Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday said the government is preparing master plans for every City Corporation and district in the country to ensure planned urbanisation.
“The present government considers ‘housing for all’ not merely as ensuring a house, but as an integrated guarantee of safe water, sanitation, a clean environment and necessary civic services. So, the government is preparing master plans for every city corporation and district with the aim of planned urbanisation,” he said.
The Prime Minister said this in a message issued on the eve of World Habitat Day 2026 to be observed in Bangladesh as elsewhere across the world on Monday with the theme “Adequate Housing for All”.
He said the institutional foundation for planned and balanced urban development is being further strengthened through the formation of development authorities in Sylhet, Mymensingh, Barishal, Cumilla, Rangpur and Narayanganj.
These initiatives will play an important role in building safe, inclusive, climate-resilient and sustainable cities and achieving SDG-11, he said.
“Ensuring housing for all and creating liveable cities for everyone through sustainable urbanisation is one of our major commitments of the government,” said Tarique Rahman.
He said rapid expansion of Dhaka and other cities and urban areas across the country is creating various challenges to urban life, including unplanned urbanisation, traffic congestion, pollution, inadequate civic services, housing shortages and climate-induced migration.
“To address these challenges, the election manifesto of the present government contains clear commitments to balanced regional development, planned urbanisation and ensuring affordable housing for low-income families and slum dwellers,” he said.
Tarique Rahman said the commitments also include creating opportunities for slum dwellers to gain ownership of their homes and developing integrated water and waste management systems.
“Ensuring sustainable housing and urbanisation is not the sole responsibility of the government,” he said, stressing the need for coordinated participation of private investors, local communities, NGOs, social volunteer organisations, research institutions and international partners.
Public-private partnerships can play an effective role, particularly in housing for low-income people, slum development, water and waste management and environmental protection, he said.
The Prime Minister said the government wants to build a Bangladesh where every person, irrespective of whether they live in urban or rural areas, has the opportunity to live in safe and affordable housing with necessary civic services and in a healthy, clean and dignified environment.
“Our goal is to build a humane, liveable and sustainable Bangladesh through planned and balanced development,” he said.
Tarique Rahman said the theme “Adequate Housing for All” declared by the United Nations is highly timely and significant in the context of rapid urbanisation, population growth and growing housing demand in Bangladesh.
He said ensuring safe, affordable, environmentally friendly and dignified housing for all, alongside planned, inclusive and sustainable urbanisation, is one of the government’s key commitments.
“To this end, long-term policies are being implemented by integrating housing, urban planning, civic services, environmental protection and climate resilience,” he said.
The Prime Minister said integrated initiatives for urban development are now a necessity to ensure a better urban life for future generations.
He said special priority is being given to ensuring housing for low-income people and balanced urban development.