Plight of Dhaka as capital

A country is known by its capital. When Dhaka city was flooded last Tuesday due to heavy rains that clogged busy roads and sent traffic to a complete standstill, one could easily understand how true was this year's rating of Dhaka as the second least liveable city in the world. In the annual Liveability Ranking by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Dhaka scored 38.7 out of 100.
In today's world, often called a global village thanks to faster development in internet and cell phones, the sordid picture of Dhaka city, as depicted in newspaper photos and reports, does surely give a strong signal to the outside world as to what the Bangladesh capital looks like and what the situation in its other cities and towns is. A mere look at the country's newspapers through internet in any part of the world is set to belie its emerging positive developments like the newly-acquired status of a lower middle income country and ongoing construction of the biggest bridge over the river Padma.
What naked eyes see cannot simply be negated by propaganda. The problems making Dhaka an unliveable city and the solutions to reverse the situation are both known. Sayeed Khokon, mayor of the Dhaka South City Corporation, had said just before the city polls that though Dhaka is overwhelmed with problems, there are solutions to make it liveable again. He said, "If voted to be mayor, I will hold a Dhaka dialogue on the first day of my mayorship and dedicate the first year to remove the barriers to the delivery of civic services," he stated.  Where are those pledges? Are they in cold storage? Are these mere rhetorics? Citing a survey, another mayor of the Dhaka North City Corporation Annisul Huq now sees 'powerful groups' standing on his way of redeeming his pre-poll pledges.
Why is there nightmarish water-logging in the capital of an independent country? The other day a TV reporter caustically told his viewers that foreign businessmen residing in the five-star Sonargaon Hotel do no more need an introduction to business opportunities in Bangladesh as they have seen in their own eyes the flash flood just in front of their hotel. Day by day, every inch of the capital has been gobbled up and almost all the rivers and canals that used to serve as storages of rain water from the capital are filled up and public places grabbed by powerful quarters in violation of master plans as the custodians have been turned into predators.
Noted economist and former caretaker government adviser Dr Hossain Zillur said, "Dhaka has been losing liveability because there is no rule of law. Predators are the ultimate winners here". He went on: "We have to be angry, courageous and scale up our activism to get rid of the present situation. Otherwise, we can just shut up and go home."
Even former state minister for housing and public works Abdul Mannan Khan on several occasions had vowed in public to stop destruction of rivers, canals and wetlands by some influential real estate developers. Speaking at a seminar on June 17, 2010, the state minister had said the influential realtors have reduced nearly 21 square miles of wetlands and flood plains around the capital to 2.5 square miles. But an inter-ministerial committee led by him later legalised half a dozen private housing schemes developed illegally on wetlands, croplands and rural homesteads on the city's eastern fringe. Later the High Court had declared the schemes illegal.
Celebrated architect Mubasshar Hussain said Bangladesh is ranked third in terms of per capita sweet water and Dhaka is one of the rarest cities surrounded by four rivers. Unfortunately those rivers are encroached upon by educated people and industrialists. Criticising those holding power and higher positions who violate laws, he said laws will be abided by all only when it will be applicable to all. He termed Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha or RAJUK the biggest land grabber. Referring to the present traffic congestion, he said working hour worth Tk 200 billion and fuel worth Tk 120 billion are lost annually due to the problem.     
Recent studies show that around 40 per cent of the wetlands of Dhaka city have disappeared in 20 years due to indiscriminate filling up of lowland and flood flow zones both by public and private agencies. This has reduced its drainage capacity.    
As the problems the capital now faces are very complex, it is now time for the prime minister to intervene in taking Dhaka off the black list. She alone can make the capital liveable by forming a high-powered committee comprising experts and stakeholders and supervising execution of an action plan in this regard. It is a harsh reality that the intolerable pressure of population on Dhaka and its resultant fallout can only be eased through immediate decentralisation of all offices to the second capital, Tongi, Savar or other places on the outskirts of the capital. Ridiculously, flyovers these days too are found to be in the grip of traffic jams! There will be no relief unless offices now located in Dhaka are dispersed in different suitable locations.
    arjayster@gmail.com