Citizens should play their parts to enhance greenery for Dhaka: Urban planners
Dhaka North Mayor Atiqul Islam said, “Roads and buildings are being constructed in Dhaka as part of the massive development in the city. But it cannot be done by damaging the environment.”
Dhaka dwellers should come forward and play due roles in protecting the capital city's environment by enhancing its greenery, in a bid to make it a sustainable city and livable for all, urban planners have said.
Terming Dhaka as "the most deprived" region, despite the presence of giant buildings, they also underscored the need for making it a women- and child-friendly city to ensure safe movement for all.
"If Dhaka city can be made women and child-friendly, it will be a sustainable and livable city, where everyone can move around safely, where there will be greenery," said Prof Akter Mahmud of the Urban and Regional Planning Department of Jahangirnagar University.
He was taking part in a discussion on "greening for sustainable cities and towns", organised by "Ways", an environmentalist organisation, at Milestone College in the capital's Uttara on Saturday.
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"There is a shortage of green parks and playgrounds in Dhaka. Forestry of the city is being destroyed due to wrong development plans. Citizens' mindset, goodwill and policy makers' foresight are needed to make Dhaka clean and green simultaneously," said Prof Adil Muhammad Khan, director of the Institute for Planning and Development (IPD).
Md Ashraful Islam, director of Dhaka's Detailed Area Plan (DAP) project and chief town planner of Rajuk, said parks, playgrounds and water bodies are the life of the city, but the size of public spaces has been decreasing day by day.
"If one tree can be planted on the roof of every building, around 5.5 lakh trees will be planted in Dhaka," he added, referring to a target of planting two lakh trees in the capital by 2025.
Dhaka North Mayor Atiqul Islam said, "Roads and buildings are being constructed in Dhaka as part of the massive development in the city. But it cannot be done by damaging the environment."
"We are planting trees from the city corporation. We have launched a programme to plant two lakh trees in two years. In addition, we are calling for planting at least two trees in every house to protect the environment of the city," he added, calling for Rajuk to enact a policy in this regard.
"Dhaka city should be turned into a hub of oxygen. No tree can be cut down anywhere… Trees should be planted wherever there is space," the mayor said further.
Atiqul Islam added that following a plea by Dhaka North, the LGRD ministry has approved a 10% tax exemption for rooftop gardening in all city corporations and municipalities across the country.
Following the discussion, the Dhaka North mayor inaugurated a tree plantation programme on the Milestone College campus.
