United News of Bangladesh

Farmers across five northern districts — Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha and Nilphamari — are facing mounting difficulties due to what they describe as an artificial crisis of non-urea fertilisers such as TSP, DAP and MOP. Many have been forced to pay extra or delay cultivation, raising fears of reduced crop yields. Although the Agriculture Department has dismissed the situation as artificial, farmers say fertilisers are simply unavailable through official dealers. They allege that retailers are selling fertilisers at inflated prices, taking advantage of the high seasonal demand. Officials insist that there is no genuine shortage, claiming that sufficient stock is available in the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) warehouses. They blame a section of unscrupulous dealers for creating an artificial crisis to earn higher profits. Farmers struggling to prepare land With the potato and maize planting season approaching, many farmers have been unable to prepare their fields in time. Abdar Hossain, a farmer from Karanpur village in Lalmonirhat, said, “When we go to dealers, they say fertiliser is out of stock. But retail shops have plenty—only they charge Tk 8–10 more per kilogramme.” Govt approves purchase of 65,000 MT of fertilizer Abu Taleb, a farmer from Baura in Patgram upazila, echoed similar concerns, “Land cannot be prepared without non-urea fertiliser. Fertiliser is needed most now, and demand will rise further in November. If we do not get it on time, we will suffer a big loss.” In Rangpur’s Gangachara, farmer Sujan Mia said they are unable to get fertiliser even after offering to pay extra. “We are at a loss as to how to cultivate maize in the pasture,” he said. Another farmer, Joynal Abedin of Kaunia, expressed frustration, saying, “Fertiliser is not available from dealers, but retailers sell it at a higher price. In which country do we live? Nothing seems to be in order.” BADC Lalmonirhat warehouse assistant director Ekramul Haque said fertilisers are being sold through 144 authorised dealers in the district at government-fixed prices. “The government sells TSP at Tk 25 per kg, DAP at Tk 19 and MOP at Tk 18 to dealers, who may add a Tk 2 profit per kg,” he explained. Haque maintained that the warehouse holds sufficient stocks as per government allocation, though he acknowledged that the allocation is around 25 percent lower than total demand. Similarly, the BADC additional director in Rangpur claimed there was no shortage in any district and blamed dishonest traders for creating panic in the market. “We are closely monitoring the market, and the problem will be resolved soon,” he added. Sirajul Islam, additional director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Rangpur, agreed that the crisis was being fuelled by a few profiteering traders. “There is sufficient fertiliser stock in BADC warehouses. Some traders are creating an artificial shortage in the hope of higher profits. Mobile courts are being conducted against such unscrupulous traders,” he said. 416 bags of fertilizer unauthorised for sale seized in Lalmonirhat

Some affected land owners of Dhaka city on Sunday demanded the abolition of the Detailed Area Plan (DAP), a city planning initiative for Dhaka that aims to create a comprehensive development plan for the city. They also presented a five-point demand at a human chain held in front of the Jatiya Press Club. The DAP is the third and final tier of the Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan (DMDP) that provides detailed planning proposals for specific areas within the city. They claimed DAP (2022-2035) has caused huge losses and discrimination to the land owners of Dhaka city.  Coordinator of the platform Professor Dewan M A Sajjad said the main objective of DAP is to classify, conserve, develop and control land, but by bypassing these objectives and not prioritisng the issue of construction rules, some opportunistic people of the previous government purposefully enacted DAP 2022-2035 and snatched the right of residence of the city dwellers. In 2008, permission was given to build as many flats as 10-storey buildings on the same amount of land, now permission is being given to build 5-storey buildings and reducing the number of flats on the same amount of land - which is in no way acceptable, he said. RMG workers block highway in Gazipur; 15 factories declare holiday Mentioning that the proposed DAP allows high-rise buildings to be built in 20 percent of Dhaka city, buildings of half its height and area are being built in the remaining 80 percent of the area, Professor Dewan M A Sajjad said 80 percent of the people of Dhaka city are being able to get the approval any design for the past two years.  "In this situation, we are facing great losses. Our demands to end this inequality are presented in our programme,"he added. They also demanded that permission should be given to construct buildings in all areas of Dhaka city as per the 2008 rules removing all discrimination and formulate revised rules as per the 2008 Construction Rules. They demanded the amendment of the DAP to preserve water bodies, canals, rivers, canals, roads, playgrounds, parks, industrial establishments, agriculture, residential areas, etc. of Dhaka city. They also want the necessary measures to free Dhaka city from waterlogging. They also demanded the stoppage of all harassment by RAJUK and simplification of building construction approvals from RAJUK.  The main objective of DAP that covers a large area of about 1,528 square kilometers, including the trading hub of Narayanganj, and Keraniganj district is to control development through land use zoning and to establish a framework for future infrastructure and services.  The current DAP plan spans from 2016 to 2035 intending to implement the policies and recommendations of the DMDP's Structure Plan and Urban Area Plan.

The government has formed a seven-member advisory committee to oversee the implementation of the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) by Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk). A notification regarding the formation of the committee was issued by the Cabinet division. Led by the Adviser to the Land Ministry, the other members of the committee are advisers from the Ministries of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Housing and Public Works, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Road Transport and Bridges, Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Ministries. The committee is also responsible for proposing amendments where necessary and has the authority to co-opt members as required. ACC sues Benazir, Matiur, family members  Besides, secretaries from the Road Transport and Highways Division, Land Ministry, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry, Housing and Public Works Ministry, Power Division, Railways Ministry, Law and Justice Division, Local Government Division, and Bridge Division will assist the committee in its work.  

The Government of Bangladesh has launched the ‘Transfer of Development Right (TDR)’ initiative, similar to those in developed countries, to safeguard agricultural lands, three-crop fields, and reservoirs outlined in the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) (2022-2035). Under the TDR system, landowners of agricultural areas will receive shares or permissions to construct buildings in other developable parts of the city. This mechanism aims to preserve agricultural land while allowing for urban development, according to an official document. TDR program balances the asset value for landowners by transferring the right to build from environmentally protected areas to development-encouraged zones, the document states. The overall number of homes remains unchanged, thus ensuring compensation for landowners in restricted areas without affecting profits elsewhere. At the recent Deputy Commissioners’ conference, directives were issued to ensure the conservation of three-crop lands during land acquisitions for development projects. “Strict legal action will follow if complaints arise,” the document warned. Read more: FM for healthier food habits, consumption of locally produced agricultural products Districts under divisions including Rajshahi, Chattogram, Khulna, Barishal, Sylhet, Rangpur, and Mymensingh have been instructed to avoid selecting three-crop lands for housing or other development purposes. These lands are rigorously monitored by district and upazila administrations to prevent misuse. The document highlighted measures taken, such as denying permission for pond digging in three-crop lands and raising public awareness through mass campaigns. Regular mobile court operations are conducted to prevent illegal activities, with offenders being arrested and fined. The proposed Land Zoning and Protection Act of 2024 will further ensure that three-crop lands are used solely for agriculture. Meanwhile, development authorities under the Ministry of Housing and Public Works are preparing master plans to preserve these lands. A draft position paper by the Department of Urban Development underscores the ecological damage caused by unplanned industrial establishments and the loss of valuable agricultural lands. A comprehensive land use plan for Bangladesh is being developed based on this paper. With this framework, unauthorized housing and pond digging in designated three-crop lands can be stopped, the document says. Read more: UCB organises day-long skill development training for agricultural entrepreneurs in Kushtia

‘Sheikh Hasina Regional Park’, set to be established on 442 acares of land in Keraniganj  under Detailed Area Plan (DAP 2022-2035),will be Dhaka’s largest park, surpassing National Botanical Garden and Ramna Park. Mushtaq Ahmed, the Chief Architect of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), said Rajuk has already appointed an implementation and consulting firm for the park, and a consultant team has been engaged for the construction work. They are working on the park's design, he said. Read: As 3-month ban on tourism ends, Sundarbans abuzz with local and foreign travellers Rajuk's urban planner Mohammad Ashraful Islam, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, and Keraniganj Upazila Chairman Shaheen Ahmed, in collaboration with Rajuk's project team have finalized location  of the park. The construction of this park is expected to commence shortly, he said. Detailed Area Plan 2016-2035 for Dhaka Metropolitan Region aims to create an eco-friendly and modern city by constructing five large regional parks, 49 water-based parks, eight eco parks (including Bhawal Shal Forest), and nine other parks and playgrounds. Read: Chapainawabganj agriculture entrepreneur’s innovative mango cultivation technique doubles yield As part of this initiative, Rajuk has acquired approximately 422 acres of land in Subhadhya, Kullirchak, Baghair, and Kazirgaon mouzas of Keraniganj upazila in Dhaka, designating it as Sheikh Hasina Regional Park. The proposed land use for this park is designated as open space. Rajuk also intends to construct a new 100-feet road on the western side of Sheikh Hasina Regional Park. The project is currently awaiting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s approval. At a programme here recently Nasrul Hamid told reporters that  National Botanical Garden was established in 1961 on 208 acres or 624 bighas of land near the National Zoo. After that area, Ramna Park is in second place with an area of 68.5 acares. Sheikh Hasina Regional Park in Keraniganj will set a new record in terms of size, surpassing the botanical garden and Ramna Park, he said. Read: Country’s first electrical testing laboratory on the cards Several senior officers from Rajuk, along with local MP and Upazila Chairman,  recently visited the proposed park location in Keraniganj. The delegation included Rajuk member and project planner Mohammad Nasir Uddin, member (development control) Samsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Bangladesh University of Engineering (Buet) Professor Md. Al Amin, and others.

Government has approved the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) to ensure sustainable development of capital Fhaka. However, developers and real estate companies regard the floor area ratio in the new DAP as a big challenge. They came up with this observation at the FBCCI Standing Committee on Real Estate and Housing held on Sunday at the FBCCI office. Businessmen said according to the new DAP, they can’t make buildings more than 4 to 5 storeys high, where they could in the past build 8 to 10 storey buildings even if there were no wide roads.  Read more: Bangladesh doesn’t need to borrow from IMF if dignity is sacrificed: FBCCI President Real estate sector is going to face a crisis, they noted. Also, the land registration fee will be determined according to the market price which is going to be another challenge for the construction sector, committee members said. Speaking as the Chief Guest, FBCCI President Md. Jashim Uddin said, there are opportunities to discuss with policy maker about challenges and way forwards. Before that, business owners should acquire deep analysis about the new DAP, he suggested.  Director In-charge of the committee and REHAB President Alamgir Shamsul Alamin said, “There many good aspects in the new DAP; some complications are there still." FBCCI Vice President Md. Amin Helaly urged the policy-makers to work with the issues businessmen face as challenges for the development of this sector. He urged REHAB to be strict with dishonest entrepreneurs in the housing business. Read more: FBCCI signs MoU with Greater New York Chamber of Commerce and Industry Committee Chairman Liakat Ali Bhuiyan Milan said that this sector has already fallen into crisis due to high prices of construction materials. He called for making the new DAP business friendly. FBCCI Director, MGR Nasir Majumder, Shafiqul Islam Vorosha, Bijoy Kumar Kejriwal, Hafez Harun, Abu Motaleb, Akkas Mahmood, Secretary General Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque, Commmitte Co-chairmen Mohammad Nizam Uddin Jitu, Mohammad Ali Deen, Kamal Mahmud, AFM. Ubaidullah and other members were present at the meeting.

The Detailed Area Plan (DAP) that will guide the future construction of buildings in Dhaka city, the use of land and demarcation of canals and flow areas is expected to be finalized in next few months, LGRD minister Tajul Islam said on Wednesday. He made the remarks at a meeting of the technical committee on DAP held in the ministry’s conference room. "In order to finalize the DAP, we have already met with all stakeholders such as urban planners and architects. If everything goes well, the DAP will be finalized and published in the form of a gazette by next December or January,” he said. The minister agreed that many buildings with faulty designs have been constructed over the years tarnishing the beauty of the capital and putting the lives of its residents at risk. He also conceded that many of such buildings were established occupying government lands and canals. Read:Dhaka's skyline: DAP wants buildings not to get taller than 8 storey ones:  The minister warned that under no circumstances can these be allowed to happen again. Buildings must be constructed in accordance with the design and building codes, he said adding that engineers and all other relevant authorities must play a proper role in ensuring the rules.

 

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh on Monday put emphasis on working together for the overall development of the capital city.