News Desk :
After prolonged discussions, conflicts, and persistent pressure from developers, the amended draft of Dhaka’s Detailed Area Plan (DAP) has been completed and is now poised for final approval by the DAP Advisory Council Committee. This marks a crucial step toward reshaping the urban landscape of the capital.
The draft was officially finalised at a high-level meeting held on Sunday at the Secretariat, chaired by Housing and Public Works Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan. It incorporates significant revisions to key urban planning elements, including Floor Area Ratio (FAR), housing density, and zoning regulations in the city’s rural-urban fringe areas. Officials expect the amended gazette to be published within a month, pending the council’s endorsement, reports UNB.
The meeting was attended by senior officials including the Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, Chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), advisers from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, representatives from the Bangladesh Institute of Planners, Institute of Architects Bangladesh, Institution of Engineers Bangladesh, and officials from relevant departments such as Public Works and Roads and Highways.
According to ministry sources, the government engaged in an extensive consultation process involving 37 meetings: three at advisory level, four at secretary level, ten committee discussions convened by the ministry, and 20 stakeholder meetings led by Rajuk.
The revised draft adjusts FAR in 16 low-density blocks in fringe areas such as Dasherkandi, Kanchpur, Moynartek, Alipur, Ruhitpur, Birulia, and Bongram, allowing for slight increases in building capacity. However, FAR for central and core urban zones remains unchanged to maintain the city’s density balance.
The draft also recalibrates housing unit projections based on the 2011 Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics household size data, aligning planning with current demographic realities.
A notable feature of the updated DAP (2022-2035) is the provision for five-yearly reviews and updates. To facilitate this, the government plans to establish a technical committee within a year to support Rajuk in refining and implementing the plan.
Rajuk Chief Town Planner Md Ashraful Islam told UNB that the committee will provide both policy guidance and technical support to enhance Dhaka’s livability. He confirmed that the draft has been finalised and will soon be submitted for final approval. Subject to the council’s endorsement, the amended gazette is expected to be published within a month.
The push to amend the DAP began soon after the original gazette was published on 24 August 2022. Real estate developers and landowners criticised several zoning and FAR regulations as overly restrictive to sustainable growth.
Despite changes in political leadership and the formation of an interim government, developer pressure persisted. On 20 May this year, the Dhaka City Land Owners’ Association protested by surrounding the Rajuk office, threatening to halt operations unless their demands were met.
In response, the government established a seven-member advisory committee on 15 December 2024 to oversee DAP implementation and amendments under Rajuk’s authority.
Rajuk’s Chief Town Planner Ashraful described the amended plan as a pragmatic balance between development objectives, environmental concerns, urban density, and infrastructure capacity. “FAR increases will benefit both small and large plots-a win-win for developers and planners,” he said.
While final approval from the advisory council is still awaited, officials remain optimistic about a swift conclusion to the process. Once ratified, the government will proceed with gazette publication.
Experts note that for a city grappling with overpopulation, traffic congestion, and unregulated construction, the new DAP could offer a much-needed roadmap toward a more organised, sustainable, and liveable Dhaka – provided it is implemented with the same consensus that guided its drafting.
