Plans to safeguard the future of Dhaka city

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DHAKA is described as a 'mega' city for having a population of over 10 million. It would acquire new status as a 'meta' city for its population size increasing to 20 million or beyond by 2020. This was projected in a recent seminar. But even now, Dhaka is considered as a very poorly planned city. The types and quality of urban planning found in other mega cities of the world are hardly seen in Dhaka. Rather, it is seen as growing without a direction, regulations and plans.
Dhaka is already found very short in providing even basic amenities to its residents such as adequate and clean water, sufficient power, reasonably decent homes, efficient systems for mass transportation and garbage disposal and venues for recreation and satisfying of aesthetic needs. There is hardly any segregation of the city between its residential areas and commercial and industrial ones.
If the growth of Dhaka keeps on in the same unchanging manner as now, then surely this city would be quite unfit for decent existence of people by 2020. This point has been stressed by the experts who attended the seminar. They are of the view that the time to rein in the mindless growth of the city was surpassed long ago. But things can be prevented from turning worse if steps are immediately taken to arrest the decline of the city in all respects.
Equally important is to plan meticulously in the short and the long run for the planned maintenance and expansion of the city. The existing official body for the planning and development of Dhaka, RAJUK, has not delivered up to expectations . It should be restructured and revamped to become a more dynamic organisation to plan successfully for the future of Dhaka. Very important would also be the mobilisation of resources, starting from now, to build all kinds of infrastructures and much expand basic utility services to cope with the needs of the city's fast rising population.
Shakeel Quasem
Magbazar, Dhaka