DHAKA: Among South Asian countries, Bangladesh has experienced the steepest increase in urbanization over the last 50 years.
Between 2000 and 2030, the total population of Bangladesh is expected to grow from 129 to 206 million, with two thirds of this increase occurring in urban areas.
Further, United Nations projections indicate that 50 percent or more of the total population will be classified as urban by the year 2045. By 2050, it is projected that the number of people living in cities will have tripled, while the rural population will have fallen by 30 percent.
Growth trends in Bangladesh are characterized by an uneven pattern of regional growth. Urban poor suffer disproportionately from the impacts of hazards arising from rapid and poorly managed urbanization.
Prioritizing the issue evolved through urbanization, the Planning Commission and Bangladesh Urban Forum (BUF) Secretariat with support from UNDP organized a stakeholder’s consultation meeting to seek insights on the draft 7th FYP from key policy leaders, urbanization experts from Bangladesh, NGOs/CSOs and development partners towards building consensus, and develop action points to be included in urban policy initiatives through five year plan.
The draft plan was discussed in a consultation meeting on May 16 at BICC in presence of Dr Mashiur Rahman, Adviser to the Honourable Prime Minister on Economic Affairs as the Chief Guest.
The meeting was also attended by Professor Nazrul Islam, Ms Pauline Tamesis, Country Director, UNDP, Mohammad Shafiqul Azam, Secretary, Planning Divison, Ministry of Planning and Mohammed Moinuddin Abdulah, Secretary, MoH&PW.
The meeting was chaired by Professor Shamsul Alam, Member (Senior Secretary), GED of Planning Commission, says a press release issued by UNDP Country office in Bangladesh.
The draft 7th FYP opted for four strategies to ensure country’s future urbanization in a planned way that offers basic urban services to its urbanites and transforms cities and towns work for all.
The strategies are -- urban governance strategies, urban housing strategies, urban transportation strategies and strategies for reduction of urban poverty.
Eminent urban expert Professor Nazrul Islam in his opening remarks shared about the urban sector’s stake to the GDP that is higher than the agriculture as urban inhabitants contribute approximately 60 percent to the national GDP and it is the high time that a national policy on urbanization should be taken.
UNDP Country Director Ms Pauline Tamesis suggested three steps for Bangladesh Future Urbanization - formulating of an urban vision, drafting urban city plan and crafting policies that are designed for people.
Dr Mashiur Rahman talked about the need of land use plan for all city and towns as the uncontrolled urbanization has a root to the country’s historical complex land management system. He also emphasized on proper decentralization utilizing local resources.
The draft plan was discussed by the sectoral experts Dr. Hossain Zilllur Rahman, Executive Chairman, PPRC; Dr. Roxana Hafiz, Professor, URP, BUET; Advocate Azmatullah Khan, Adviser, Municipal Association of Bangladesh (MAB); Ar. Iqbal Habib, Joint Secretary, BAPA and Mr Naved Chowdhury, Advisor, DFID & Chair, BUF Urban Policy & Governance Cluster.
The experts found that the scale, complexity and challenges associated with urbanization in Bangladesh render it one of the most pressing development issues of our time.
BDST: 2213 HRS, MAY 16, 2015
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