About 44% of people living in the capital are deprived of any sort of housing facilities which are very alarming for the country, according to a survey conducted by Center for Urban Strategies in 2007.
Citing the study, Iqbal Habib, director, VITTI Sthapati Brindo Limited, said: “In some areas of the capital, about 10,000 people live in per square kilometre with some 40% of them having no formal habitation while an informal habitation constitutes 60%.”
Of the 44% homeless, 35% stay in slums while 8%-9% floating section of them beside roads, rail lines and parks, observed Iqbal Habib.
The observation came at a seminar held at the Daffodil International University (DIU) in the capital on Monday to mark the World Habitat Day 2013.
The theme of this year’s programme was Urban Mobility.
Department of Real Estate of the university hosted the programme on “Problems and Prospects of Real Estate Sector in Bangladesh”.
In his address as the chief guest, Architect Iqbal Habib said the capital Dhaka emerged as an unplanned way where the homeless live in the city’s 47% flood-prone low-lying areas including Bhasantek, Shahjahanpur, Badda and Demra.
The lack of government initiatives and negligence are attributed to the mega city’s failure to accommodate the city dwellers well enough.
The architect added that different private real estate companies and even the government’s own agency – Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha (Rajuk) – filled up water bodies in and around the capital for housing project.
The water bodies are giving way to the housing projects which are also are contributing to deforestation, all putting a bad effect on ecological balance.
The member secretary of the Urbanisation and Governance Committee of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon stressed utilising the “Urban Hydro Ecological” facilities for a sustainable city life.
“Real Estate Companies provide housing facilities only for 14% people of upper class in the society, but they do not take any steps for the poor,” he said, adding that the government also did not have any steps for slam dwellers and floating people in the capital.
He urged the students to come up with an innovative approach to addressing the crisis caused by the real estate sectors.
Prof Dr M Mizanur Rahman, acting vice-chancellor of DIU, chaired the programme which was also addressed by Prof Dr M Zakir Hossain, director (studies), Prof Rafiqul Islam, dean, Faculty of Business and Economics, Dr Mostafa Kamal, adviser, and Mohammad Sakhawat Hossain of the Department of Real Estate.
At the beginning of the programme, Md Shahadat Hossain, student of DIU Real Estate Department, gave a multimedia presentation of an overall situation of the real estate sector in Bangladesh in comparison with other developed countries.
In observance of the day, an essay competition on Real Estate sector of the country was held in which students from different colleges in the capital participated.
Jannat E Jahan of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College became champion while Md Tanvir Shahed of Notre Dame College first runner-up.