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Balanced urbanisation proposed

Mostafa Kamal Majumder
Adoption of a national urban development strategy to promote complimentary relation ships between rural areas’ small and big towns, and cities for ensuring balanced urbanisa tion in Bangladesh has been suggested by experts
The task force on social implications of urbanisation tn its report to the government has called for establishing a na tional physical planning council to implement such a strategy
The task force was one of the 29 constituted by former planning adviser Dr. Rehman Sobhan to suggest measures for development of different sectors of the economy.
It called for reducing the rate of population growth in the major cities of Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna; and suggested the establishment of regional cities and rapid development of district and other towns by setting up In-
dustries, organising trade and commerce and other income generating activities to attract people
Prof Nazrui Islam. Director, Central for Urban Studies. Department of Geography. Dhaka University was the con vener of the 15-member task force which included town planners, economists, university teachers and other experts on urbanisation issues as members.
The task force called for preparation of master plans for all cities and towns, by ear marking areas for the poor; and steps for poverty alleviation and shim improvement.
It called for ensuring participation of people in planning; and institutional support to the poor, modelled after the Gramtn Bank to improve their lot.
The task force noted that urban development in Bangladesh has been disparate over the last four decades.
While the major cities of Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna have marked a very fast growth, the district and other towns have grown at a very slow rate. However, 56 per cent of urban population live below the poverty line, accord Ing to latest estimates.
Urban population of Bangladesh was 2.64 million in 1961. It rose to six million in 1974, and 13.56 million in 1981. Now urban population is estimated at 23 million. But 45 per cent of them are in the four cities of Dhaka. Chitta gong. Khulna and Rajshahi. Dhaka city alone ac commodates 25 per cent of the total, the task force said.
The task force called for developing the rural hats, bazars into integral parts of the national urban administration, and rapid improvement of communication between rural areas, small and big towns and cities so that people can commute instead of permanently
migrating to urban areas. Such development will help the rural areas to benefit econo mi rally and socially from urban! sation, the task force said
For Dhaka which now has an estimated population of seven million, the task force called for refusing permission to any new large scale industry tn the city corporation area.
It called for rapid development of the satellite towns of Savar and Joydcvpur. For institutional development it suggested for upgrading Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) into Dhaka metropolitan development authority; or the establishment of a Dhaka metropolitan area development council headed by a minister and comprising other elected members. Completion of the Dhaka flood protection embankment may cal) for readjusting Dhaka's land use planning, the task force added. 252 to 260 (2 kg Un) tn the retail markets.