Planning for the capital

Yet another project titled 'City Region Development', now in the pipeline, is going to lay the foundation of two more elaborate projects such as 'Dhaka Structure Plan 2016-2035' and a fresh Dhaka Detailed Area Plan (DAP 2016-2035). Clearly, the Tk 332-million project under consideration is going to be more of paper work than anything practical in terms of adding to the city's infrastructure. The plan covers next 20 years' construction in both private and public sectors within the city area. The area though will include Gazipur, Keraniganj, Savar and Narayanganj. The rationale, as advanced by the authorities, behind undertaking the fresh projects is that the existing DAP will expire by 2015 and the overriding need for environmentally safe expansion of the capital. How do they want to do it? They will include mandatory criteria such as land sustainability analysis, assessment of earthquake resilience, seismic hazard and risk scenario, risk-sensitive land use planning and participatory rapid appraisal among others.
All this sounds very nice but if the past is any guide, one cannot be very optimistic about the future of such grand designs. The existing DAP was approved and its gazette notification published in June, 2010 but before a week could pass, an inter-ministerial committee comprising seven ministries was formed expressly for 'smooth implementation' of the project. But in reality, the committee entertained pleas from influential quarters and made a mockery of the provisions and criteria as detailed in the DAP. The outcome of the whole exercise proved to be a molehill out of a mountain. As for the DAP, no one could complain against its planning and the suggestions it made aimed at making the capital a liveable city. It was then the privileged and powerful, quarters, whose undue interests were at risk of not being served any longer, appeared on the scene to foil the good work. That they succeeded in their unholy design is conspicuous by near total failure in the DAP's execution.
People associated with urban designing and infrastructural architecture have a long and glorious tradition. Given the responsibility to do the job, they can come up with a world-class plan and design. FR Khan, the architect of once tallest building in the world, showed to the world his architectural genius. Whether it concerns the structure of building or other infrastructure in the city or the geo-morphological setting of the mega-city, the plan and design can be drawn by the country's architects and urban designers. The more important question relates to their implementation. Various stake-holders with dubious distinctions come into the scene and they, in collusion with a section of government officials and political elements, frustrate the entire exercise. Who will guarantee, this will not happen once again? The problem with men in power is that they are not quite alive to the threat posed by prolonged mismanagement to the very existence of this capital city. Let them be convinced enough that the future of this capital must be secured in order to secure the future of this nation. It is more important than personal gains.