Dhaka is becoming increasingly difficult to live in as unplanned urbanization, rising population density, and inadequate civic infrastructure continue to put pressure on the capital.
The city lacks sufficient roads, open spaces, green areas, playgrounds and water bodies, while access to affordable housing remains a major challenge for low- and lower-middle-income households.
Urban planners warn that unless population density, building intensity and development are brought under effective control, Dhaka's liveability will continue to deteriorate.
The concerns come as Bangladesh observes World Habitat Day on Monday under the theme “Universal Housing, Sustainable Urbanization.”
The day is observed globally on the first Monday of October every year following a decision by the UN General Assembly in 1985. It has been observed since 1986 to raise awareness about housing, human settlements and sustainable urban development.
In Bangladesh, the Ministry of Housing and Public Works has arranged a discussion at the National Osmani Memorial Auditorium at 10am today to mark the occasion.
But experts say the reality of Dhaka's urban development remains far removed from the goal of sustainable and inclusive housing.
According to the Population and Housing Census 2022, Dhaka division has the country's highest population density, with 2,156 people living per square kilometre.
The enormous concentration of people in the capital and its surrounding areas has placed growing pressure on housing, roads, drainage, water supply, sanitation, waste management and other essential services.
Urban planners say simply constructing more high-rise buildings cannot solve Dhaka's housing crisis.
Housing must be planned alongside schools, hospitals, community centres, roads, parks, playgrounds, water bodies and other civic facilities, they say.
Adequate natural light and ventilation, green spaces and open areas must also be ensured within residential developments.
Instead, the rapid expansion of buildings and the drive to maximise land use have often taken precedence over broader urban planning considerations.
The housing crisis is particularly severe for low- and lower-middle-income residents.
While the private sector continues to develop high-end apartments and housing projects, affordable housing options for low-income households remain inadequate.
In this regard, Professor Dr Adil Muhammad Khan, executive director of the Institute for Planning and Development (IPD), said the constitutional commitment to ensure adequate housing has not translated into equal access to housing opportunities.
“Disparities in housing are increasing day by day,” he said.
According to him, government investment in housing and settlements for low- and lower-middle-income people in urban areas remains inadequate.
“Sustainable cities and human settlements cannot be built by leaving the housing sector solely to the profit-driven approach and strategies of the private sector,” he said.
He called for large-scale affordable housing projects for low-income groups, alongside measures to control Dhaka's population growth, manage density and strengthen development controls.
The Dhaka Detailed Area Plan (DAP), prepared to guide the capital's future development, was approved in August 2022.
The plan sought to control building intensity, housing density and the number of flats that could be constructed in different areas, with the broader objective of making Dhaka more liveable.
However, landowners and real estate developers strongly opposed several provisions of the plan.
Some amendments were introduced in September 2023 following their demands. But the changes failed to satisfy all stakeholders, prompting another initiative to revise the DAP.
Following the political change in 2024, the interim government formed a high-level advisory committee on the issue.
Based on recommendations from the committee, the DAP was revised for a second time, with a gazette notification issued in December 2025.
Urban planners have strongly criticised the repeated revisions, arguing that a long-term metropolitan development plan should not be repeatedly altered before its effectiveness can even be properly assessed.
Professor Adil said the success or failure of any urban plan ultimately depends on political commitment, proper enforcement, adequate financing, development control, the rule of law and impartial implementation in the public interest.
He said the 2022 DAP contained specific proposals addressing many of these issues.
“Yet within three years of its approval, the plan was amended twice under pressure from real estate interests, increasing floor area ratios (FAR), housing units and population density in various areas,” he said.
At the same time, he said, proposals for affordable housing, neighbourhood parks, playgrounds, primary schools and other civic facilities have remained largely unimplemented.
He argued that Dhaka's declining liveability was not caused by a lack of plans.
Rather, the failure to properly implement previous structure plans, master plans and DAPs has been a major reason behind the city's worsening conditions.
Professor Adil said the issue of population-density zoning had been compromised from the beginning.
According to him, the authorities gradually moved away from area-based height zoning proposed in the draft DAP towards an FAR-based approach, followed by increases in permissible FAR in different areas.
“This was a compromise at every stage,” he said.
He stressed that a liveable city requires not only population-density planning but also effective management of development intensity.
He also warned that amendments allowing greater construction intensity could restrict the flow of natural light and air into buildings, potentially creating further public health risks.
The concern is particularly important in a densely populated megacity where ventilation, open space and access to greenery are already limited.
The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), however, maintains that the DAP remains essential for planned housing and urban development.
Ashraful Islam, chief urban planner of Rajuk and project director of the DAP, said the plan was prepared to transform Dhaka into a functional and liveable metropolitan city.
He said 58 areas have been identified under the DAP for affordable housing targeting low- and lower-middle-income households.
Under the proposed arrangements, low-income residents would have opportunities to own homes through affordable housing schemes and long-term instalment payments.
The revised DAP has been sent to the Planning Commission for approval, he said, adding that implementation would begin after approval.
Urban experts say Dhaka's fundamental problem is not a shortage of plans but weak implementation and inadequate development control.
Over the years, successive plans have been prepared to address congestion, housing, transport and environmental challenges. Yet implementation has frequently fallen behind the pace of urban expansion.
The result is a city where population and building density are rising while roads, parks, playgrounds, water bodies and other public amenities continue to shrink.
Experts argue that repeatedly changing planning regulations without ensuring basic civic infrastructure risks further worsening the imbalance between private development and public interest.
For Dhaka to remain liveable, they say, authorities must prioritise affordable housing, control population density, protect open spaces and water bodies, expand green areas and ensure schools, hospitals, roads and other essential services alongside residential development.
The challenge is therefore no longer simply to prepare another plan for Dhaka.
