Plan housing projects that prevent slums, ensure community relocation: Adviser Rizwana
She called for collaboration between the government and private sector through Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives and reform of Floor Area Ratio policies to promote sustainable urban housing
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said housing projects in Bangladesh must be planned to prevent the creation of new slums and prioritise relocation within communities to ensure inclusive urban development.
She made the remarks while addressing a national discussion on the occasion of World Habitat Day 2025, organised by the Ministry of Housing and Public Works at the Bangladesh–China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka today (6 October).
"In a country like ours, where nearly one-third of districts are at risk of sea level rise and could lose their land, ensuring housing for all is a national challenge," she said.
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"If 21 coastal districts become uninhabitable due to rising sea levels, we must be prepared to accommodate millions of displaced people inland," Rizwana said, adding that urban planning must be rethought in the context of climate vulnerability and land scarcity.
"Housing should not just mean shelter; slums are not a solution. We must plan housing projects that prevent new slums and prioritise relocation within communities," she said.
She called for collaboration between the government and private sector through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and reform of Floor Area Ratio (FAR) policies to promote sustainable urban housing.
"We need to establish a green building model with clear parameters and design standards," she said.
Rizwana also stressed decentralisation and the development of green settlements, saying affordable and eco-friendly housing could be achieved through proper planning and local participation.
The event was attended by Housing and Public Works and Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis, and Housing and Public Works Secretary Md Nazrul Islam, among others.
This year's World Habitat Day theme focused on ensuring affordable, resilient, and environmentally sustainable housing for all in line with Bangladesh's urban development goals.
Housing Secretary Md Nazrul Islam said housing is a constitutional right and that new initiatives would soon be visible.
"We are working to provide shelters for poor and homeless populations across the country," he said.
He also highlighted ongoing efforts under the Ashrayan Project and upcoming low-cost housing schemes for marginalised groups.
Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan said the ministry is prioritising projects that combine climate resilience, affordability, and equitable access.
"We need to think of all people, including those in slum areas and low- and middle-income groups. The government has already taken initiatives for their housing," he said.
