The Daily Star (TDS): How can we make our city liveable?

Nahas Khalil (NK): To begin with, achieving a more liveable city requires a change within ourselves. Currently, one of our foremost challenges is the excessive urban density, referring to the concentration of residents within urban areas. Consequently, we must judiciously utilize our limited land resources.

The dilemma lies in whether to utilize low-rise land, potentially encroaching upon agricultural areas, or opt for vertical construction. Given that land is finite and horizontal expansion strains infrastructure, vertical housing emerges as the preferable choice. Singapore stands as a prime example of successful vertical development, showcasing how effective planning can create a beautiful urban landscape.

Another significant issue is our tendency to design in isolation, leading to fragmented urban spaces. Allocating plots at subsidized rates to government employees exacerbates this problem. Instead, a holistic approach, considering building-to-building distance and efficient land usage, is essential.

While the government aims to assist employees through plot allocation, a more prudent approach could involve allocating units rather than entire plots. Developers, given larger parcels, can then create cohesive urban environments while ensuring sustainable development practices.

The government could collaborate with developers to construct amenities for the community, such as nurseries, gyms, and gardens, while retaining a portion of the plot for themselves. For instance, the government might claim 51% of the land, leaving the remaining 49% to the developer. This approach enhances overall quality of life.

Rather than developing individual plots, focusing on larger areas and constructing condominiums could significantly enhance our standard of living.

PHOTOS COURTESY: UNITED INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY/Designed by Nahas Khalil

TDS: What steps must be taken to guarantee the sustainability of vital services and uphold safety standards?

NK: We are now grappling with many problems and one of them is water scarcity. The population is increasing and with that, they need more water. 20 years ago, the people who were the residents of Dhaka, their demands were met by WASA. However, after all these years, the population has increased and to fulfil their demand, we need proper planning.

This is very ironic that we face water scarcity and at the same time, we have to suffer from water clogging. This is our failure as a society and we neither have any strategy or planning in place to handle these issues.

 Again, the threat of earthquakes is looming above our heads. Japan was also prone to earthquakes, but they found a solution to this problem and only after that, Japan opted for high-rise buildings. Before that, there was always a limit. If Japan can find the technology and strategy to solve this problem, so can we.

If we want to implement this earthquake-resistant technology, the cost will certainly increase. Only when someone agrees to pay this cost, then that person or organization will be allowed to develop a high-rise building.

PHOTO COURTESY: South breeze square/Designed by Nahas khalil

We have many rules and regulations. However, the problem is that they are not being implemented. Again, there is a certain amount of cost associated with enforcing the law and no one is willing to pay this cost. This is why, our country is in disarray. The tragic fire accident that happened recently, was due to a lack of negligence of law.

People say we are greedy. However, if the laws were in place, I highly doubt people would succumb to their greed. It is a matter of saving lives. So, we need to think about how can we implement the laws and change our mindset. This has been going on for a while – one or two tragic incidents happen, and then we change one or two of the planning – however, after that, we return to the way how things were. If this keeps on happening, I do not think any change will take place. It should be our collective effort.

We need to start questioning the safety measures. The law says there should be a staircase for the fire escape. But the breadth of the staircase should increase in proportion to the population. Say, I have built a building for an office; however, I rented this building to 10 restaurants, where each restaurant has hundreds of people. Surely, if a fire breaks out, there will be a large number of casualties. The owners certainly didn't comply with the regulation, but who would oversee this?

The government was supposed to do this, but they were not willing to pay the price that comes with enforcing the law. The time has come for us to make sure these rules and regulations are being implemented. Otherwise, these incidents will keep on taking place.

Whether it is BGMEA or other garment owners, they are saying that the garments maintain safety protocols. Many of the stakeholders of the garments sector are foreigners and if they hear safety protocols are not in place, they would never agree to invest in the first place. Therefore, they can influence the decision.

When it comes to the restaurants, we are also buyers. Hence, if we want, we can also influence the decision. Consequently, the person in charge of enforcing the laws will be forced to implement proper rules and regulations.

If the management wants – if at least 10 people from the higher-ups agree to it – the entire system can be changed. It will create a ripple effect, which will reach the bottom of the system. But if the supervision fails, the entire system is doomed to fail as well.

Photos courtesy: General Manager’s Bunglow, Holichera Tea State/Designed by Nahas khalil

The demand increases with economic prosperity. There has indeed been a boom in the economy, but if the rules were in place, the system would have been kept in check. The regulatory agency and the planning agency should be different. Otherwise, there will surely be a conflict of interest.

 TDS: What suggestions do you have to improve Bangladesh's housing sector?

NK: My recommendation would be to rethink the housing planning we have right now to improve the quality of life. Along with it, rules and regulations should be properly implemented. Another issue we should be concerned about is our safety of life. We are prone to floods, and earthquakes. The global warming is largely affecting us as well. These are very complex and big problems; I cannot solely give the answers. All of us need to work together.

We are bound to face hurdles with progress. We have always followed our neighboring countries and borrowed their solutions to solve our problems. As we are experiencing economic growth, we are bound to face many new problems, for which other countries may not have the solution.

In this scenario, we must research and find out the solutions to our own problems. The goal is not merely to cope with density but to leverage it as an asset that enhances the quality of life for all urban residents.

Interviewed by Priyam Paul, transcribed by Ayman Anika