Dhaka losses 24skm wetlands, 10skm greenery in 28 yrs: Study
Staff Reporter :
A recent study has showed that the capital Dhaka losses 24 square kilometers of water bodies and 10 square kilometers of green lands in the last 28 yrs.
The study also showed there will be a 2-acre playground and 1-acre park for 12500 people. But only 1-acre playground-park is available for every 37900 people. In the Dhaka Central Zone there is only 0.9 pc park-playground for its total area.
In the area of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) 251.7-acre park-playground and in the area of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) have 340-acre park-playground.
There is no playground in the 41 wards out of 129 wards of the two city corporations’ area. Now Dhaka needs a total number of 1582-acre park-playgrounds.
The information was presented at a discussion and publication of a research report titled “28 Years of Reservoir and Greenery Destruction in The Capital: Reality and Salvation Roadmap”.
Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) and Urban Development Journalists Forum, Bangladesh (UDJFB) jointly organized the event at the BIP Auditorium yesterday. BIP General Secretary Sheikh Muhammad Mehdi Ahsan presented the report.
As per the report, in the last 28 years, green space in Dhaka has shrunk to 7pc while wetlands occupy as low as 2.9pc of the city.
Currently, Dhaka has only 29.85 sq km of green or free space which was around 52.48 sq km in 1995. On the other hand, wetland areas have only 4.28 which were around 30.24 sq km in 1995.
Sultana Kamal, President of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), said occupied the green lands and water bodies are not only the reason for technical, social, cultural, but also political.
She said, “The corrupt and evil people are occupying the wetlands. And they make Dhaka as they want. They don’t need green
spaces, parks. Because they and their children used to live abroad.”
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Chief Executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), said, “RAJUK is filling up water bodies, destroying forests and making plots in Purbachol.”
Musleh Uddin Hasan, treasurer of BIP, demanded of the government to disqualify those who fill the reservoir from participating in the elections and taking bank loans.
Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Chief of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said, “We have combined conversion and beautification. Whatever is spent on beautification, it should be done for conversion. If the plan fails, it will prove that we were working for a failed plan.”
According to Article 18 of the Constitution, he stressed the importance of keeping green land and wetlands free from encroachment to protect public health.
Chief Guest of the programme LGRD Minister Tazul Islam said, “There are both back and front sides of the coin, there are positive aspects as well as negative effects along with various development projects. We all have to work together to reduce that negative impact.
Rajuk Member (Development) Major Shamsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Society of Experts on Environment Development President Md.
Abul Kalam Azad, Dean of The Faculty of Architecture and Planning of BUET Prof Ishrat Islam, President of UDJFB Amitosh Paul spoke at the programme while Mohammad Fazle Reza Sumon, President of BIP presided over the event.
