Lack of good governance turns Dhaka unliveable: report
Thursday, 6 September 2012
FE Report
Experts at a launching ceremony of urban governance report on Wednesday stated about Dhaka city becoming unliveable and said government has failed to address the issues of the city's majority migrant population for their involvement in corruption.
They said the governance gives more focus on non-slum people than slum people though they constitute a major portion of the city population.
Institute of Governance Studies of BRAC University organized the programme to launch its report titled "State of Cities: Urban Governance in Dhaka", first of its kind to analyse urban phenomenon in the country with the issue of urban governance.
Vice Chancellor of Asia Pacific University Professor Jamilur Reza Chowdhury unveiled the report and shared his 60 years of long living experience in Dhaka city. Former caretaker advisor Hossain Zillur Rahman also spoke on the occasion.
Dr Rahman said corrupt exercise among elected leaders is now more visible in Dhaka city's governance than urban cities and they like to remain in power for long.
He said socio-economic profiles of elected leaders of Dhaka city including ward commissioners are now found to be worse than the leaders in urban governance.
"People's common observation on having good profile of literacy in leadership in people, can ensure good governance, is now questionable and that has led to turn the city into an unliveable phenomena," he added.
Mr Rahman said Dhaka city turns a migrant city as a provider of economic activities but it fails to provide basic facilities including those of public transport and housing for a very large portion of its population due to a use of power in the governance.
Prof Chowdhury said deviation of many plans including Detailed Area Plan (DAP) and Strategic Transport Plan (STP) could not be implemented due to lack of good governance and added that bus route franchise, mass rapid transit or pedestrian first like policy level decisions would not be implemented due to non cooperation from different levels of governance.
He said MRT project has been delayed for two years after Air Force forced the metro rail's alignment to divert from its based location. Political influences and leadership crisis have also causes for holding back many important public transport projects.
Prof Jamilur Reza Chowdhury said many powerful committees had been formed to improve many services but hardly a meeting of those committees were held.
Pro VC of BRAC University Dr Md Golam Samdani Fakir chaired the programme. Dr Ipshita Basu, former head of research of IGS presented the report on which Member of University Grants Commission Prof Mohammad Mohabbat Khan, Architect Saif Ul Haque and Associate Professor of BUET Dr Ishrat Islam spoke as panel discussants.
Experts at a launching ceremony of urban governance report on Wednesday stated about Dhaka city becoming unliveable and said government has failed to address the issues of the city's majority migrant population for their involvement in corruption.
They said the governance gives more focus on non-slum people than slum people though they constitute a major portion of the city population.
Institute of Governance Studies of BRAC University organized the programme to launch its report titled "State of Cities: Urban Governance in Dhaka", first of its kind to analyse urban phenomenon in the country with the issue of urban governance.
Vice Chancellor of Asia Pacific University Professor Jamilur Reza Chowdhury unveiled the report and shared his 60 years of long living experience in Dhaka city. Former caretaker advisor Hossain Zillur Rahman also spoke on the occasion.
Dr Rahman said corrupt exercise among elected leaders is now more visible in Dhaka city's governance than urban cities and they like to remain in power for long.
He said socio-economic profiles of elected leaders of Dhaka city including ward commissioners are now found to be worse than the leaders in urban governance.
"People's common observation on having good profile of literacy in leadership in people, can ensure good governance, is now questionable and that has led to turn the city into an unliveable phenomena," he added.
Mr Rahman said Dhaka city turns a migrant city as a provider of economic activities but it fails to provide basic facilities including those of public transport and housing for a very large portion of its population due to a use of power in the governance.
Prof Chowdhury said deviation of many plans including Detailed Area Plan (DAP) and Strategic Transport Plan (STP) could not be implemented due to lack of good governance and added that bus route franchise, mass rapid transit or pedestrian first like policy level decisions would not be implemented due to non cooperation from different levels of governance.
He said MRT project has been delayed for two years after Air Force forced the metro rail's alignment to divert from its based location. Political influences and leadership crisis have also causes for holding back many important public transport projects.
Prof Jamilur Reza Chowdhury said many powerful committees had been formed to improve many services but hardly a meeting of those committees were held.
Pro VC of BRAC University Dr Md Golam Samdani Fakir chaired the programme. Dr Ipshita Basu, former head of research of IGS presented the report on which Member of University Grants Commission Prof Mohammad Mohabbat Khan, Architect Saif Ul Haque and Associate Professor of BUET Dr Ishrat Islam spoke as panel discussants.