Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
The liveability of the capital and its neighbouring areas has already been endangered, which would deteriorate further to become a 'death-trap' for the city people, if the DAP is amended in an unjustified manner, planners said on Wednesday.
Keeping this in view, they called for immediate halt of the move to change the building construction rules under the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) 2022-2035.
They came up with the call at a press conference on 'DAP amendment move: BIP observations', held at its office in the city's Sonargaon Road area.
Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) President Dr. Adil Mohammed Khan, Vice President Syed Shahriar Amin, Joint Secretary Tamzidul Islam, other office bearers and many planners were present at the conference.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Adil M Khan said the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) prepared the DAP, considering different aspects of the liveability of the capital and surrounding regions. However, only the provision of floor area ratio (FAR) is widely discussed.
In a nutshell, FAR determines how high a building can be constructed in different areas. The value of FAR depends on location of area, width of road adjacent to plot, and civic amenities and services of area. The value varies from area to area.
A vested quarter is trying to enhance the FAR extensively, which means more high-rise buildings would be developed in the already-congested areas, jeopardising the living standard in the city, he noted.
"In the wake of pressure from real estate developers, the government is moving towards reducing the open space in the city and increasing the height of buildings."
Dhaka city has much lower volume of roads and other infrastructures. There is no initiative to build new playgrounds, parks and other public spaces in the capital to make it a liveable one.
The government published the latest DAP it in the form of a gazette on August 24, 2022. It was revised within a year in October 2023. After the fall of the Awami League government on August 5 last year, initiatives have been taken to revise the DAP again to increase the height of buildings and gain business interests.
The BIP and several rights body, including environmentalists' platforms, urged the interim government to stop further amendment, said the BIP president.
"The planners are like doctors of the city. But, their prescriptions are hardly followed, which could result in catastrophe. The Uttara Milestone School and College tragedy is a vivid example of such violation of plans."
If the government does not listen to their advices, they would go to the court, if necessary, to save Dhaka city, he added.
Syed Shahriar Amin said real estate sector businessmen remain present in the technical committee meetings and intervene in the decision-making process, which is quite unexpected.
The planners presented a number of proposals, including not involving realtors and other stakeholders, who have conflict of interest, in the process of planning and policy-making.
They called for undertaking a move to publish a whitepaper following proper investigation of the processes, undertaken for the sake of vested quarters.
The BIP also suggested adopting proper planning under the National Spatial Plan to reduce the gradually increasing pressure on Dhaka.
saif.febd@gmail.com