Concrete areas in Dhaka have increased to around 82 per cent while water bodies and open space have shrunk by more than two-thirds during the last two decades, according to a study.
The study showed that water bodies slumped to only 4.38 per cent of the total city area from 14.25 per cent 20 years back. The percentage was 5.73 a decade ago.
Also, open space has dropped drastically in the last 20 years as it now stands at only 4.61 per cent, which were 14.07 per cent in 1999 and 7.8 per cent in 2009.
However, green covertures in the city were 6.69 per cent in 1999, which gradually increased to 9.2 per cent in 2019 though the improvement has remained stagnant since 2009. The percentage was 9.29 then.
The findings of the study titled 'Air, Environment and Livability Context of Dhaka City,' conducted by Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), were disseminated at a press conference at its auditorium in the city.
Presided over by BIP president Professor Dr Aktar Mahmud, the programme was addressed by BIP vice-presidents Muhammad Ariful Islam, Dr Chowdhury Md Jaber Sadek. BIP general secretary Dr Adil Mohammed Khan conducted the press conference.
Presenting the study findings, Mr Khan said the percentage of concrete covered area in the city was 64.99 in 1999, which rose to 81.82 per cent in 2019.
He said water bodies and open spaces have been replaced by concrete structures over the years, which have pushed the city's livability standard to the ground.
Meanwhile, greening process of Dhaka has not seen much progress since 2009.
In an ideal city, green areas should be 15 to 20 per cent followed by 10 to 15 per cent wetlands, he noted.
Noting that livability of a city depends on its environmental management, BIP general secretary said preventing harmful effect of human activities on nature is key goal of such a management.
However, in Bangladesh, natural resources in city areas have been a subject of getting grabbed, polluted and neglected.
Due to unplanned urbanisation, arable lands, water bodies, low lands and green landscapes have been vanishing fast replaced by the space for industries, residential areas, etc.
Besides, weakness in city management, unregulated brick kilns, black smokes of outdated vehicles, and immense dust pollution because of ever increased construction work have deteriorated air quality making Dhaka one of the worst cities to live in, Mr Khan said.
The BIP also made a 10-point recommendation to make the city green and livable including.
The recommendations include establishing area-based green zones, creating green enclosures around the city, conserving existing water bodies and recovering grabbed ones, creating green hedges around water bodies, urban forestation, and making infrastructural plans considering environmental, ecological, social and other effects.
The institute surveyed a total of 134 square kilometres of land within the Dhaka metropolitan area in its study in 1999, 2009 and 2019.
