Dhaka demands modern sustainable urban planning

Staff Reporter:

Environmental, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan on Sunday called for fundamental reforms in Dhaka’s urban development, warning that the capital’s excessive concrete-based expansion has made it unsafe and poorly managed. She stressed the urgent need to change the current approach and take bold steps to address the city’s growing problems. “Year after year, we discuss the problems, but we do not take courageous steps towards solutions. Our thinking must change because the old framework no longer works,” she said.

She was speaking at the fourth seminar of the ‘Project for Development of Policy and Guidelines for Transit-Oriented Development along Mass Transit Corridors’ held at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre, with technical support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The adviser stressed the urgent need for bold decision-making to resolve long-standing urban issues. Highlighting the necessity of institutional reform, she noted that effective coordination, empowerment, and decision-making require structural changes in relevant agencies. She criticised Dhaka’s fragile public transport system, saying: “Buses emitting black smoke run on our streets every day. Without reforming vehicle and transport management systems, making Dhaka livable is impossible. Smart public transport is no longer a luxury but an essential.”

Hasan emphasised that transit-oriented development (TOD) could be a vital part of smart transport strategies but warned against compromising environmental integrity. “While solving one problem, we must not create another. Open spaces and environmental buffers should not be destroyed for metro stations or commercial development. Dhaka’s residents need spaces to breathe,” she said.

Addressing slow progress in relocating chemical warehouses in Old Dhaka, she blamed vested interests for obstructing necessary reforms. Hasan also highlighted the importance of community participation in urban greening initiatives. While optimistic about TOD creating more open spaces.