Satellite towns around Dhaka
The regime's latest decision to build four satellite towns around capital Dhaka needs to be reviewed, based on long-term effects.
Even today Dhaka's infrastructure cannot support the existing daily overloads. The metropolis is dying, slowly and surely; and the situation is already beyond control. Dhaka city is surrounded by low wetlands. Reduce Dhaka's floating population.
The road and inland waterways sectors are utterly inadequate to meet today's rising demands; not to speak of the additional requirements of the satellite towns. In an LDC, sky rail and underground systems are economically and technically at risk (huge task for imported maintenance materials run by under-trained and insufficient staff).
What is needed is decentralisation of power from Dhaka to the divisional and district HQs. The MPs misuse too much power and influence with the result that other players do not get enough footprint to make some national contribution (the UZ chairmen are unhappy).
Bangladesh has one of the highest densities of population (per sq Km) in the world, in a relatively very small deltaic space, Roads, bridges, and culverts are not enough for mobility, without developing the IWT sector (we are not yet an industrialised nation). We have enough human resources to take up the extra loads of leadership at the lower levels in the different professional fields (we do not have enough graduate nurses; and the doctors do not like to serve in the rural areas).
More one-stop public service centres are required at the district and thana levels; instead of rushing to Dhaka for small errands all the time. Mega cities should have mega facilities, while democracy demands decentralisation of power. The rural-urban marketing network is weak and the cooperatives have proved to be corrupt. With concentration of power in fewer upper hands, the rich become richer, and the poor become poorer, tarnishing the political regime's public image about neutral management and administration.
The farmers work hard and honestly. They should have a place in society. The background role of women is appreciated officially. Satellite towns around Dhaka are not essential.
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