Unplanned Urbanisation

Forum to launch research

5 July 2010, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent

A group of professionals including some real estate businessmen launched a new forum yesterday with the aim of conducting research and making recommendations about unplanned urbanisation, industrialisation, traffic congestion and other social problems. Their organisation Forum for Physical Development of Bangladesh (FPD) is a non-profit making and non-political platform to enhance the socio-economic, cultural and technological capacity of the city ensuring good governance through advocacy, they said. “One of the main objectives of the organisation would be to solve various important problems of the country”, said Chairman of FPD Toufiq M Seraj, also a former president of Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) at the launching programme held at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel. He said the problems looming over the country right now include earthquake, fire in different buildings, unplanned urbanisation, traffic congestion, unplanned industrialisation, reduced farmland. The FPD will conduct technical research on the issues and present realistic recommendations. Executive Director of FPD Kazi Anis Uddin Iqbal in his presentation said their other objectives include exploration, verification and review of development programmes, organising discussions, seminars, lectures, conferences and dialogues among professionals, creating awareness among people, organising research on specific subjects through groups of professionals and identifying gaps and potential in technology. Others on the board of directors of FPD are: member secretary Mahmudul Hassan, director finance, Tanveerul Haque Probal, former president of REHAB, Kutubuddin Ahmed, former BGMEA president, Choudhury Jamal Ashraf and Rabiul Alam.