Affordable housing needs equal attention as infrastructure development: Urban experts

Urban experts have urged the government to give affordable housing the same level of importance as infrastructure development in its planning, emphasising that the existing initiatives for marginalised communities are insufficient.

They said that though there are various initiatives for marginalised communities in government plans, most of these do not significantly improve their living conditions. 

There are over 400,000 marginalised people in Dhaka alone, so arranging housing provisions for just 1,000-2,000 individuals is not sustainable, the experts added.

They made the remarks on the first day of the two-day "Urban Resilience Forum," which began today (26 June) at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center in the capital. 

The conference, part of the "Livelihoods Improvement of Urban Poor Communities Project (LIUPCP)" by the Local Government Division, the UK Government, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), aims to address emerging challenges that require collective action.

At the session on "Affordable Housing," Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) President Dr Adil Mohammad Khan said, "If we look at the government's plans, infrastructure development is given the highest priority. However, housing rights should come first."

"The government must give housing the same importance as infrastructure," he said, adding that even focusing on education and health without prioritising housing is meaningless.

Dr Adil also emphasised that affordable housing initiatives should not be limited to Dhaka but should be considered for all urban areas, including the 64 districts and all municipalities. "Each urban area should have dedicated land for affordable housing and the government should provide it along with guidelines," he added.

He further said the current idea of affordable housing revolves around units of 500-600 square feet, however, affordable housing does not mean a fixed size. 

The urban expert pointed out that the dedicated lands allocated for low-income people in urban areas was very small. 

"For example, in planned areas like Purbachal, only 2-3% of the land is dedicated to affordable housing. The housing project in Uttara Sector 18, labelled for lower and lower-middle-income people, consists of 1,600 square feet units, which is not aligned with their needs." he said.

Dr Ishrat Islam, professor at Buet Urban and Regional Planning department, said, "We have seen in research from 2017 and of current times that the living conditions of slum dwellers in Dhaka have not improved.

"They still pay higher rents than residents of Dhanmondi and live in conditions with waterlogging and health issues."

"The government has provided housing for slum dwellers in some areas, but about 20% of them leave the flats and return to the slums," she added.

She further said, "In the new Detailed Area Plan (DAP), 58 locations with a total of 1,201.01 acres have been earmarked for housing projects for low-income people. But how many can be accommodated? We can't find land for low-income people but find it for Purbachal and Uttara's third phase."

Addressing the opening session as the chief guest, Md Tazul Islam, Local Government, Rural Development & Cooperatives (LGRD) minister, said the government has prepared the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and Bangladesh Delta Plan to build a resilient Bangladesh and finalise the National Urban Policy to ensure climate-friendly development.

"To make cities and towns resilient, the government is now prioritising resilient infrastructure, integrated water resource management, community-based adaptation, afforestation and ecosystem restoration, and social protection programmes," he said.

At the programme, UNDP Resident Representative Stefan Liller highlighted several key issues, including the importance of affordable housing and addressing climate-induced displacement.

He said, "A robust national urban policy is essential for planned development and achieving a climate-smart, sustainable urban development vision for Bangladesh. UNDP is committed to continuing technical cooperation to promote sustainable growth."

Sarah Cooke, the British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, praised the country's achievements in reducing extreme poverty over the past three decades amid rapid urbanisation, while noting that cities are still struggling to cope. 

"The Urban Resilience Forum is a concrete demonstration of the Bangladeshi Government and Development partners' commitment and interest to support inclusive and climate-smart urban development," she said.