Freeing Dhaka from chaos and congestion
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
Khondkar A Saleque
In this modern age of technology boom is it necessary that all government ministries should remain confined in one place -- the Bangladesh Secretariat? Much of the Dhaka city's congestion will be eased if government ministries can be spread over and across its suburbs and adjoining districts. Narayanganj, Savar, Keraniganj and Gazipur can be ideal for relocating several ministries.
Only Defence, Finance, Planning, Home, Information and Foreign Affairs ministry can retain their office in Dhaka and other ministries may be moved out in phases to places outside Dhaka, connected via fibre optic cables and secure VPN for a really digital government of Bangladesh (GoB). Once relocated after setting up infrastructures the existing facilities of these ministries can be appropriately used. Gazipur, Savar and Narayanganj can have better road and other communications. E-Governance can be put in place. Government must also clean up residential areas like Dhanmondi, Banani, Gulshan, Uttara, Malibagh, and Lalbagh from all kinds of commercial activities.
Then gradually all garments factories, leather industry and other polluting industries must be moved out of Dhaka to specific locations.
Simultaneously the government must connect Narayanganj, Savar, Gazipur and Keraniganj with Dhaka through elevated express highways and fast moving railway. Some multistoried parking facilities must be set up in city centres. More long body NGV buses should be introduced and all old polluting vehicles, slow moving human haulers, mini taxicabs must be removed as soon as possible. Fifty per cent of city congestion and 50% load on city utilities will be relieved from taking these steps.
In the meantime government must move positively to free city canals and city surrounding rivers of unauthorised occupations, save rivers from polluters, undertake massive dredging and excavation to retrieve all season navigability. City circular rail, road and river communication must not remain a dream any more. We should do everything possible to confine Dhaka population below 10 million under any circumstances. Otherwise whatever we do and whatever we plan nothing will work to improve traffic congestion and serious energy crisis.
If major government offices including BDR and army installations can be moved out of Dhaka in phases as suggested and if RMG and leather industries can also be relocated, we can gradually make Dhaka habitable for all and return to old lovely Dhaka that we can all take pride on.
In this modern age of technology boom is it necessary that all government ministries should remain confined in one place -- the Bangladesh Secretariat? Much of the Dhaka city's congestion will be eased if government ministries can be spread over and across its suburbs and adjoining districts. Narayanganj, Savar, Keraniganj and Gazipur can be ideal for relocating several ministries.
Only Defence, Finance, Planning, Home, Information and Foreign Affairs ministry can retain their office in Dhaka and other ministries may be moved out in phases to places outside Dhaka, connected via fibre optic cables and secure VPN for a really digital government of Bangladesh (GoB). Once relocated after setting up infrastructures the existing facilities of these ministries can be appropriately used. Gazipur, Savar and Narayanganj can have better road and other communications. E-Governance can be put in place. Government must also clean up residential areas like Dhanmondi, Banani, Gulshan, Uttara, Malibagh, and Lalbagh from all kinds of commercial activities.
Then gradually all garments factories, leather industry and other polluting industries must be moved out of Dhaka to specific locations.
Simultaneously the government must connect Narayanganj, Savar, Gazipur and Keraniganj with Dhaka through elevated express highways and fast moving railway. Some multistoried parking facilities must be set up in city centres. More long body NGV buses should be introduced and all old polluting vehicles, slow moving human haulers, mini taxicabs must be removed as soon as possible. Fifty per cent of city congestion and 50% load on city utilities will be relieved from taking these steps.
In the meantime government must move positively to free city canals and city surrounding rivers of unauthorised occupations, save rivers from polluters, undertake massive dredging and excavation to retrieve all season navigability. City circular rail, road and river communication must not remain a dream any more. We should do everything possible to confine Dhaka population below 10 million under any circumstances. Otherwise whatever we do and whatever we plan nothing will work to improve traffic congestion and serious energy crisis.
If major government offices including BDR and army installations can be moved out of Dhaka in phases as suggested and if RMG and leather industries can also be relocated, we can gradually make Dhaka habitable for all and return to old lovely Dhaka that we can all take pride on.