To build or not to build? Dhaka's high-rise dilemma

There was a time when three to four-storey buildings were a common sight across Dhaka city. Five to six-storey buildings were considered very high back then. But today, that scenario has changed; every building in the capital seems to be reaching higher and higher.

The number of high-rise buildings in Dhaka has significantly increased over the past few decades. As of January 2025, the number is estimated to be over 800. International Building Code (IBC) defines a building to be a high-rise if it exceeds 75 feet (23 metres) in height from the lowest level of fire department vehicle access to the highest occupied floor.

One reason for this is the city's struggle to accommodate its growing population. Dhaka is not large enough to accommodate its massive population. It covers about 1% of the country's total area but is home to around 10% of the population. And the population is still rising, primarily driven by rural-to-urban migration.

However, the problem is that expanding housing options further encourages this migration. When a city exceeds its carrying capacity, it naturally loses its liveability. According to the Global Liveability Index 2024, Dhaka ranked sixth on the list of least livable cities in the world.

Our neighbouring countries are taking this into account. Delhi and Islamabad have height restrictions for constructing high-rise buildings, determined by the city's planning, population density and infrastructural capacity.

To make Dhaka more livable, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha (RAJUK) introduced a new Detailed Area Plan (DAP) for 2022-2035 in August 2022. This plan applies to a land area of Dhaka city that spreads over 1,528 square kilometres. 

However, it faced criticism since its launch, especially from landowners and real estate developers.

Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) leaders demanded changes to it, saying the building size limits set for planned and unplanned areas are unfair and favour certain groups. They claim most areas can now only have buildings 60% smaller than before, which will harm landowners, flat buyers and sellers. They also warn it could lead to a rapid loss of canals, wetlands and farmland nearby.

Under pressure, the DAP was revised on 24 September 2023. But then urban planners raised concerns that the amendment would drastically reduce the habitability of the capital city. 

Professor Dr Adil Mohammed Khan, president of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) and the director at the Institute for Planning and Development (IPD), emphasised that prior to the revision of the DAP, the FARs (floor area ratio — the ratio of a building's total floor area to the size of the land it occupies) at both the area and block levels were already significantly higher in comparison to global planning standards.

According to the revised DAP, in unplanned areas like Badda, Demra, Rayerbazar, Khilkhet, Uttarkhan and Dakkhinkhan, owners of five-katha plots can now construct eight-storey buildings if the road is 12 feet wide. But earlier, it was set at six-storey buildings for a 16-feet wide road. 

In designated residential zones such as Uttara, Mirpur, Dhanmondi, Banani and Bashundhara, the DAP initially permitted nine-storey buildings on five-katha plots with a road width of at least 25 feet. With the revised DAP, the maximum height has been extended to 10-storey structures. However, if the road exceeds 60 feet in width, landowners can build up to 12-storey structures.

Now, a group of landowners under the banner of the Dhaka Landowners Association have recently protested to scrap or revise the DAP once again.

They claim that while high-rise buildings can be constructed in 20% of the city, the remaining 80% allows buildings only half that height and size. As a result, 80% of Dhaka's residents have been unable to get building plans approved for the past two years.

Considering the country's economy, they suggest it would be reasonable to cancel the DAP (2022-2035) and approve building designs based on the Dhaka Metropolitan Building Construction Rules 2008 and the old version of the DAP (2010).

"Those calling for the cancellation of the DAP are driven primarily by group interests, but the main concern should be whether it is truly beneficial for the city. They want the old policy reinstated because it permits the construction of large buildings," said Dr Adil Mohammed Khan.

Dr Farhadur Reza, associate professor at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at Jahangirnagar University, argues that the construction of these high-rise buildings will further threaten the housing options for lower-income people. "The target group for their business does not include people migrating to Dhaka from villages. Their focus is on the upper-middle class or the wealthy," he explained.

"To save the capital Dhaka, migration must be controlled, which requires economic decentralisation. Facilities like education, healthcare, and employment opportunities need to be expanded in cities outside Dhaka," he suggested.

Dr Khan said that the proliferation of high-rise buildings across the city is a misconception often seen as a symbol of development. "High-rise buildings follow a block-based development model, suitable for certain commercial areas in the city. But constructing high-rises across the entire city in the name of housing is not sustainable for the city," he said.

"Dhaka is already holding three to four times its carrying capacity in terms of buildings and population. As we envision a new Bangladesh following the July Uprising, making Dhaka more livable must be a priority," he added.

However, both experts acknowledge that the DAP is not flawless, as every plan remains open to modifications. Urban planning certainly supports the idea that no plan should harm business or the economy. The DAP already mentions revisions every five years. The experts also demand some amendments to it, but only in the interest of improving the city's livability.