Flouting Detailed Area Plan and Dhaka's perilous future

The first Master Plan for the planned development of Dhaka City was prepared during the decade of 1950s having a time-span of 20 years covering an area of 320 square miles or 820 square kilometres. The then Dhaka Improvement Trust (DIT), now Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripaksha (Capital Development Authority or RAJUK), formed under the Town Improved Act of 1953, was entrusted with the task of its implementation. But as Dhaka became the capital of independent Bangladesh in 1971, earlier assumptions of the plan could not be matched with the fast expanding city. Although some attempts were made to revise the plan during the first two decades of the country's independence, those could not be carried forward.
A second Master Plan titled 'Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan' (DMDP) was prepared after much deliberations and consultations in 1995, which had a 20-year time-span from 1995 to 2015. It covered an area of 1528 square kilometres or 590 square miles and embodied new approaches and perspectives. It had three components — Structure Plan, Urban Area Plan and the Detailed Area Plan (DAP). It also provided for development plans, guidelines, techniques, rules and control procedures.
The DMDP Structure Plan (SP) identified the magnitude and direction of anticipated urban growth and set forth a series of policy guidelines for achieving the overall plan objectives. The DMDP Urban Area Plan (UAP), on the other hand, provided an interim mid-term strategy for 10 years (1995- 2005) for the development of urban areas under RAJUK's jurisdiction. Detailed Area Plan (DAP), the lowest tier in the 3-level planning exercise, was basically intended to be a local level plan which stipulated proposed land use zoning, infrastructure and utility services. The plan's jurisdiction extended up to Gazipur Pourashava to the north; Dhaleshawri River to the south; Bangshi and Dhaleshawri Rivers to the west; and Shitalakkhya and Meghna Rivers to the east. It covered the Dhaka City Corporation, Narayanganj City Corporation, Kadamrasul Municipality, Siddirganj Municipality, Savar Municipality, Savar EPZ, Keraniganj Upazila, Kaliganj Upazila and parts of Rupganj upazila.
The DAP was aimed at implementing the Structure Plan and Urban Area Plan as well as relevant policies and recommendations. The specific objectives of DAP were: (a) data management and dissemination at Mouza level; (b) providing multi-sector investment plan and programme; (c) providing control for private sector development as well as clarity and security of investments for inhabitants and investors; (d) providing guidelines for development considering the opportunities and constraints; and addressing environmental concerns.
The general objective of the DAP stated that its preparation 'is to be based on detailed surveys, studies and analysis of the study area'. It was supposed to be prepared and implemented through community participation for making the planning exercise people-oriented. Its specific objectives were to: (a) provide basic infrastructure and services in the target area through systematic planning, (b) create congenial environment to promote economic activities, (c) improve drainage system of the areas and protect flood flows from encroachment, and (d) create service centres to enable urban growth.
The task of formulating the DAP was undertaken by RAJUK in 2004. It was completed in 2007, although the plan was supposed to be completed within 2006. After that, the authorities collected public opinion on it through advertisements in the newspapers. Consultations and discussions on the DAP continued even during the rule of the caretaker government (2007-8). After assumption of office by the Awami League government in 2009, a committee was formed headed by Professor Jamilur Reza Chowdhury to review the DAP. It finalised its recommendations within a year and the government approved the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) under DMDP through a gazette notification issued on June 22, 2010.
But within one week of its approval, a high-powered cabinet committee was constituted for finalising the plan through elaborate reviews. Unfortunately, the committee has not finalised DAP even after eight years. Instead, it has continuously made amendments to the plan, apparently to serve the interests of vested quarters. It approved as many as 158 changes during the past 8 years, through which the influential quarters got approval for filling up a large chunk of designated water-bodies and flood-flow areas under the plan. Till now, 135 gazette notifications containing approvals made by the cabinet committee have been published in the website. On analysing these notifications, it has been found that the classification of land has been changed through these without mentioning previous categorisation of the affected lands. It was also found that permissions were given for filling up water bodies through 34 amendments and flood-flow areas through 14 amendments. Agricultural and rural settlements have been cancelled through 20 amendments. Permission has been accorded to non-conforming areas for keeping residences alongside industries through four amendments, which violates relevant provisions. Permissions have also been given to changes in the land use categories in overlay zones through 13 amendments, which again contravene the relevant rules.
As revealed by the print media, the organisations which have benefited through these amendments included Bangladesh Police Officers' Housing Society, Freedom Fighters' Welfare Trust, BCS Administration Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Hamid Real Estate, Jalsiri Residential Project, Bashundhara Group, Bangladesh Development Company Limited, Eastern Housing Limited and the Probashi Palli Group. Permission for filling up water bodies have been given in areas like Meradia, Bhatulia, Senpara Parbata, Kafrul, Khilkhet, Shibpur, Paikpara, Ulan, Dakshinkhan, Khilgaon, Demra, Goran, Ramchandrapur, Sultanganj, Rajarbag, Jurain, Purbo Kandar, Kamarpara, Joarsahara, Ibrahimpur, Dumni and Beraid areas. Besides, the housing companies that were accorded permission to undertake projects in flood-flow areas included Probashi Palli, Jalsiri, Prio Prangan, Rupali Soikat, Banashree New Town, Bashundhara, Bashundhara City View, Bashundhara Riverview, Bashundhara Green Town, Protyasha, South Town and North Town residential projects.
Urban experts opine that these actions by the cabinet committee go against the very spirit of its formation. The committee was supposed to finalise DAP after a detailed review. But this committee has now been effectively turned into an amendment committee. It is most unfortunate that in remodelling the DAP, interests of the influential people and land merchants are getting priority, not those of the ordinary citizens living in the metropolis. As a consequence, Dhaka now faces a perilous future unless actions are immediately taken by the concerned authorities to reverse the ruinous trend.

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