Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today outlined a 12-point action plan to transform Dhaka into a “clean and green city”.
“Various measures are being taken through Dhaka North and Dhaka South City Corporations under the Local Government Division to develop the capital, Dhaka, into a clean and green city,” he said while responding to a question from treasury bench MP Abul Kalam (Cumilla-9) during the question-answer session in parliament.
The prime minister said weekly awareness programmes are being carried out to increase civic engagement, alongside intensified cleanliness drives and mosquito control activities.
He also said secondary transfer stations (waste disposal points) are being modernised with landscaping, greenery, and awareness graffiti to ensure environment-friendly waste management.
Tarique said there is a plan to transform Matuail Landfill into an integrated, circular economy-based waste management and energy production centre with investment from a Korea-based private company, aiming to achieve zero waste.
He expressed hope that these initiatives and integrated management would gradually help build a clean and green Dhaka.
The parliamentary session began at 11:00am with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed in the chair. A total of eight questions were listed for the prime minister, of which he answered two along with supplementary queries, within the allotted time.
As part of the broader initiatives, the prime minister said tree plantation programmes have been undertaken to green road medians, islands, and open spaces under DSCC.
He added that urban forestry (Miyawaki forest) is being implemented in areas under DNCC, while open medians are being converted into zero-soil, green-covered spaces.
Tarique said a target has been set to plant 500,000 trees in DNCC areas over the next five years. “In addition, trees will be planted in the vacant spaces beneath the metro rail line from Mirpur-12 to Mirpur DOHS, as well as under the elevated expressway from Abdullahpur to Farmgate.”
In his written speech, the prime minister said priority has been given to controlling environmental pollution to build a clean and green Dhaka.
As part of this effort, he said the Department of Environment and the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) are jointly working to introduce modern bus services and operate 250 electric buses.
Tarique said major sources of air pollution in Dhaka have been identified with support from the World Bank.
“Accordingly, the Department of Environment is working to control air pollution in the city. Regular mobile court drives are being conducted against vehicles emitting black smoke and pollution caused by building materials and construction activities.”
He added that initiatives have been taken to shut down illegal brick kilns around Dhaka. “Regular mobile court drives and enforcement activities are being carried out to achieve this goal.”
To reduce air pollution, the prime minister said Savar Upazila has been declared a degraded airshed, and activities such as operating brick kilns and burning waste in open spaces there have been banned.
He also said installation of effluent treatment plants (ETPs) has been made mandatory for industries discharging liquid waste to prevent pollution of rivers, canals and water bodies in and around Dhaka.
So far, 248 establishments have installed ETPs, and the installation of cameras for real-time monitoring of these systems is ongoing, he added.
The prime minister said the Department of Environment has identified the sources and nature of pollution in the Buriganga, Shitalakshya, Balu and Turag rivers, as well as in 19 major canals flowing through Dhaka.
To make the city greener, reduce environmental pollution and improve its overall appearance, he said the Forest Department has implemented tree plantation and zero-soil programmes jointly with DNCC, DSCC, the Water Development Board and the Roads and Highways Department.
Under this initiative, tree plantation has been carried out on road medians, U-loops, ponding areas and canal banks through a memorandum of understanding among the agencies. “A total of 41,565 saplings of fruit-bearing, forest, medicinal and ornamental trees have been planted under the programme.”
To reduce pollution, Tarique said the ground has been covered with various types of vines, shrubs and grasses.
“As part of a nationwide programme to plant 25 crore trees over the next five years, initiatives are being taken to plant trees on available vacant and afforestation-suitable lands in order to develop Dhaka as a clean and green city,” he said.
