Planners, citizens cry foul over DAP changes – announce national protest
DAP changes will worsen Dhaka’s gridlock, water, drainage and pollution problems, say protesters
Civil society representatives have announced a national convention to protest the "unplanned amendment" to Dhaka's Detailed Area Plan (DAP), which includes more than doubling the building height limits and the number of housing units.
The convention – set to be held in the last week of this month – aims to chart a vision for a planned, livable Dhaka with participation from citizens of all walks of life.
Urban planners, environmentalists, lawyers, teachers, architects, engineers, economists, researchers, and concerned citizens made the announcement at a press conference held at the Shafiqul Kabir Auditorium of Dhaka Reporters Unity today (4 November).
Presenting the keynote paper, Adil Mohammed Khan, president of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners, said that the DAP – gazetted in 2022 – has already faced amendments under business pressure, violating the principles of urban planning and endangering the liveability of the capital.
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"The recently proposed amendment, which increases floor area ratio, population density, and residential units across almost all areas of Dhaka, goes against public interest and poses serious environmental and urban risks," he warned.
Adil added that the changes would worsen Dhaka's chronic traffic congestion, water and power shortages, drainage problems, and pollution.
"The DAP is being revised again under pressure from real estate interests, disregarding the voices of planners, environmentalists, and the public. This will make the capital increasingly unlivable," he said.
Criticising the draft Dhaka Metropolitan Building Construction Rules-2025, Adil said its provisions for exemptions and relaxed project approvals would heighten fire and structural safety risks in an already disaster-prone city.
Speakers at the event termed the DAP amendment "an attempt to serve vested group interests" and demanded an immediate halt to the revision process.
They stressed that no urban planning decisions should be made without public participation.
Firoz Ahmed, former member of the Constitution Reform Committee, presented 17 recommendations, calling for urgent decentralisation of Dhaka and better urban management.
"The current amendments will only increase pressure on Dhaka instead of easing it," he said.
The proposals included halting the "flawed" amendment process of the DAP and Building Construction Rules, considering urban density and environmental balance in all revisions, ensuring citizen involvement in planning, banning development on agricultural land and wetlands, and maintaining height limits for buildings.
Experts also urged the government to protect wetlands and farmland, prevent high-rises on narrow streets, decentralise urban growth, and abolish provisions that legalise undisclosed money in the housing sector.
They called for transparency and accountability in urban development.
