Mindless urbanisation

With a rapid economic growth and highly unfavourable land-population ratio, urbanisation has become an inevitability for Bangladesh. But what is going on in the name of urbanisation can be termed as visionless, unwieldy and mechanical development. This unfortunate fact has been re-confirmed by an eminent architect who is in the town with other world famous architects to attend a conference titled “Engage Dhaka 2015.”

The mechanical outlook of city development has made the dynamic city space a concrete jungle afflicted with traffic congestion, lack of basic services, overpopulation, pollution, health hazards etc. Disorganized rebuilding and unplanned transformation has left little space for emotional and cultural growth of the city dwellers, particularly the children. It has also a devastating impact on the ecological, environmental and hydrological system. 

The focus should be on building the city space in a planned way where city dwellers will have civic rights like pedestrian passage, parks, playgrounds and plazas, apart from the basic services, and top priority should be given to walking to ensure trouble free urban mobility That's why the government needs to work on a functional pedestrian system which will be complemented by mass rapid transit. 

To remain competitive, Dhaka should be built into a better connected and more livable city. It will happen only when the government will move with a clear vision of urbanisation. We fully endorse the idea of urbanism as ensemble of buildings, spaces and other physical facilities in a city which ensures collective living with a decent social and cultural bonding as well as economic vibrancy.