Md. Shah Alam Chowdhury
Director (Zone-5)
Rajdhani Unnyan Kartripakkh
Dhaka (Bangladesh) made her a capital centric city of its nation by the multi-model function with a glories historical background. That people of the nation can feel proud of. For sustainable development with planning the function of development control must be understood from the standpoint of strategic planning of multi-sectoral investment program and overall development goals of the metropolis. RAJUK has a good urban design of its land use identified with residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and as well as mixed use area also.
RAJUK exercises development control function as per provisions laid down in the ‘East Bengal Building construction Act-1952’ in association with other acts and rules few of them are given below:
1. The Town Improvement Act 1953. ( The structure formation of RAJUK and its management administration and planning, development and development control affairs are run under this law.)
2. The Building Construction Act 1952. ( Land use and construction permit affairs are laid under this act.)
3. ঢাকা মহানগর ইমারত (নির্মাণ, উন্নয়ন, সংরক্ষণ ও অপসারণ) বিধিমালা ২০০৮। (Land use and building construction permission are given under this rules.)
4 মহানগর, বিভাগীয় শহর ও জেলা শহরের পৌর এলাকাসহ দেশের সকল পৌর এলাকার খেলার মাঠ, উন্মুক্ত স্থান, উদ্যান এবং প্রাকৃতিক জলাধার সংরক্ষণ আইন ২০০০। (Identification and conservation of water bodies and their management concerned under this act.
5. Dhaka Metropolitan Development plan (1995-2015). ( Long term strategic plan with the magic components of planning like land use, drainage, communication and road network, education, recreation, financial investment etc. are indicated in this plan.)
6. বেসরকারী আবাসিক প্রকল্পের ভ‚মি উন্নয়ন বিধিমালা ২০০৪। ( Private housing company area up to 5-10 acres in and outside of DCC area but within the RAJUK area are concerned. Project verification, consultation and approved affairs lies under this act. )
7. The Bangladesh National Building Code 1995. ( Concern all the construction affairs manual are followed by this rules.)
8. Dhaka Master Plan 1959. ( Its planned urban layout design of land use of its area.)
9.ভ‚মি বরাদ্দ বিধি ১৯৯৬। ( Plot distribution process done abide by this rule.)
10.রিয়েল এষ্টেট উন্নয়ন ও ব্যবস্থাপনা আইন ২০১০। ( Both government and non-government plot/Flat management are done under this act.)
It says, being a former British colony, Bangladesh as well as Dhaka, are still following the same planning hierarchy of colonial urban planning. Science independence, Dhaka city has grown both in horizontal and vertical directions mostly without maintaining any development and planning guidelines. The first master plan for Dhaka was enacted in 1993. Recently, the government introduced the Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan (1995-2015) based upon a target population of 15 million residents.
View of removal of unauthorised constructions.
However, the projected metropolitan population of 15 million has already been surpassed. Due to huge pressure of urbanization, the city development patterns are dominated mostly by informal characteristics including substandard structure, narrow/ irregular street, poor utility infrastructure networks and inadequate basic services. In this regard, comprehensive action is required to recognize the urban dynamics of Dhaka and to allocate or control its growth activity in a sustainable manner.
RAJUK is running on through its multi-sectoral investment plan and program following its master plan. To fulfill the demand of the market force and the contemporary needs, RAJUK brought a remarkable change on its organogram. Now with its new organogram, RAJUK has been trying hard to achieve its goal to activate its zonal office function. A new wing has been formed namely `Development Control` wings. This wing has a good number of educated and experienced manpower of different professionals, like Engineer, Architect, Planner, Economist, Management Administrator etc.
Working on the field of development control at RAJUK for the last few years work experienced. I observed so many bitter experiences. But as a hopeful person I wish to put some suggestions which may follow or implement by the relevant persons or agencies both short and long term strategy.
View of removal of illegal constructions.
1. RAJUK must be empowered by its status as well as finance in the government strata. Zonal office should be activated according to the organogram approved by the government.
2. Decentralization of government policies through the multi-sectoral investment plan and programme. It would be better to think about the regional context, not only Dhaka centric.
3. Development projects taken by different sectoral agencies must be completed in time and in the way of coordination, otherwise people suffering will be increase.
4. Standard of educational institutions must be increase and the schooling must be start from community based.
5. People should change their mindset abide by the rules and regulations of RAJUK and other concern departments. As they are getting benefit from their investment in Dhaka, they must be comply the rules of authority.
6. Transport and communication system should be develop with the regional context. Train and public bus services must be increase by quality and quantity to maintain the time schedule.
7. Zonal office may play a vital rule through the land use control according to DAP (Detailed Area Plan) of RAJUK. Investment potentiality have to look forward to adjust with the vision and mission of RAJUK and the nation. Different planning tools like land Re-Adjustment policy project may implement by RAJUK in association with the community people and other government line agencies. Combined plot development may help to widen the existing narrow road. As a result traffic jam will reduce.
8. RAJUK has to think about the modern concept of professional planning when they prepare their muster plan and detailed area plan.
9. By this time RAJUK has opened up ‘on line services’ for the people to get their planning and Building permission. So that RAJUK official’s efficiency and transparency will develop. This is a step for milestone of RAJUK. RAJUK officials will be always alert for fulfill of people expectation.
10. To give better service and well management RAJUK may get its resilience position taken by its strategic plan. People also come up with their changing of mindset.
