COMMERCIALIZATION OF TEJGAON INDUSTRIAL AREA:

AN ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION
Mr. Abu Toasin Md. Oakil*
Ms. Fariya Sharmeen**

ABSTRACT
Being close to the capital, Tejgaon was a suitable location for building industries as per guideline
of first master plan of Dhaka in 1959. But, with the rapid growth of Dhaka City, Tejgaon
Industrial Area (I/A) has become a victim of unplanned development. The area faces a mixed
type of land use change being diverted from its original pattern. This paper tries to investigate
changing land use characteristics of Tejgaon I/A and to delineate the significant environmental
issues found and believed to be involved in the area due to such changes.

This study tends to identify the environmental impacts, likely to occur due to the trend of
commercialization of Tejgaon Industrial Area, which are both beneficial and adverse. Impacts on
the environment have been identified through reconnaissance survey and public opinion. Then
identified impacts have been evaluated using graded matrix method. This methodology basically
incorporates a list of environmental parameters, which could be affected. It does qualitative
identification of cause-effect relationship between specific activities and environmental factors.
However, in this case, the magnitude value do not entirely stand on facts rather on subjective
evaluation based on different social surveys, observation and dialogues with the concerned
people and authority.

It is apparent that commercialization of an existing industrial establishment will have

comparatively less adverse environmental impacts. The possible negative consequences,
however, cannot be overlooked and to mitigate those some management measures have been
suggested herewith. The study, however, was an effort to instigate detailed further studies on
environmental and socioeconomic impacts of land use transformation that is mandate for
sustainable development of urban Dhaka.

* Lecturer, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Bangladesh University of Engineering and
Technology, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh. E-mail: atmoakil@urp.buet.ac.bd
** Lecturer, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Bangladesh University of Engineering and
Technology, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh. E-mail: fariyasharmeen@urp.buet.ac.bd

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1. INTRODUCTION
The comprehensive integration of economic and environmental interests is necessary to achieve
the objectives of sustainable land management. This requires that environmental concerns be
given equal importance with economic performance in evaluating the impacts of development
projects…….Without this, the integration of environmental concerns into economic decision-
making is an appealing concept, but one rarely applied (Dumanski, 1997). One such means of
assessing and strengthening the contributions of development to sustainable development is
through the application of environmental impact assessments (EIA).

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a procedure for considering the potential

environmental effect of land use change. It is a formal procedure for ensuring that the potential
impact on the environment of certain new development and changes to land use are fully
considered. EIA is high on the international development agenda. It received international
recognition at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in
1992. Principle 17 of the Rio Declaration states: "Environmental Impact Assessment, as a
national instrument, shall be undertaken for proposed activities that are likely to have a significant
adverse impact on the environment and are subject to a decision of a competent national
authority"(FAO, 2006).

In recent years, many countries have enacted laws and directives mandating EIA for development
activities in various sectors, including land use change, urbanization, etc. For example, the
European Union directive of 1985 establishes requirements for EIA in all member countries. In
1991, 26 nations of the United Nations Commission for Europe (UNECE) signed the Convention
on EIA in a transboundary context (FAO, 2006).

Tejgaon industrial area is the major industrial estate defined by the Dhaka Master Plan.
According to government policy of that period necessary technical, economic, and physical
supports were provided to build the site as typical industrial area. As per guideline of the Dhaka
Master Plan, 1959, the Old Dhaka was the city centre and the Tejgaon was fallow land.
Therefore, Tejgaon was suitable location for building industries.

The area was surrounded by much institutional, office, residential and other non-industrial use.
Besides its contribution to environmental pollution in Dhaka City many industries were shifted
to outside Dhaka due to different diseconomies of urban agglomeration. At the same time
experts, policy makers, planners, environmental groups, members of different civil society
organizations raised their voice for shifting industries from Tejgaon to out side Dhaka for being
major sources of environmental pollution. By this time many industries already have been
shifted and those abandoned plots and buildings are being used for different commercial
purposes after partial or whole modification of buildings and premises and accordingly the area
is being turned into commercial zone.

It has been always agreed upon that land-use policies and regulations related to urbanization
must be reviewed and updated to provide a basis for conservation strategy and rationale for
sustainable use of environmental resources. The emerging and proposed development areas may
be included in EIA procedure regardless of the scale of development (Alphan, 2003). Many such
studies have been conducted in developed countries (Conacher, 1980, Sebastiani, et. al. 1998;
Vogtlander, et. al., 2004;) but the process has been hardly initiated in Bangladesh to assess
impacts of emerging development trends. This study intends to bring forth popular attention
towards the significance and necessity of the process.

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Tejgaon Industrial Area (I/A) was designed as an industrial area in 1968 to fulfill definite
requirements of the country. With this area being transformed gradually as a commercial zone, in
a rather spontaneous way, there has to be a few impacts (direct or indirect/ positive or negative)
on the surrounding environment. This study seeks to find out the potential environmental impact
due to commercialization of Tejgaon industrial area.

2. OBJECTIVES
This paper intended to answer the questions of what is the prevailing land use within and
surrounding areas; what are the changes that the site is experiencing for last few years; what are
the processes that would and could be necessary for operating such changes and finally what are
the possible consequences that might arise? Involving above question, the study intends to -
a. Examine changing land use characteristics of Tejgaon industrial area and
b. Delineate the significant environmental issues already found and likely to be involved if
full-fledged commercialization is to take place.

3. METHODOLOGY
The study tried to answer the questions put in the objectives by - i. Examining existing land use
and environmental condition in addition to land use changes; ii. Identifying changing
characteristics of land uses with identification of major activities and procedures involved in this
changing courses and iii. Lastly, representing identified environmental impacts and a general
evaluation of those impacts.

For the fulfillment of intention, the study needed some collection of relevant information
including base map undertaking field visits to study area, discussion with local people, review of
pertinent reports and other references. Finally, these were followed by identification and
evaluation of major potential environmental impacts. The identification process was conducted
by simple checklist method and the identified impacts have been evaluated using Graded Matrix
(Leopold) Method.

The checklist method basically incorporates a list of environmental factors to be addressed and is
able to aid identification of impacts The Leopold matrix is a qualitative environmental impact
assessment method, used to identify the potential environmental impact of a project on the
environment. The system consists in a matrix with columns representing the various activities of
the project, and rows representing the various environmental factors to be considered. The
intersections are filled in to indicate the magnitude (from -10 to +10) and the importance (from 1
to 10) of the impact of each activity on each environmental factor. The application of these
methods has been explained later. Based on the findings some suggestions for mitigation
measures have been made.

4. EXISTING LAND USE CONDITION

4.1 Surrounding land use of the project area
The area was planned for light industries in 1968 by Dhaka Improvement Trust (present
RAJUK) when it was at the northeast part of the city. But now its surrounding land use gives the
evidence of a very incompatible land use pattern in the central location of Dhaka. Unplanned
residential areas (Nakhalpara) with some commercial uses (Sonargaon –Pantapath and Farmgate)
are dominating surrounding land use. A water body named Begunbari Khal is on the east side of
the project area, which is encroached by slums and squatter settlements.

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4.2 Existing land use of the Project area
The present land use is quite mixed in character. The plots are changed in to commercial use.
With the increase of labor-intensive industries, the residential use of the plots has also increased
in the form of slums and encroachments. The following table shows the organization of land uses
of the study area and their total area –
Table 1: Types of land use in the study area

Types of Land use No. of Plots Area (in Acres)

Residential 54 56.552
Industrial 127 130.331
Commercial 61 53.439
Institutional 39 49.22
Mixed 3 9.846
Under Utilized 34 41.857
Under construction 1 2.3
Abandon 8 8.17
Community facilities 12 7.8
Encroachment - 22.27
Road - 100.28
Total 339 482.065
Source: Khan, M.B, Islam, M.R., Jahan, I., 2005

The study area is planned for light industry. But with the demand of daily necessities and
materials, every kind of industries has been grown in the study area. Industries include textile,
chemical, food and beverage, paper and pulp etc. Most of the industries are Red or Orange-A
category.
The industries in the project area categorized as follows:

Table 2: Composition of different types of industry found in the locality

Types of industries No. of Industries
General industry 74
Heavy industry 39
Noxious industry 14
Light industry 0
Total 127
Source: Khan, M.B, Islam, M.R., Jahan, I., 2005

5. ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY AREA

Among the industries of Tejgaon I/A, 23.26% industries causes water pollution, 14.73 % causes
air pollution, 26.36% due to waste disposal. Among 14 noxious industry, 3 industries are
chemical industry, 3 industries are plastic industry, 2 industries are Coal tar industry, and 6
industries are dyeing and printing industry. Noxious industries especially dyeing and printing
industry create high water pollution to the adjacent khal (Khan, et al, 2005).

5.1 Air Quality

Being an industrial area, the area produces huge air pollutant. Besides the presence of chemical
industry (Faruk Chemical industry) near biscuit factory (Nabisco Biscuit) poses serious health
hazard. Harmful emissions from dying and printing industries, paper and pulp industries, and
heavy metal industries are also polluting at a large scale.

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Table 3: Air Pollution level in Tejgaon Industrial area
Category of Allowable Pollutant Ambient Pollutant Concentration
Environment Concentrations [mg/m3] in Tejgaon area [mg/m3]
Sulphur Dioxide Nitrogen Oxide Sulphur Dioxide Nitrogen Oxide
(SO2) (NOx) (SO2) (Nox)
Industrial and
120 100 729 54
Mixed Use
Commercial
100 100 - -
and Mixed Use
Source: Department of Environment, 1996

5.2 Water Quality

Most of the drains are connected with Begunbari khal bearing the waste of industries, like heavy
industry (medicine, cosmetics) and noxious industry (dying and printing). Industrial wastewater
is disposed in the open drains, ditches and ponds adjacent to the industry, lakes and canals and
nearby rivers.

According to the environmental standard of Bangladesh (ECR, 1997), for the survival of the
aquatic life the dissolved oxygen be between 4 mg and 8 mg per liter and accepted level of
Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) is 100 mg per liter. But the situation is far-off worse in
Tejgaon area. The industries in Tejgaon discharge 3500m3 of wastewater containing a waste load
of 1850 kg BOD per day (SEHD, 1998).

5.3 Noise Level

Noise level of the project area is higher than the accepted limit due to presence of the heavy
industries. The following table shows the noise level situation –
Table 4: Comparison of accepted an existing noise level in the project area.
Area with land use Accepted noise level (dB) Existing noise level (dB)
Tejgaon Industrial area 75 89
Farmgate Commercial area 70 90
Source: Department of Environment, 1996

6. CHANGING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE STUDY AREA

To evaluate the impacts of the land use transformation of the study area, it is required to learn
about the changing characteristics of the land use, at first. Tejgaon Industrial Area is
experiencing a mixed type of land use pattern with rapid shift from industrial to residential,
commercial and institutional purposes, during the last one-decade. Mainly the plots are changed
into commercial plots. There are some residential encroachments too by the lower income group
living in the area.

6.1 Industrial to commercial

As the study area is in the core of Dhaka City, there lies some problem here for industrial
production, the high land value and high land taxes, for instance. These make the zone quite
uncomfortable for production. For this, many industrial plots have changed into more profitable
commercial plots. The types of the commercial plots are mainly show rooms of different car
companies and of different industrial products. Mainly commercial plots are developed beside
Tongi Diversion Road and Gulshan Diversion Road. Up to year 2000 the industrial
establishments have increased in a gradual way but during the years 2001 to 2005 the growth has
declined significantly.

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6.2 Industrial to residential
There is no Government policy or plan to develop residential area in the Tejgaon Industrial
Zone. So, residential development occurred in the form of encroachment in some abandoned
industrial plots where the industries have closed or shifted to other places, as in the case of
Phoenix Textile Mills at plot no. 408. 22-acre area of DCC has already been encroached by the
low-income group. The residents are mainly the labor working in the industries located inside
the study area.

6.3 Industrial to abandoned plots

Many industries, namely Bengal Plastic, Nasa Group, Hamim Garments, City Group, Energy
Pac and Ibrahim Garments, have been closed due to production loss or shift from here to Savar
or Gazipur or Katchpur and the plots have become abandon without any use. These plots are not
developed for other purposes or given to other industries by the Government. This encourages
the lower income group more to encroach in these plots.

7. THE PROCESS OF COMMERCIALIZATION

The trend of commercialization at Tejgaon has already begun. If commercialization is to take
place, then what could be more appropriate to develop it in a planned way considering the above
recommendations to maintain a livable city? Before evaluating the impacts of
commercialization, we have to understand the major changes it could bring about in the overall
infrastructure system.

7.1 Process involved in land use transformation

Land use transformation requires some changes in the type of construction. This leads to the
undertaking of the following activities –
i. dismantling of old establishment
ii. removal of materials
iii. transportation of required building materials
iv. building construction
v. building renovation

7.2 Requirement of resources

As commercialization requires no raw materials and it buys and sells finished products, there
will be no need for extra land, water and other resources. But it will raise the demand for land
within and outside the area for residential, commercial, business, administrative and other
economic activities. Thus the requirement of transport, power, water supply and land resource
may increase. Other than these, a number of labor forces will be required during construction
periods.

7.3 Type of wastes generated

The wastes generated from the industries are of various types. Most of the industries generate
wastewater, clothing, packages and chemicals and dispose the wastes untreated in the Dhaka
City Corporation (DCC) drain or direct in the Begunbari Khal. Commercialization of Tejgaon
changes the nature and extent of waste generation as most of the waste generated from
commercial establishments are domestic wastes rather than chemical or toxic substances.

7.4 Transport requirements

Most of the industries use van to carry the raw materials and produced goods. But to carry goods
from outside the Dhaka they use trucks. As trucks are not allowed to enter inside the Dhaka city
before 8.30 p.m. (according to recent traffic rule) vans are the only mode of transport used by the

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industrialists to carry goods inside the Dhaka city. Sometimes cars and also containers are used
for the purpose. Due to commercialization of the area, there will be an increase in utilization of
car and public transport at daytime. It will lead to more traffic flow at peak periods, which in
turn result in traffic congestion and waste of time.

7.5 Requirements for utility services

Industrial establishments require supply of electricity, gas and water in huge quantity. This has
created pressure on the present supply of the utility services of the study area and the
surrounding areas. Whereas requirements for power and water supply will diminish in course of
commercialization. But demands for such facilities may increase due to rapid growth of
residential, administrative and commercial high-rise buildings, which are very much like to
prevail in future.

In addition, the Begunbari khal serving as natural drainage for the site is being encroached by the
slums and squatters, built by industrial workers. Though commercialization may reduce the
demand for land by industrial laborers, it will create demand for land by other groups of people
within the society.

8. RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Environmental Impact Identification and Assessment
In Bangladesh the important industries are leather tanning, textile, paper and pulp, fertilizer,
sugar, steel, oil refining, chemical, pharmaceutical, and other small scale agro based and agro-
allied industries. Almost all of these industries are located near the banks of natural streams or in
the industrial belt around the city suburbs. This locational pattern has obviously risen from the
ease of discharge of the effluent. Noxious industries especially dyeing and printing industry
create high pollution. Unfortunately these industries drain their effluent in most cases without
any form of treatment into the nearby river. Since river water is largely used for drinking,
washing, irrigation and fisheries, pollution has serious adverse economic, environmental and
human health effects. Gaseous emissions and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes are also
becoming of increasing concern considering public health risks through contamination of air and
groundwater resources and solid wastes acting as a breading ground for disease causing vectors.

8.1 Major Findings

An initial environmental examination has been carried out based on a reconnaissance survey -

8.1.1 Critical Issues

The only existing water body in the study area is the portion of Begun Bari Khal which is used
as the dumping site of many industries. Most of chemical industries in the area do not have any
treatment plant and they discharge wastewater in the Begun Bari Khal, which increase the
BOD51 of the water. The following table shows wastewater discharged by the chemical industries
–
Table 5: Total estimated wastewater production and BOD-loads of selected industrial clusters
Cluster name, Type of Number of Total Waste Water Total BOD5 Load
Industry Industries Discharge (m3/day) (kg BOD5/day)

Tejgaon, Dhaka - chemicals 28 3500 1850

Source: Directory of selected industries 1988, published by the Directorate of Industries
1
The amount of dissolved oxygen consumed during the five days by biological processes breaking down
organic matter.

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The Tejgaon industrial area discharges its wastewater in a relatively diffuse way via drains and
through lowlands, ultimately to the rivers Buriganga, Turag, and Balu. With respect to a densely
populated city like Dhaka deterioration of such resources is irreversible. There is immediate need
to prevent this aggravation and save the environment. Considering the high land value these
places can’t be left unused or underutilized. If commercialization takes place the land parcels can
be properly utilized in an optimum manner and at the same time these critical resources can be
recuperated.

8.1.2 Other Issues

The transport facility is mainly dominated by the through traffic. The industrial traffics, which
mainly are trucks and other heavy vehicles, mainly penetrate after 8pm according to existing
traffic regulations. This amount will grow significantly if commercialization takes place in the
area resulting more air and noise pollution. The labor force employed in the industries will
suddenly get unemployed if commercialization takes place.

8.2 Identification of Major Impacts

Identification of major impacts has been carried out using the simple checklist method and has
been evaluated using graded matrix (Leopold) method. Impacts are primarily classified based on
their influence on adjacent environment; whether beneficial or adverse. Then they are further
classified as having long term or short term effect, leaving reversible or irreversible
consequences, being local or wide in nature and whether these are significant or normal. The
checklist is being shown in the following table.

Table 6: Simple Checklist for the Impacts of Commercialization of Tejgaon Industrial Area in
Dhaka City
Nature of Likely Impacts
ITEMS ADVERSE BENEFICIAL
ST LT R IR L W ST LT SI N
Agriculture X X
Fisheries X X
Forestry
Surface Water X X
Ground Water X X
Soil X X
Land Value X X
Air Quality X X
Water Supply X X
Electricity Supply X X
Gas Supply X X
Surface Drainage * * * * * * * * * *
Solid Waste Disposal X X
Land Transportation X X
Human Health X X
Socio Economic X X X
Aesthetic X X
Note: ST = Short Term LT = Long Term R = Reversible IR = Irreversible
L = Local W = Wide SI = Significant N = Normal
* = Negligible

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8.3 Evaluation of Impacts
As mentioned earlier, the identified impacts have been evaluated using Graded Matrix Method.
This methodology basically incorporates a list of environmental parameters, which could be
affected. It does qualitative identification of cause-effect relationship between specific activities
and environmental factor. The findings of the matrix method correspond to the assessment that
commercialization of Tejgaon industrial area does not pose a serious threat to the environment.

Application of Graded Matrix

The quantified graded matrix method is superior to simple interaction matrix. In this method, the
“magnitude” and “importance” of the impacts can be denoted in each cell of matrix by assigning
numerical values. The magnitude of interaction is the extensiveness or scale and is described by
the assignment of a numerical value from 1 to 10, 10 representing a large magnitude and 1 a
small magnitude. The scale of importance also ranges from 1 to 10, with 10 representing a very
important interaction and 1 and interaction of relatively low importance.

Assignment of numerical value for the magnitude of an interaction is based on an objective

evaluation of facts while assignment of numerical value for importance is based on subjective
judgments of the interdisciplinary team working of the environmental assessment study. This
approach is used for gross screening technique for impact identification purposes. Summation of
the number of rows and columns designated as having interactions offer insight into impact
assessment and interpretation.

However, in this case the magnitude value does not entirely stand on facts rather on subjective
evaluation based on different social surveys, observation and dialogues with the concerned
people and authority.

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Table 7: Matrix for the Impacts of Commercialization of Tejgaon Industrial Area in Dhaka City

Project Location

Change in Odor

Utility Services
Dust Emission
Construction /

Employment
Dismantling

Noise Level
Renovation

Change on
Discharge
Condition
Variation
Removal

Pressure
Waste

Total
Expected Activities
/ Impacts

Agriculture 3/4 3/4

Fisheries 4/6 4/6
Forestry -2 / 2
Surface Water -2 / 2 4/5 6/8 10 / 13
Ground Water 3/3 3/8 6 / 11
Soil
Land Value 4/5 4/5
Air Quality -3 / 4 -5 / 9 -8 / 13
Water Supply 5/7 5/7
Electricity Supply -1 / 4 4/6 3/2
Gas Supply 3/6 3/6
Surface Drainage -3 / 5 -3 / 5
Solid Waste
Disposal 2/5 2/5
Land Transportation -3 / 7 -4 / 7 -7 / 14
Human Health -2 / 3 -4 / 6 -2 / 4 3 / 5 5/7 2/6 2/5
Socio Economic 2/8 2/7 5/8 -4 / 8 5 / 15
Aesthetic
Total 4/5 -7 / 9 -2 / 0 2 / 3 -11 / 17 -2 / 6 21 / 35 -7 / 15 11 / 19

For further understanding negative impacts are assigned with a negative mark preceding them. It
can be seen from the table that the most adverse impact will be on air quality and land
transportation of the area. Waste discharge activity and pressure change on utility services will
benefit the environment the most. However the most severe impacts will be caused by dust
emission. Activity wise impacts on different environmental parameters are being explained with
proper justification hereunder.

Project location: Tejgaon Industrial Area is already a developed premise having proper
accessibility and other facilities. So land value will not change to a high level due to
commercialization. However there will be a moderate impact on the land value.

Dismantling: Demolition and dismantling of the existing establishments will have negative
impacts on air quality and surface water quality. There is possibility of disruption of electricity
transmission lines and transport network will also be hampered. It will however have positive
socio-economic impact by virtue of employment generation. The effects are however short term.

Removal: Removal activity will have short term negative impact on transportation facility and
significant positive impact on socio-economic aspect creating employment.

Construction/Renovation: Construction phase will have significant socio-economic impact but

may cause health hazard due to dust and noise emission. These impacts are also short term.

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Dust emission: Commercialization definitely will increase the traffic volume of the area thus
resulting an increase in dust emission. This will deteriorate air quality and will cause harm to
human health.

Noise level variation: Noise level will be increased as a result of traffic volume increase. This
will agitate human health and convenience.

Change in odor condition: Odor emission will be reduced, as toxic and odorous industrial wastes
will not be discharged any longer. This will eventually improve the surface and ground water
quality and improve human health.

Waste discharge: Waste discharge rate will reduce significantly and it is obvious that
commercial waste will be less hazardous than industrial ones. This will have long-term wide
effect on agriculture and adjacent inland water fisheries. This will also upgrade surface and
ground water quality and improve human health.

Employment: The vast labor force living in adjacent slums and squatters will become
unemployed as a result of closing of industries. However a portion of them will be migrated to
new locations of the industries but there is every possibility that a significant proportion will
remain here at Tejgaon slums and squatters. This unemployed force will then get engaged in
different unsocial activities to maintain the very existence of their living. Crime rate might get
increased.

Pressure change on utility services: Pressure on utility services will be released to a comparative
degree except for the surface drainage system. Pressure will be increased here as industries do
have their separate drainage system to discharge the affluent.

9. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
Tejgaon I/A calls for adequate guidance as experiencing various problems related to continuous
change in land use trend. The Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan (1995-2015) indications
along with the opinions of the residents have been taken in formulating some general policy
recommendations in order to mitigate the adverse impacts on environment.

9.1 Mitigation Measures

- Development of the area should be controlled and supervised by the concerned authority.
RAJUK should take appropriate measures to impose height and set back regulations to the
new establishments to control high traffic volumes and service requirements.
- Strict zoning regulations should be enforced. Commercial establishments should be along the
main roads and no residential structure should be permitted there.
- During demolition, removal and construction period proper safety of the pedestrian and
vehicular traffic, utility lines and adjacent plots should be ensured and fire protection should
be ensured.
- Critical natural resources in and adjacent the study area, such as, Begun Bari Khal, Gulshan
Lake, etc. should be preserved. Effective regulations should be enforced regarding waste
discharge in the water bodies and encroachment of the lakes.
- To control traffic, measures like lane segregation, time separation, and exclusion of NMTs
etc. can be utilized.

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- It is predicted that pressure on surface drainage will be increased as a result of
commercialization. Management of land use should be done in integration with surface
drainage management plan. Landscape plan and alignments of main internal roads should be
such that maximum utilization of existing topographic advantage can be taken in the
drainage management plan.
- The land use zoning will protect the residential developments from the nuisance arising from
the high volume of traffic. To create the buffer zone a green belt of carefully selected trees
should be planted along the transportation facilities.
- Massive plantation is being recommended along the footpaths, islands, round about, open
spaces in front of and in between commercial plots and in residential zone. Community
initiatives would be potent enough to bring about visible change in the area.

9.2 Environmental Monitoring

Environmental monitoring of major commercial and business districts is an important task,
which has largely been overlooked in our country. For surveillance of the performance of the
pollution control measures and the quality of the environment, monitoring of the emissions
discharged from the area and the quality of the work and living zone and general environment
should be performed on a regular basis. The monitoring program should be carried out under
direct supervision of the Department of Environment (DoE) and should be such so that it can
ensure compliance with the Standards.

10. CONCLUSION
In every development activity, environment is considered to be the key issue and impact of
development activities should be envisaged carefully of how it can be mitigated. Dhaka City has
experienced significant urban growth during last 50 years. The land use has undergone radical
changes since 1971 when Dhaka became the capital of the new sovereign state of Bangladesh.
Changes in land use alter the physical characteristics of an area which in turn brings changes in
distinct features like land use, physical, social, environmental and in hydrological regime. The
study area Tejgaon was planned in 1968 by the then DIT as an industrial zone but loosing its
identity day-by-day to have competence with the changing development trend of Dhaka City
from a planned zone to mixed unregulated problematic land uses.

This study tends to identify the possible environmental impacts, likely to occur due to the trend
of commercialization of Tejgaon Industrial Area, which are both beneficial and adverse. It is
apparent from a very general point of view that commercialization of an existing industrial
establishment will have comparatively fewer adverse impacts on the surrounding environment.
The possible negative consequences, however, cannot be overlooked and to mitigate those some
management measures like development control, zoning, plantation and environmental
monitoring have been suggested herewith.

EIA is a procedure for considering and assessing the potential impact of land use change on the
environment. This study is done on a very gross level with an intention to provide an
understanding of the possible changes of land use transformation taking a case study of Tejgaon
Industrial Area. The study has its own limitation of being evaluated subjectively and less
detailed at the same time. A much detailed baseline study might be carried out to identify and
evaluate possible impacts of commercialization of the study area. Socio-economic impacts of
land use transformation have some significance. The paper identifies some repercussions in the
socio-economic aspects due to commercialization. A detailed socio-economic impact assessment
of the study area thus might be carried out.

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Again, in almost every part of Dhaka city spontaneous and rather unplanned land use change are
being evident. We, therefore suggest a detailed impact assessment of the critical areas to move
towards an environmentally and economically sustainable city. Many countries of the world
have their own national EIA system. The effectiveness of EIAs can be further strengthened by
ensuring that they are carried out by independent, third party experts; that they clearly integrate
socioeconomic and environmental aspects of project assessment; and that recommendations be
demonstrably incorporated in development activities.

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Conacher, A., September 1980, “Environmental Problem-Solving and Land-Use Management: A
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Dumanski, J., 1997, “Criteria and Indicators for Land Quality and Sustainable Land Management”, J. ITC
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