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A try to turn things

SABRINA KARIM MURSHED
Once upon a time, the elegance of Mughal architecture, the rich heritage of the Nawabs, everlasting exuberance of youth, eyesoothing greenery, unpolluted air in plentiful, buzz of cultural activities, all could be found in one place -- Dhaka.
Those days are long gone. Now, a cluster of brick and cement, traffic congestion, environmental pollution or sprawling slums are the more appropriate description of 21st century Dhaka.
Is it still possible to improve things for the good of all the residents of Dhaka? Some eminent urban planners certainly believe so. And they think it should be them rather than the politicians who have to come forward to alleviate the situation.
This was the philosophy of the participants during the three-day 'Planning Week 2003' organised by the students of Urban Planning Department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) in collaboration
with Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) and daily Prothom Alo. The session continued from May 7-9.
During the conference, speakers emphasised on the need for stopping unplanned urbanisation. The rebuilding process of Dhaka should also be done in a planned way they noted.
They also sounded the warning that the population of Dhaka will reach nearly two crore by 2010 and the lack of a good sewage system, unavailability of pure water, shortage of quality education institutions etc could have a catastrophic impact on the lives of city dwellers.
The fast vanishing natural beauty of the city was a major
topic of concern.
"Would the new generation even imagine watching fireflies in Dhaka as we had watched in our youth?" asked Minister for Land M.Shamsul Islam.
On the second day, Prof. Mahbub-un Nabi of BUET revealed that by the end of 2020 the rate of urbanisation will increase to 50 per cent from the present 25 per cent and population of the city will be around a staggering 8 crore.
"People will not even be able to breathe unless we do something now," he feared.
The speakers stressed the need for common citizens to be integrated in all sorts of planning concerning the city. They observed that the lack of integration, corruption, non-transp-arency, lack of skill as hindering factors for proper urban planning.
Iqbaluddin Ahmed, chairman, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), admitted that blatant corruption exists in the RAJUK. "Even the walls of RAJUK office receive bribe. We need to pull
ourselves out of this mess," he said.
The participants urged the government to create a separate department for urban development. Moreover, urban planners should be appointed according to their specialisation, they felt.