanization process in Bangladesh is slow. In 1950, only 4.0 per cent of the population used to live in the city while it will be barely 40 per cent by 2030.
He suggested small change but high yield approach for bringing change to Dhaka city, stopping of sprawl of the city, get out of the plot mentality, reduce number of cars, formulate policy for the young generation to embrace biking, walking and other mode of transports by deglamourising car ownership.
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