Time to act on Dhaka city

It has long been acknowledged that the capital city Dhaka is hardly livable. Any adverse happening in the country has a serious impact on Dhaka. According to a survey of the Intelligence Unit of The Economist, Dhaka is the third most unlivable city in the world. In context of insecurity for women and also sexual violence against women, Dhaka is in fourth position. Dhaka is also has a high level of physical and mental stress. According to a survey of health journal Lancet, Bangladesh tops the list of deaths for environmental cause. In different indexes of living standards, Dhaka is steadily deteriorates. In this backdrop, Prothom Alo in its editorial had asked, "When will those concerned wake up and act?”

The government hopes to become a middle income country by 2030 through the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). UK-based research centre PWC predicts that this is possible as the GDP growth rate is consistently upward in our country in comparison to other developing countries. So why is the capital of this country in such a bad shape?

Villages were at the heart of development in the nineties. Given the indicators of social development including reduction of poverty, child and mother mortality and population at the village level, Bangladesh became a role model of development. Dhaka became the centre of development. The government and the private sector mostly invested in Dhaka. As a result, people from different districts moved to Dhaka in search of employment, education and health services.

Although there are district-wise projects under different ministries, they are not properly implemented. As a result, the pressure ultimately falls on the infrastructure and civic amenities of Dhaka. Such extreme pressure leads to unplanned expansion, grabbing, violence, accidents, stealing, robbery, snatching and mismanagement in traffic system. All this contributes to serious traffic congestion in Dhaka. Women's insecurity is also increasing. Dhaka is a mega city due to increased population and high demand for a life standard. It is not surprising that Dhaka is low on the list of livable cities.

The government and the residents of Dhaka have to properly act. It is the responsibility of all to turn our beloved Dhaka into a livable city. The local government, the deputy commissioner, the mayors, and the law enforcing agencies have to play a key role. Quality education and employment opportunities for young people have to be created outside Dhaka if the pressure on Dhaka is to reduce. According to UNICEF, 7,100,000 youths aged between 15 and 17 are outside of the education system. In order to create employment for them at a local level, they have to be provided education, especially technical education at a district level. The education ministry and the health ministry have to allocate funds accordingly.  

The huge number of vehicles is not the main cause of traffic congestion in Dhaka. It is violation of the traffic rules that mainly causes traffic congestion. The traffic rules should be enforced strictly. Due to violation of traffic rules, Bangladesh is on top of the list when it comes to road accidents. In mega cities like Singapore and Jakarta, vehicles are controlled strictly. In Jakarta, every car has to have at least three passengers or they have to buy tokens. In Singapore, cars with even numbered licence plates move one day and odd number cars on the alternate days. Otherwise, they have to pay extra.

Emphasis has to be given on education, health and employment to turn Dhaka into a livable city. Education and health services have to be expanded. Employment opportunities have to be decentralised. In the eighties of last century, the government declared that some special ministries and departments would be shifted outside Dhaka. These were the shipping ministry, the railway ministry, and the labour and employment ministry. Still such steps can be taken so that development takes place in other areas of the country and young entrepreneurship is created. 

Dhaka will have to be turned into an able mega city to provide all sorts of social, economic and civic amenities as we achieved independent Bangladesh at the sacrifice of three million people. Dhaka will be number one on the list of livable cities. For this, all concerned have to act now.

Salma Khan is an economist and women’s leader.

*This piece, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.