A FAR-fetched plan?: Urban planners and builders lock horns over Dhaka's revised DAP

Urban planners and real estate developers are locked in a heated debate over the revised Detailed Area Plan (DAP) for Dhaka.

At the centre of the conflict is the newly proposed Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for Dhaka city, which urban planners argue prioritises real estate interests over livability in the capital. They also emphasise that the perspectives of residents and expert recommendations have largely been ignored in the revision process.

But the Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) supports the revision, in which the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) has proposed increases in building heights by two to four storeys in most areas of the capital, along with larger floor areas and more residential units. 

RAJUK is on the verge of finalising the revised DAP, which is set to remain in effect until 2035. 

In building and urban planning, FAR is the ratio of a building's total floor area to the size of the plot it occupies. It is used to control building density and development intensity. It is calculated by dividing the total floor area (gross floor area) of a building by the area of the plot on which it is built.

For example, if a building has a total floor area of 20,000 sq ft on a 5,000 sq ft plot, the FAR would be 4.0 (20,000/5,000). Higher FARs indicate greater building volume and density on a site.

Under the new DAP, the FAR for plots along 20-feet-wide roads in areas like Mohammadpur has been set at 2.75, while the general area-based FAR is 2.3. This change allows for the construction of larger buildings, such as one with a maximum area of 8,280 square feet on a five-katha plot in Mohammadpur, accommodating up to 9-10 apartments. 

'Consequences for the city do not seem to concern builders' 

"The DAP was formulated in 2022, and by 2023, due to pressure from housing business owners, they already extended the FAR [Floor Area Ratio]. They are only concerned with increasing the number of flats and apartments — essentially, how to do more business. The consequences for the city do not seem to concern them," Dr Adil Muhammad Khan, president of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), said at a press briefing on 18 March.

"The permitted population density, number of families per katha, and FAR values in various areas of Dhaka have been increased multiple times," he later told TBS.

For instance, the FAR in Badda was initially set at 2 in the DAP but has now been increased to 3.4. The number of families per katha in Badda was 1.6, but the new proposal raises it to 3, which means more floor space and taller buildings in an already dense area.

RAJUK has similarly proposed increasing the area and population density in many parts of Dhaka through the DAP amendments. However, civic amenities in these areas remain the same.

"This means the added population will be using the same hospitals, public transport, and public spaces. The quality of life will decline further," Dr Adil said.

But the revised plan does include new infrastructure such as health and nutrition-friendly facilities, environment-friendly walkways, regional parks, 627 schools, and 287 primary health centres.

"In the name of the DAP amendment, it has been proposed to further increase the population density of various areas, including central Dhaka. Even in rural areas, the proposed population density is 200 people per acre or about 50,000 people per square kilometre. However, in livable megacities around the world, this number is between 25,000 and 30,000," he added.

Globally, the FAR value for small plot-based residential buildings typically ranges from 1 to 2.5. Even in developed countries like Singapore, the FAR value for residential buildings up to 12 storeys high is 1.6, and for buildings up to 24 storeys high, it is 2.1.

"To ensure human safety and reduce damage from fire accidents, constructing multi-storey buildings along narrow roads should be stopped. Buildings above six floors should be considered multi-storey buildings, with necessary amendments to the Building Construction Rules, ensuring fire safety and preventive measures," Dr Adil further said.

Limiting building height irrational, say developers

Engineer Abdul Latif, vice president of REHAB, shared rough statistics on Dhaka's building development status. 

According to him, Dhaka currently covers 1,528 square kilometres. Excluding public roads, streets, and other spaces, 64% of this area is habitable. Of this habitable land, only 20% consists of planned areas like Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, Aftabnagar, Dhanmondi, Bashundhara, and Purbachal. The rest — including Mirpur, Moghbazar, Khilgaon, and Wari — developed by individual owners without proper planning.

"In the 2022 DAP, FAR was decreased, restricting building owners from expanding their structures. Now, an owner with a four-storey building from the 1980s who wants to modernise it with elevators and generators will naturally want to expand the building height. In today's overpriced construction market, if he does not profit, will he upgrade the building? No. That is why increasing FAR is necessary," said Abdul Latif.

However, increasing building height and floor space means more inhabitants and greater pressure on existing services. On this issue, Latif responded, "I don't think it will put pressure on the population. Instead, unused lands will be developed."

Asked whether taller buildings would improve Dhaka's livability, Latif stated, "Dhaka will become more habitable if permission is granted to construct taller buildings. Citing insufficient civic amenities to limit building height is irrational. If restrictions remain, people will start filling water bodies, ultimately harming the environment.

"In the proposed DAP, FAR for arable lands is set at 0, meaning no construction is allowed. However, there is no strong clause preventing the later conversion of these lands into plots. Why don't they address this issue?" Latif asked.

But Adil Mohammad Khan asks, "Instead of putting pressure on an already overpopulated Dhaka, why don't they utilise Purbachal?"

According to Latif, we should leave Purbachal and other undeveloped places for future generations.

Adil responds, saying, "That's a far-fetched discussion — if a healthy future generation survives in this city at all."

Background of the DAP revision

The DAP was first formulated in 2010 under the Town Improvement Act of 1953. Due to pressure from influential real estate figures, the government had to establish a cabinet committee to finalise the plan, resulting in over 200 amendments, some of which legitimised the filling of water bodies. The original deadline for completing the DAP was 2015, but it was later extended.

In 2020, RAJUK published the draft for the second DAP (2022-35), which was passed in August 2023. 

The upcoming revised DAP divides Dhaka and its surrounding regions into six areas: Dhaka city, Gazipur City Corporation, Kaliganj and Rupganj upazilas, Narayanganj, Keraniganj upazila, and Savar upazila. 

One major proposal is to revamp the city's 547 kilometres of waterways, positioning them as "city lifelines".