Only two per cent area of the capital Dhaka is covered by green while 83 per cent of the total areas are occupied by buildings and construction sites, according to a study of environment rights body.
The organisation, Sabuj Andolan, came up with the findings at a discussion on Tuesday titled ‘Our role to build a liveable Dhaka’ held at the National Press Club in the city.
“About 70 per cent of the Dhaka city was covered by building in 2000 which is now 83 per cent in May 2020 […] and only 2 per cent of the city area is green,” said Sabuj Andolan’s founding Chairman Bappi Sardar citing data of information and research council of the organisation.
“Water bodies and open spaces have come down from about 15 per cent to less than 6 per cent in the recent years. However, greening has increased by 5 per cent,” he added.
A total of 139 wards (305.871 sq km areas) of the two city corporations of Dhaka were surveyed through remote sensing image analysis and GIS technology in the study conducted by the organisation.
The organisation also placed some demands to build the city as a liveable one.
Those included—increase greening ensure 25 per cent afforestation along the banks of rivers, canals, both sides of railway lines and lands, and at all approved housing projects.