Green, open areas decrease 16% in eight years: Study

Green and open spaces in Central Dhaka areas have decreased by nearly 16% to 20% over the course of eight years, a study by Bangladesh Institute of Planners claims.

Bangladesh Institute of Planners President Mohammad Fazle Reza Sumon disclosed the research findings at a press conference in the capital on Wednesday, highlighting the growing challenges in implementing the Detailed Area Plan for sustainable urbanisation.

Sumon said during 1995-2023, water bodies in Central Dhaka have decreased from 31% to a staggering 4.60%, whereas a city needs at least 12% wetland.

Over the same period, Central Dhaka's green areas have fallen from 26% to nearly 22%, the urban planning expert noted adding urban constructions have increased from 26.5% to 49.5%. The last eight years saw the most reduction in green areas as well as increase in urbanisation, the study found.

Jahangirnagar University urban planning Professor Adil Mohammed Khan said in a presentation that Dhaka population has increased 76.65% between 2001 and 2017. 

He said that among others — individuals, real-estate companies, and many government agencies have been illegally filling the city's wetlands making it increasingly unliveable.

Sumon alleged that the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation recently engaged in earth filling in the capital's Mirpur to turn a wetland into cultivable land. However, according to plans, the infrastructure at the site would be altered with finances from the International Fund for Agricultural Development and World Bank, Sumon claimed.

As per the Wetland Conservation Act 2000, changes to such wetlands are completely prohibited, Sumon clarified.

A number of other government agencies including Bangladesh Bridge Authority, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, Elevated Expressway authority, Bangladesh Railway and University Grants Commission have filled up many wetlands in the city over the years, speakers at the press conference said.

Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation founder Sultana Kamal said that the government agencies were grabbing public spaces as they have no accountability and the agencies disregard laws of the country.

She said that for the absence of rule of law wetlands were disappearing one after another.

Transparency International Bangladesh Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said that Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation has been misusing its power to violate existing laws and directives of the prime minister.

"The agricultural organisation must bring in accountability for earth filling on wetlands," he said.

Green activists and urban planners have said that diminishing wetland areas threatens climatic events like excessive heat as well as waterlogging.