Urge experts, call for strengthening city planning
Unless Dhaka's uncontrolled and unplanned urbanisation is stopped, there will be no effective way to protect the city from earthquakes, fires, and other disasters, speakers said at a virtual programme yesterday.
They said recurring disasters -- such as earthquakes and fires -- have made Dhaka, one of the world's most densely populated cities, increasingly unsafe and unfit for living.
The speakers noted that the government has failed to control the continuous influx of people into Dhaka or manage rapid urbanisation, while city planning has been neglected at both public and private levels.
Speakers said there is a severe lack of enforcement of building codes and construction regulations, resulting in unsafe high-rise buildings being built on weak, reclaimed land over water bodies, wetlands and floodplains.
They added that political influence, landowners' arbitrariness, and corruption and negligence by responsible officials have turned life in Dhaka into a dangerous and uncertain reality.
They further claimed that under pressure from business groups, the government recently approved changes to the Detailed Area Plan without considering earthquake risks or the city's livability.
Presenting the keynote paper, Institute for Planning and Development Director Prof Adil Mohammed Khan said making Dhaka safe and sustainable requires integrated action in land-use zoning, building code enforcement, geotechnical testing, structural assessment, fire safety and community preparedness.
Without such measures, a major earthquake or fire could have devastating consequences, he warned.
Adil said earthquakes cannot be prevented, but their impact can be reduced through strict compliance with building codes and construction rules.
He called for the urgent establishment of the BBRA, adherence to seismic micro-zonation guidelines and a ban on approving projects that fill reservoirs or wetlands.
He also stressed identifying risky buildings, regular training and public awareness campaigns, engaging private developers in providing safe and affordable housing for low-income people, and imposing strict penalties for construction-related irregularities.
IPD Adviser Prof Aktar Mahmud noted that recent earthquakes in Chile, Haiti and Turkey show the importance of building code compliance in reducing damage.
He said every project must include disaster risk reduction measures, and both the state and building owners must be held accountable.
BIP Vice President and urban planner Syed Shahriar Amin said reducing pressure on Dhaka requires stronger spatial planning and decentralised development across the country.
He said the state must shift away from profit-driven urbanisation.
