Contents

Making Dhaka city livable: Decentralisation is the key ............................................................................. 1

Only decentralization can save Dhaka from 'collapse': Experts ................................................................. 4
Easing pressure on Dhaka ........................................................................................................................ 6
Decentralization can help Dhaka Tribune Editorial ................................................................................ 7

Making Dhaka city livable: Decentralisation is the key

The government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian conglomerate
Sahara to set up satellite towns around Dhaka city. No doubt Sahara is a business group which have
come here on their own to look for investment opportunity to make profit only. The details of the MoU
not yet being made public, we are unable to figure out what is the TOR or scope of the proposed
investment.

While foreign investment is welcome, we also must be careful about our own need and concerns which
are mainly, among other issues, destruction of arable land and climate. It is debatable whether we need
foreign investment for development of township instead of development of industry and energy. We
should prioritise our needs before jumping to any new venture.

Let us look before we leap. India is a vast country where unproductive landmass is abundant to set up
such kinds of township. Bangladesh is a heavily over-populated small country and its arable land is
depleting fast due to setting up of industries, housing estates etcetera posing a great threat to its
capability to feed its ever-increasing large population. The country, faced with an imminent danger of
global warming, cannot just take up any venture which will encroach our cultivable land and cause
adverse effect on climate.

After all, from where will those townships get electricity, gas and water? We are now unable to provide
such utility services properly to our existing city dwellers even. The entire nation is reeling under
unbearable load shedding, shortage of gas and drinking water. The prime concern should have been to
address those problems rather than embarking upon ventures which would multiply those problems.

Next, from where will Sahara get hundreds of acres of land in a heavily congested landmass is a big
question. As reported in the newspapers, agitation has already started in Keraniganj over the news of
acquiring arable land by Rajuk for Sahara. One should not forget the unfortunate situation which
occurred over the acquiring of land for army housing project and proposed international airport some
time ago.
Our own land developers and builders are fully capable of handling such projects if the government
extends help the way it is extending to a foreign company. Why was a technical national committee,
comprising experts drawn from the government and public, not formed to make the feasibility study
before signing of the MoU, is a big mystery. It appears the way things are moving in favour of the
proposed project it is not difficult to understand the whole project has the blessings of influential
quarters. This fear is also substantiated by the appointment of the chief executive of the proposed
company who comes from one of the powerful political families of the country. Therefore, such
unproductive venture will only help a foreign investor siphon out money from the country and in the
process will enable a few local influential people to make money with little benefit to the country.

So, without beating about the bush to find a solution to the overcrowding problem of Dhaka city, let us
look for more logical ways how to solve the problems which we ourselves can take care of.

Dhaka city with its over fifteen million people has been reeling under over-population, traffic jam,
shortage of roads and streets, deteriorating public utility services, load shedding, failing law and order
situation, emergence of concrete jungle in an un-planned manner, growing up of slum areas, unending
stream of floating population, grabbing of greeneries around the city in the name of housing projects
etcetera. The city has virtually become unlivable by any standard. Despite enacting of law and Court
directives, dumping of garbage in the Buriganga river is going on unabated, and grabbing of river beds
and lakes by the greedy land developers could not be prevented. In the city, traffic, water, electricity,
gas, law and order situation have become increasingly unmanageable and the authorities are frantically
trying to manage an unmanageable situation.

All these things are happening due to over-population in the city. Various measures are being talked
about to obviate those problems at a colossal cost which a poor country like Bangladesh can ill-afford.
Those who are talking about such highly ambitious projects are themselves unaware if such ambitious
projects are at all practical to materialise, apart from the cost and time factors. Overhead roads, circular
railway or underground railway, although may be essential for a city like Dhaka in the long run, will
never bring any respite due to continuous inflow of population into Dhaka city from the rural areas,
according to experts.

The most important question is: Is Dhaka city able to sustain the tremendous population pressure which
is multiplying everyday? Certainly it does not. Statistics show that over twenty thousand people daily
come to the city for various jobs and stay back; and over a thousand automobile and manual transports
hit the city streets every day. If the number is even half, the situation appears grim and it is a matter of
time only when all activities in the city will come to a halt as people will not be able to move from one
place to another.

Dhaka city has been transformed into a mini-Bangladesh with all its disadvantages. It is high time the
think-tank in the government took the issue in right earnest and considered the various options
available not only to save Dhaka city but also the country. A high-powered committee drawn from the
government and experts from public should be formed immediately to draw up plans and measures to
come out of the appalling situation within a definite time frame. The solution lies undoubtedly in the
decentralisation of Dhaka city. The following steps, which may seem ambitious but are actually
achievable, could help in implementing the decentralisation process:

 The seat of the various ministries, excepting defence, foreign affairs and finance, should be
shifted to various divisional head quarters.

 The High Court should be spread to various divisional headquarters. It is said about a quarter of
a million people come to Dhaka city every day to attend High Court.

 Private universities should be spread throughout the country and establishment of more
schools, colleges and universities outside Dhaka should be encouraged by offering various
incentives to the sponsors.

 Establishment of medical colleges and hospitals throughout the country outside Dhaka district
should be encouraged with various incentives to the sponsors.

 Any kind of further construction of buildings, housing areas etcetera should be banned
immediately in and around Dhaka city. In fact a moratorium should be placed on purchase and
sale of any immovable properties in and around Dhaka city at least for a decade.

 All garments, leather and other factories in and around Dhaka city should be relocated to other
places across the country in a planned manner.

 The BGB headquarters and military establishments should be shifted to places outside Dhaka
city.

 Corporation tax and other rates for utility services should be re-fixed at a very high rate and all
inhabitants, including floating and slum dwellers, should be brought under the tax net which will
discourage people to flock and stay in the city easily. Living in Dhaka city should be made
expensive like all other cities in the world. Half of the population of Dhaka city are now used to
enjoy electricity gas, water etcetera free.
Besides, it is also worthwhile to consider a well-thought-out decision at the highest level of the
government, if necessary through a referendum, to switch over to federal form of government from the
existing unitary form so that the country would no longer be required to run on remote control system
from Dhaka city. This would ensure proper governance up to the village-level. Once provincial
governments are established all major activities of the government as well as private sectors will
automatically shift to the provincial capitals from Dhaka city. Therefore, the exodus of people from
various parts of the country to Dhaka city will cease. Unitary form of government has become outdated
these days among the comity of nations. In an over-populated country like ours, the system of unitary
form of government is not workable.

Only decentralization can save Dhaka from 'collapse': Experts

Stressing the importance of rapid decentralization of capital Dhaka to save it from its 'imminent
collapse', experts have said the city authorities need to deal with its root problems rather than taking
short-term measures like constructing mega structures.

They said there is no alternative to decentralization for making the capital city livable again as it is
struggling to ensure civic amenities to its huge population with its weak infrastructures.

They insisted that the strong will of political parties, especially the ones in power, is needed for the
much-needed decentralization, which includes relocating key installations, especially government
offices, industries, all types of factories from Dhaka to reduce the unprecedented pressure of
population on it.

They also advocated for a comprehensive and farsighted plan to save the country's capital.

Urban expert and former chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Prof Nazrul Islam,
Prof Sarwar Jahan of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and Prof Dr
Rezaul Haque of Khulna University's Urban and Rural Planning Department came up with the views.

According to an Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) report published in August last year, Dhaka
ranked the second least livable city in the world. The country's capital remains at the bottom of the
ranking for the past five years.
Another report conducted by the United Nations in 2014 says Dhaka is the 11th most populous city
of the world with nearly 1.7 crore people. Dhaka was 24th in 1990 with only 66.21 lakh people and
saw a 3.6 percent annual rise in its population between 2010 and 2015.

Urban expert and former chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Prof Nazrul Islam
said the problem of Dhaka city is very serious and complex. "There is a clear absence of sincerity
and commitment to address Dhaka city's problems."

"There were assurances from the highest political level to make Dhaka a livable and dynamic city.
But, we hardly see the words to be followed by actions...the political leaders are least bothered
about Dhaka. But, they must take care of it because the entire country's development largely
depends on it," he added.

Political, administrative and socio-economic decentralization is a must for the overall development of
the country, the urban expert said adding, "We'll have to start it with political decentralization.
Political decentralization means strengthening the local government...then we have to go for
administrative and socio-economic decentralization."

He also said the scope and opportunities have to be increased at divisional, district and upazila
levels for a meaningful decentralization.

Prof Sarwar Jahan of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) said it is must
to empower local government institutions for an effective decentralization.

"In the present context, we can say no local government institution is independent. All are dependent
on the central government to discharge their duties. In many countries, particularly the developed
ones, local government institutions are very strong. They have wonderful policies to run local
government institutions," he added.

"Had our local government institutions had the power to work out plans and implement those
accordingly, then we would have seen the proper decentralization," said the BUET professor.

People will not come to Dhaka in search of jobs if economic opportunities are created at the
grassroots level, Sarwar Jahan added.
Dr Rezaul Haque, a professor of Urban and Rural Planning Department of Khulna University, said
there is no alternative to decentralization to reduce pressure on Dhaka.

"Why are all the central offices located in Dhaka? The Shipping Ministry can be relocated in Khulna
or Chittagong. The same way, the Agriculture Ministry can be shifted to Rangpur. If we cannot
reorganize this way, the pressure on Dhaka would never ease," he said.

He went on saying, "Why on earth are all the garment factories in Dhaka? Rural people would have
got a better scope of employment had those been located outside Dhaka!."

So, Dr Haque said, the political will is more important than anything else for decentralization in
Bangladesh.

Easing pressure on Dhaka

Job creation outside capital needed
THE latest Poverty map published jointly by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, World Bank and World
Food Programme reveals disquieting trends. Nearly a third of the estimated 50million people live in the capital
city. That the poor are flocking to Dhaka and other major urban centers are indicative of the fact that all major
economic activities are concentrated around these areas, while the rest of the country lags behind. The results
merely go to explain why urbanization overall is growing at nearly 30 per cent per annum.

Infrastructure development, empowerment of local government and more importantly, the decentralization of
economic activities are seen as prerequisites for a balanced growth of the country. Unless, a more symmetrical
approach is adopted, there is no feasible way to discourage the internal migration patterns being witnessed. For
the third year in a row, Dhaka city has ranked second from bottom in a reputed international survey of 150
livable cities. Now we know why.

Looking beyond the economic factors, we find that many districts are disaster-prone areas with events such as
river erosion and crop failures. However, with little in terms of industry, commerce and trade, the poor in these
districts will inevitably go where there are opportunities. Now that major economic powers like Japan and
China are showing greater interest in investing in Bangladesh, policymakers need to plan ahead that will allow
for a decentralized pattern of setting up economic zones away from the urban centers, much in the same way
that Malaysia has patterned its development path.
Decentralization can help Dhaka
Tribune Editorial

Dhaka-centric bias in competition for government postings has gone too far in Bangladesh

News that doctors are using influential figures to lobby for posts in the capital will not surprise those
concerned about business and government being over-centralised in Dhaka.

It is further evidence that Dhaka-centric bias in competition for government postings has gone too far in
Bangladesh.

This self-perpetuating cycle benefits neither the capital’s businesses and residents, whose congestion
and costs are increased as a consequence of Bangladesh’s over-centralised state, nor the nine in ten
citizens who live outside Dhaka district.

Modern communications and improving infrastructure over the years mean that the old excuse that this
stems from senior civil servants having to be near the centre of power in the capital, is out of date.

Of course some will argue that it has always been this way and point to similar metropolitan bias in other
countries. The Bangladesh Navy they will say, to take one commonly cited example, will have reams of
arguments to thwart any prime minister who asks its top brass to move its HQ from Banani to Chittagong.

However, the national interest would clearly be better served if other cities and districts were enabled to
compete with the gravitational pull on talent and resources exerted by the nation’s capital.

It is long overdue that the government takes a lead by moving more ministries around the country and by
requiring senior civil servants to set an example that can be followed.