Experts weigh up the case for urbanisation
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
FE Report
Policymakers need to shrug off their apathy to urbanisation, set proper policies and choose priorities for fostering urban growth across the country thus making Bangladesh a middle-income nation, experts said Tuesday.
They made the call at a workshop styled 'The State of Urban Bangladesh: Ground Realities and Policy Challenges' organised by Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) in the capital.
PPRC chairman Hossain Zillur Rahman presided over the event, with former caretaker government advisers Wahiduddin Mahmud and Ghulam Quader, University Grants Commission chairman Prof Nazrul Islam and Sector Manager of World Bank Junaid Ahmed as panel speakers.
Prof Mahbub Ullah and Prof Amirul I Chowdhury of Dhaka University, Dr Sarwar Jahan of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Prof Ghulam Murtaza of Khulna University, Dr Syed Tarique-uz-Zaman and Dr Abul Hossain of PPRC and Prof Tanwir Nawaj, an architect, made presentations on different issues relating to urbanisation.
Wahiduddin Mahmud said the policymakers always talk about urbanisation, but they do not seem to be serious about the issue.
"Urbanisation cannot be seen as an isolated case for Dhaka, rather as a case of economic interests for the whole country. We have to determine how urbanisation can contribute to economic development. Otherwise, problems will continue to multiply."
The former caretaker government adviser said the policymakers have to decide whether the capital Dhaka has to be taken to every corner of the country by expanding it or major city centres would have to be developed under its urbanisation plan.
Mr Mahumd said he believed the idea of elevated expressway for cutting the nagging traffic congestion in the capital economically unviable, as around 5 per cent traffic would use the facility.
"In my opinion, the underground rail network is much more economically viable. But we have to study whether we have the necessary capacities such as infrastructure in the forms of uninterrupted power supply and proper drainage system before going for such a big project."
Policymakers need to shrug off their apathy to urbanisation, set proper policies and choose priorities for fostering urban growth across the country thus making Bangladesh a middle-income nation, experts said Tuesday.
They made the call at a workshop styled 'The State of Urban Bangladesh: Ground Realities and Policy Challenges' organised by Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) in the capital.
PPRC chairman Hossain Zillur Rahman presided over the event, with former caretaker government advisers Wahiduddin Mahmud and Ghulam Quader, University Grants Commission chairman Prof Nazrul Islam and Sector Manager of World Bank Junaid Ahmed as panel speakers.
Prof Mahbub Ullah and Prof Amirul I Chowdhury of Dhaka University, Dr Sarwar Jahan of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Prof Ghulam Murtaza of Khulna University, Dr Syed Tarique-uz-Zaman and Dr Abul Hossain of PPRC and Prof Tanwir Nawaj, an architect, made presentations on different issues relating to urbanisation.
Wahiduddin Mahmud said the policymakers always talk about urbanisation, but they do not seem to be serious about the issue.
"Urbanisation cannot be seen as an isolated case for Dhaka, rather as a case of economic interests for the whole country. We have to determine how urbanisation can contribute to economic development. Otherwise, problems will continue to multiply."
The former caretaker government adviser said the policymakers have to decide whether the capital Dhaka has to be taken to every corner of the country by expanding it or major city centres would have to be developed under its urbanisation plan.
Mr Mahumd said he believed the idea of elevated expressway for cutting the nagging traffic congestion in the capital economically unviable, as around 5 per cent traffic would use the facility.
"In my opinion, the underground rail network is much more economically viable. But we have to study whether we have the necessary capacities such as infrastructure in the forms of uninterrupted power supply and proper drainage system before going for such a big project."