Staff Reporter :
Housing and Public Works Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan on Friday emphasised the urgent need to ensure safe and affordable housing for low-income populations in Dhaka, pointing out longstanding urban policy imbalances and connectivity challenges.
“Urban policies in the past were overly Dhaka-centric. The capital and its nearby regions are poorly connected, forcing people to migrate to Dhaka for work and making it difficult for them to return home after hours,” he said.
The adviser made the remarks at a design-research presentation and discussion titled “Affordable and Inclusive Housing in Dhaka,” organised by the Department of Architecture at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
He praised the BUET Architecture Department’s work, stating that their research and design proposals could play a vital role in improving housing solutions for the city’s low-income communities.
“Their innovative ideas will contribute significantly to ensuring livable and affordable housing for marginalised groups,” Adilur added.
Touching on ongoing initiatives, the adviser noted that RAJUK and the Housing Authority are no longer allocating plots, especially after the student-led mass protests that led to the revocation of quotas for plots and flats. In response, RAJUK is now taking steps to provide apartments through a lottery system, targeting low-income families to ensure more equitable housing access.
Adilur also revealed that new legislation is being drafted to protect agricultural land, aiming to curb unplanned urban expansion and preserve the country’s arable resources.
The event was chaired by BUET Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Abu Borhan Mohammad Badruzzaman, with Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Abdul Hasib Chowdhury also speaking. Students from the 2019 batch of the Architecture Department presented design proposals focused on affordable housing developments in Tongi and Shyampur, two urban areas facing growing population pressure and housing shortages.
The presentation underscored the potential of academic research to inform public policy and transform urban development into a more equitable and sustainable process.
Discussants at the event highlighted the need for better coordination between urban planning, architectural innovation, and policymaking to address the housing crisis.
They stressed that inclusive housing policies must align with sustainable development goals, integrate transport planning, and be responsive to the socio-economic realities of low-income communities.
