Source: New Age, 1 July 2010

Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha chairman Nurul Huda on Wednesday came up with a fresh allegation that an influential quarter was out to bring distortion and deviation to the already-gazetted Detailed Area Plan of the Dhaka city.

The top official of the city development authority also urged all to launch a social movement against the vested quarters who wanted to obstruct implementation of DAP.

He was speaking at a discussion meeting on the national building code and its implementation at the National Press Club.

Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust organised the discussion meeting in association with Safety and Rights—a rights organisation—and the Australian High Commission in Dhaka.

Eminent jurist Dr. Kamal Hossain presided over the meeting while the discussants included Bangladesh Paribesh Andolan president Muzaffer Ahmad and justice Awlad Ali.

Speaker at the discussion meeting called for unity of citizens to launch a movement for quick and smooth implementation of DAP.

The law, justice and parliamentary affairs minister, Shafique Ahmed, was scheduled to be present at the meeting as the chief guest, but did not turn up.

‘An influential vested quarter is hatching conspiracy to twist and distort the already-gazetted DAP so that its implementation is thwarted,’ Rajuk chairman Nurul Huda told the meeting.

He said DAP can be amended only when it becomes utmost necessity.

‘Planning is not a static thing, rather a continuous process. In course of time, planning can be changed in line with the aspirations of the people, but not at the will of a certain quarter,’ he said.

He accused one or two national newspapers and some lawmakers who have real estate business of spearheading propaganda against the Dhaka city plan.

Referring to the allegations raised by some previous discussants against Rajuk for its failure to control unplanned development in the capital city, Nurul Huda said the past governments had kept Rajuk powerless and that was why it could not discharge its due role.

Describing different loopholes in the existing laws on the basis of which Rajuk works, he said, Rajuk needs flawless laws, rules and regulations, besides sufficient manpower to rein in the unplanned urbanisation.

The Rajuk chairman asked the authorities concerned to form a special bench to dispose of the cases relating to illegal building constructions and eviction.

Over 4,000 cases are now pending with the courts which hamstrung smooth functioning of Rajuk, he observed.

Hossain said an influential vested quarter is active to gain their interests through different unscrupulous means.

‘In order to save Dhaka and make it a liveable city for the next generation, a social movement is an imperative,’ he said.

Muzaffer Ahmed also underlined the importance of raising united voice to save the capital city.

He asked the government to take immediate measures to prepare DAP for all district towns in the country.

Sheltech Consultant Pvt Ltd managing director Salma A Shafi presented the keynote speech on the occasion. Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology professor Mehedy Ahmed Ansary and Rajuk director (development control) Sheikh Abdul Mannan also spoke at the meeting.