How would RAJUK approve of this irregularity?
When the capital Dhaka is at the bottom in all indicators of liveability and an active and strong role of the Rajdhani Unyanan Katripakkha (RAJUK) is warranted by all means, the organisation is only going backward. The four planned residential areas in the capital, built at the government initiative, are gradually turning into commercial areas under RAJUK’s nose.
The process was not prevented. Instead efforts are being made to revise the type of land use in the areas. Arrangements are underway to legalise irregularities in exchange of money.
Prothom Alo reports that, at least 1281 plots out of 16,013 plots in Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and Uttara, which are planned residential areas of Dhaka, are being illegally used for commercial or non-residential purposes. Although the owners of these plots have taken permission for residential buildings, those plots are being used for building shops, hotels, restaurants and other commercial activities.
The situation is so dire that almost half of Banani's plots are now being used for commercial purposes. One-third of the plots in Gulshan and one-fifth in Baridhara have been commercialised. Vigorous commercialisation is also going on in Uttara. Various problems including traffic congestion, noise pollution are increasing in the city.
According to RAJUK regulations, commercial activities are prohibited in residential plots. Yet how did this irregularity continue? Development control wing of RAJUK is vested with the responsibility for preventing such activities. But the officer in charge there says that he is not aware of illegal commercial use of the plot. The real picture can easily be assumed when the regulatory authorities are so ineffective and inactive.
Planned urbanisation is a prerequisite for ensuring the livability of a city. Dhaka is not the only city in the world. It is not like there is no precedence before RAJUK. No other inhabitable city in the world has built a commercial area within a residential area in this manner.
The main reason why the entire Dhaka comes to a halt on working days is residential and commercial areas are not separate. Turkey is a grim instance of how unplanned urbanisation, indifference and whims of regulatory authorities can lead to a devastating crisis.
Urban planners say commercial use of residential lands does not occur overnight. These happened under the nose of RAJUK. RAJUK has made policies to legitimise this irregularity. According to the draft policy, the residential plots which are being used illegally will be converted into commercial plots by revising the design. It will be legalised for a fee of Tk 5 million to 10 million per katha.
Mohammad Fazle Reza, president of Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), believes that such initiative of RAJUK will not only be illegal but also unethical. The question is, where did RAJUK get the authority to destroy the livability of residential areas to serve the interests of some unscrupulous people?
The way RAJUK is legalising irregularities by revising policy and in exchange of fees, it will set a bad example for other residential areas of the capital. Will it be morally right for RAJUK to take actions against any such irregularity in the future?
We believe that RAJUK will refrain from the self-destructive decision of converting residential plots into commercial plots. It is not RAJUK's responsibility to legalise the irregularities of those who illegally use residential plots for commercial purpose.