Home ›› 30 Oct 2022 ›› Governance
Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam on Saturday called for changing the existing law for recovering encroached city canals and following the Cadastral Survey instead of the Bangladesh Digital Survey (BDS) to accomplish the task.
The mayor made the remark at a programme on the Detailed Area Plan (DAP 2022-2035) organised by the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) in Dhaka. Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives (LGRD) Minister Tazul Islam was also present at the event as the chief guest with BIP President Fazle Reza Sumon in the chair.
The current law permits the local government to recover city canals, grabbed and filled by the people following the Bangladesh Digital Survey (BDS).
“If land property title transaction could be done following CS, then why should we not recover encroached canals using this Khatiyan (record of rights)?” the mayor said adding that if a canal was 110 feet wide at CS record, the BDS record finds it now only 10 feet wide.
Atiqul informed that DNCC has been able to reclaim some 24 playgrounds in the city and he ensured that the local government would gradually reclaim all encroached canals, playgrounds, and other open spaces in its jurisdiction area.
He also questioned the activities of housing authorities as they are giving controversial permission to build residences in the open spaces of the city.
FAR declined intentionally in the new DAP
Ashraful Islam, acting Town Planner at RAJUK, also the project coordinator of the DAP, stated that Floor Area Ratio (FAR) has been reduced from National Building Code 2008 to balance the land use across the city.
For example, Gulshan gets higher FAR but its neighbourhood Badda got less. The difference was made as Gulshan ensured much better citizen facilities for its residents. Almost 80 per cent of the land in Badda has been used for constructing buildings without ensuring necessary roads for smooth communications, he explained.
Prof Nazrul Islam, chairman of Centre for Urban Studies, discussed the importance and delay of the National Physical Plan, National Urban Policy and also effective decentralisation of the capital.
“We would not have to think about moving the capital city elsewhere if proper decentralisation is possible,” he opined. He called for formulating policies as soon as possible to make the cities more habitats for all.
LGRD Minister Tazul Islam said that DAP is now on the discussion table and it does not mean that no further such (urban policy) would be formulated.
To ensure homes for the people having small lands in the capital, the concept of Block Housing has been incorporated, he added.
The minister, however, said, “DAP would be revised if needed.”
“Experts have mentioned some flaws which may be found in around 10 per cent of the plan. But all the flaws are adjustable,” the minister added.
The minister also mentioned that although DAP is a result of RAJUK’s hard work, they are not the only body to implement it. “We need to work collectively. All other concerned authorities and professionals have to work with determination to make it happen,” he said.
