No plan to improve the living standard of Dhaka dwellers will work unless the capital-bound migration is stopped, DSCC mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh said on Saturday.

"Around 2 crore 10 lakh people live in Dhaka now. Without decentralisation this might go up by 3 crore within 2030 and 5 crore by 2041," Taposh said.

All the master plans taken to increase the standard of living for the residents of Dhaka will fail if people continue to flock into the capital from outside, he said. 

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For this reason, the villages and suburbs of the cities should be provided with all modern facilities so that people don't have to come to the capital for the smallest of reasons, the mayor advised. 

He was speaking at a seminar titled "Achievements and Future of 50 Years in Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Sector" organized by Local Government Department and Water Aid Bangladesh at the ballroom of Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital on Saturday.

Speaking as the chief guest, the Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Tajul Islam said," A group is trying to disturb the communal harmony of the country for their own selfish interest."

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People's representatives at all levels, including the local government, must be vigilant to deal with this conspiracy, he said.

Describing the recent incidents in Cumilla as part of a conspiracy, the local government minister said, "Strict action will be taken against those involved in the incident by identifying them."