In revising DAP, we must resist undue real-estate pressure
At a time when the capital is already struggling with overpopulation and congestion, experts have reacted with scepticism to the move to revise the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) of Dhaka—saying it will worsen the city's liveability rather than improve it. The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) drafted the amendment proposal after real estate developers intensified protests against DAP-2022 following last year's political changeover. And it has been recently discussed at the first meeting of a high-powered evaluation committee that decided to seek stakeholders' input before any decision.
While talking to this daily, several urban planners said the proposed amendments, driven largely by demands from real estate developers, would further increase the city's population density and aggravate its living conditions. If approved, it will allow developers to increase building heights by two to four stories as well as floor area in most neighbourhoods. As a result, some areas could see their population rise to an alarming 50,000 per square kilometre. Experts particularly objected to the proposed change to the Floor-Area Ratio (FAR). The DAP currently has an area-based FAR system to ensure a gradual decrease in FAR from central to peripheral areas, maintaining some balance in urban expansion. Although it had been relaxed in 2023, under pressure from real estate businesses, the new draft now suggests changing the FAR approval system to a uniform plot-and-road-based one, making way for indiscriminate high-rise construction. Such modifications, argues one expert, will "undermine the unique character of different neighbourhoods, disrupt urban balance, and risk the destruction of residential communities in Dhaka."
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These warnings deserve to be taken seriously for the sake of the safety and wellbeing of residents. Allowing more high-rises without proper planning may not only worsen traffic congestion and overstretch public utilities, but also increase environmental hazards in a city already seeing the worst of them. The risk of fire hazards in high-rises along narrow roads is another serious concern, especially with the current lack of fire prevention measures. As urban planners have pointed out, it is also essential that setback distances between buildings are strictly enforced to ensure proper sunlight, ventilation, and overall safety.
We, therefore, urge the interim government to resist the pressure from real estate developers. As the city expands, so too must its planning standards, supporting infrastructure, and regulatory enforcement to ensure a liveable Dhaka. While the existing DAP is far from ideal, any changes to it should be guided by established urban planning principles, not the profit motives of a few. Given the state it has reached, we should also focus on reducing pressure on Dhaka by decentralising development.
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