Major cities of Bangladesh suffer from various management challenges: Speakers

The major cities of Bangladesh suffer from various management challenges including traffic, waterlogging, air-water-soil pollution, and earthquake risks, speakers at a seminar have said.

The seminar titled "Making Cities Sustainable: Challenges and Imperatives for Bangladesh" was organised by Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) at the BIISS auditorium on Thursday.

Minister for Housing and Public Works RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury was present as the chief guest while Major General Md Abu Bakar Siddique Khan, director general, BIISS, delivered the welcome address.

Dr Segufta Hossain, research director, BIISS, presented the keynote paper at the seminar.

The keynote discussion was followed by a panel discussion. The panellists include Professor Nazrul Islam, Professor Emeritus, Dhaka University and chairman, Centre for Urban Studies (CUS); Ishita Alam Abonee, Urban Development Specialist, the World Bank; and Professor Dr Khandaker Shabbir Ahmed, Professor, Department of Architecture, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).

An open discussion took place after their deliberation. Ambassador AFM Gousal Azam Sarker, Chairman, BIISS, moderated the session and wrapped up with his remarks.

The speakers noted that building sustainable cities has become a priority in many regions worldwide.

Rapid urbanisation and infrastructural progress coupled with rural-urban migration have created many problems impacting nature, human lives and resources in cities.

As a developing nation, Bangladesh also faces such problems, like; traffic, waterlogging, air-water-soil pollution, and earthquake risks. Planned and sustainable urbanisation is one of the crucial preconditions for economic development and Bangladesh recognises this need as illustrated in the SDG-11.

The government under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's prudent leadership, has taken up a range of initiatives aligned with the targets of SDG 11 and is working tirelessly to achieve that.

The Ministry of Housing and Public Works (MoHPW) remains at the forefront of the government's efforts.

Speakers suggested using modern technologies and learning from the best practices of other megacities to resolve the pressing urban challenges and promote sustainable development across Bangladesh.

Senior officials from different ministries, diplomatic missions, media, researchers, academics, businesspeople, representatives from different think tanks and international organisations, and students from various universities also participated in the seminar.