The New Nation - Internet Edition

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

About 70 per cent of the housing development in Dhaka city falls under slum category in terms of residential quality and facilities, according to the urban planners and architects.

They demanded effective implementation of the new building rules immediately for a liveable city.

Architect Abu Sayeed Ahmed said, "A residential area like Dhanmondi (at present) falls under slum category in terms of environment, open space, traffic capacity and civic amenities compared to its residential quality 30 to 40 years ago."

"Life, specially for the children and elderly people, in Dhaka is limited and inactive. The existing unplanned development pattern does not show any regard to open space and pedestrian passage." he said.

Dhaka city is already choked with haphazard urbanisation with whatever remaining open space, wetland and parks disappearing fast, said urban experts.

"With the introduction of the new building rules and the withdrawal of six-storey height ceiling in the planned residential areas, a builder is allowed to go up leaving adequate open space in keeping with certain proportion," said architect Golam Nasir.

The Floor Area Ration (FAR) of a building is calculated dividing the total floor area by total land area and thereby the FAR standard determines total buildable area and height of a building. One has to leave open space in proportion with the permitted buildable area of a high-rise building.

"Urban water crisis and water-logging are inevitable outcomes of all-pervading concrete coverage of the ground. Concrete coverage stops percolation of groundwater leading to recession of the water table," said an urban planner.

In one hand, this situation was accelerating sinking of buildings in the event of earthquake, On the other hand, green open space was vital to revive water table and keep it stable, said an environmentalist.

Height of a building determined by the area of open the buildable area will proportionately come down with narrower roads. A building owner may go to any height by increasing or decreasing the size of each floor area but has to remain limited within the permitted buildable area determined by FAR.

According to the rules, the open space is compulsory, undividable, non-sellable and non-developable and is a precondition to obtain approval of the building design.

Architect Iqbal Habib, said, "Detail Area Plan (DAP) of Dhaka city is a crucial precondition to implement the new building rules and protect the open and designated public spaces."