Master plans will be prepared for areas ranging from major cities to the Upazila level.

Bangla Press Desk: Housing and Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher has announced that master plans will be formulated for areas ranging from major cities down to the *upazila* (sub-district) level. He stated that, under the Prime Minister's guidance, several initiatives have been underway for the past seven months.
For the first time, the Urban Development Directorate (UDD) has adopted a 10-year plan, through which operations will be conducted across Bangladesh.
He made these remarks yesterday, Wednesday, while speaking as the chief guest at an event in Banani, Dhaka. *Bonik Barta* has published a report detailing the Housing and Public Works Minister's master planning initiative.
Zakaria Taher said, "Initially, we are focusing on metropolitan cities. Subsequently, we aim to ensure that genuine master plans are created for areas ranging from major cities down to the *upazila* level. We will implement zoning based on appropriate land use. Working without a master plan is akin to shooting four arrows at a target, hoping one might hit the mark."
"However, we want to work with precision. That is why we are strengthening the UDD and prioritizing its operations."
He added, "There is another point worth mentioning: proper planning requires accurate and sufficient data. It has been a long time since the last census was conducted."
"We need to conduct another comprehensive census to serve as the foundation for our planning."
Highlighting several ongoing initiatives, he said, "We have already undertaken a number of projects. We are now striving to create integrated plans that encompass architectural, structural, and electrical planning. Once approved, the issuance of a building occupancy certificate will be contingent upon the designers certifying that the building has been constructed correctly."
He noted, "The reality is that RAJUK has approved plans for areas under its jurisdiction and that of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works—such as Dhanmondi. However, there are many buildings outside these areas that were constructed without approved plans. We are currently identifying them." Noting the absence of septic tanks in many buildings across the capital's upscale neighborhoods, he stated that the Prime Minister has held six meetings with them regarding the lakes in Gulshan, Banani, and Baridhara, as well as Hatirjheel Lake. "How can we restore the environment there? It is an area inhabited by the wealthy—home to 4,300 residences. Yet, perhaps 70 to 80 percent of these houses lack the septic tanks and soak wells that were mandated in the original plans. Renowned developers have constructed these buildings but failed to install Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) for waste management. We are striving to raise awareness and have met with the Gulshan, Banani, and Baridhara societies three or four times regarding this issue."
Meetings have also been held with the RAJUK Chairman, the State Minister for Housing and Public Works, the State Minister for LGRD, and the Managing Director of Dhaka WASA. "I emphasized that this is a collective responsibility. Gulshan and Baridhara are prestigious areas; if we cannot rectify the water quality of the lakes there, how can we hope to improve conditions across the rest of Bangladesh?"
The Minister for Public Works added, "I can assure you that we are making a concerted effort. The Prime Minister is providing guidance, and the government is highly receptive. We believe that a government elected by the people is willing to adopt any idea that benefits the nation. Please assist us; if we find any suggestions useful, we will certainly implement them."
He mentioned that numerous initiatives are underway. In the last seven months, we have established six new development authorities—similar to RAJUK—covering Mymensingh, Sylhet, Cumilla, Narayanganj, Rangpur, and Barishal; four others already existed. We are also working on a similar initiative for Bogura. Without a dedicated development authority, the City Corporation often handles both the planning and execution, resulting in a lack of checks and balances. Even within Dhaka city, there are areas like Bosila where building plans were approved by various Union Parishads. We are attempting to bring these matters under a comprehensive legal framework. We are formulating regulations to address cases where buildings have been constructed without approved plans or where deviations from approved plans have occurred. This proposal will likely be placed before the Cabinet within a month; once passed, it will enable us to strengthen supervision laws.
Urging the private sector to step forward, he noted that discussions regarding mortgages have taken place. Financial institutions will play a pivotal role if we truly aim to provide mass housing. In most developed nations, 30-year mortgages are available; without such facilities, creating housing for the middle and lower-middle classes is difficult. Should the private sector come forward with such initiatives, the government and our department are committed to providing support.
The Minister of Housing and Public Works acknowledged that there were significant issues with the existing policies governing private-sector housing. We have formulated a new policy following extensive discussions and consultations with all stakeholders. The new policy stipulates that private-sector housing projects must strictly adhere to the approved parameters; the approval of new plans will depend on whether previous projects were executed correctly. We are striving to bring them under a legal framework to prevent unplanned urbanization. Regrettably, Dhaka ranks 171st among 173 livable cities. We are making every effort to improve the city, yet we must acknowledge the reality that we inhabit an extremely densely populated urban area. Achieving success in this endeavor is exceedingly difficult without proper planning and contributions from all sectors. It is easy to say, but...
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