With more than 50,000 people living per square kilometre, over 500,000 buildings, a population of nearly two crore, chronic air pollution topping global charts, and waterlogging after light rain, simply surviving in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka is a big challenge, making the vision of turning it into a smart city seem distant to many.
According to the latest data from Global Forest Watch, Dhaka’s tree cover is less than 1% of its total land area.
Over the past four years, 198 hectares of greeneries in the capital have been destroyed for housing and other projects, releasing nearly 60 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
A report by Sustainability Advocates Station states that alongside improvements in other key indicators, urban greeneries must be prioritised for a city to become smart.
The report highlights the “3-30-300” model as the best approach.
Under this model, every resident should be able to see at least three trees from their home window; 30% of the surrounding area should be allocated for trees; and a park or playground surrounded by greenery should be within 300 metres.
A decade ago, Melbourne, Australia was struggling with environmental crises.
By adopting this model, it improved liveability, set a target to raise forest cover from 22% to 40%, and began working to lower city temperatures by 4°C by 2040.
In contrast, urban planners say that in South Asian countries, especially Bangladesh, no such initiatives in Dhaka amount to a suicidal approach.
In Copenhagen’s Frederiksberg, a similar pilot project has been undertaken.
According to the Frederiksberg Municipality’s 2024 data, its initial goal is for every resident to be able to see at least one large tree from any window.
The project also includes planting trees along footpaths and road dividers.
In Asia, Singapore aims to increase greeneries by 30% through similar initiatives, according to the Nature-Based Solutions Institute.
Struggling to Survive
While smart cities across the world aim for 30% greenery, Dhaka’s forest cover remains at just 1%, a figure that experts say threatens residents’ very survival.
President of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) Adil Muhammed Khan said, “From the very beginning, Dhaka’s urbanisation has been unplanned. Buildings have been constructed haphazardly without any plan. Most areas of Dhaka lack playgrounds or parks and there is no arrangement for planting trees around buildings. Altogether, Dhaka has been turned into a suffocating city for housing.”
He said there have been calls for years to focus on planning to turn Dhaka into a smart and well-organised city.
Environmentalists demand steps against Dhaka’s park, open space encroachers
“But decades have passed without change. Buildings keep going up, footpaths are being occupied, and trees are being cut down. Most areas lack the qualities of an ideal residential zone, and commercial areas are also developed without proper guidelines. From a Dhaka window, you see concrete towers, not trees,” he said.
Tree Cutting Outpaces Planting
Visits to several green areas of Dhaka reveal that hundreds of trees have been felled in the name of various projects, with parks and gardens being cleared.
The once tree-covered Panthakunja in Karwan Bazar, Shaheed Anwara Park in Farmgate, and Suhrawardy Udyan in Shahbagh have all lost significant numbers of trees in recent years.
In some cases, large trees have been removed altogether, pushing Dhaka further towards environmental peril.
Abdus Sobhan, president of "Paribesh O Jalabayu Paribartan Andolon (PARIJA)", a voluntary social organisation working on environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, and climate change adaptation, said, “Dhaka cannot be saved with a single step. The city is a product of severe lack of coordination.”
“There is no collaboration between RAJUK and the Ministry of Environment. WASA and the city corporations do not interact. Buildings keep rising, trees are being cut, but the Environment Ministry shows no concern. We had expected Environment Adviser who was once involved in environmental movements, to take steps to save Dhaka’s environment, but she has joined the ranks of her predecessors,” he said in a said voice.
Sobhan alleged that many engaged in environmental work are themselves benefiting from its destruction.
“The environment is a sensitive issue, and a few influential groups are exploiting it for gain. In their grip, Dhaka has become uninhabitable. Even ignoring air pollution, this city cannot be considered liveable,” he added.
Population and Housing Pressure
According to RAJUK’s official figures, Dhaka has fewer than 200,000 buildings.
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Planners and stakeholders, however, claim the actual number exceeds 500,000, as new buildings are being constructed every day.
Planners say that the booming housing business faces little oversight in Dhaka, with buildings continuing to rise even as trees are lost.
Housing sector representatives say the influx of new residents fuels demand. Senior Vice President-1 of the Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB), MA Awal, said, “Dhaka’s population is growing daily, and housing developers are working to meet their needs.”
“Population is also increasing outside Dhaka city and we are expanding housing accordingly. Those who oppose housing projects should be asked how they plan to accommodate this vast population,” he added.
Urban planners believe that to save Dhaka, decentralisation must begin immediately. Moving important offices and major factories outside the city would reduce population pressure, improve the environment and create an opportunity to redesign the capital.