Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Mohammad Shafiqul Islam Khan said all relevant agencies will be formally notified before any road work begins to stop repeated digging.
He said letters will be sent to Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA), Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL), Titas Gas and other utility providers so that all utility lines can be installed at once.
He made the remarks as chief guest at a city dialogue titled “Is Dhaka becoming a dead city? What needs to be done,” held at a hotel in Gulshan on Saturday morning. The event was organised by Urban Development Journalists Forum Bangladesh.
Emphasising action over discussion, the DNCC administrator said the focus should be on implementation rather than holding seminars.
“Work must come first. We will reduce seminars and present outcomes after completing tasks,” he said.
He said eviction drives against street vendors are not a lasting solution unless proper rehabilitation is ensured. As an alternative, six open spaces are being prepared on a pilot basis where registered vendors will be allowed to operate.
He also said Paris Canal had been cleaned nine times in the past two months but waste dumping continued, bringing it back to the same condition. He stressed that sustainable solutions require public awareness.
To reduce noise pollution, he suggested introducing vehicles without horns at the showroom level.
He also highlighted that most urban management measures remain temporary and called for long-term planning. He said WASA, gas and electricity services should be brought under a single coordinated authority.
Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) Chairman Mohammad Riazul Islam, speaking as special guest, said bringing urban services under one umbrella would improve coordination and service quality. He added that a lack of data often hinders effective planning.
Outlining plans for Korail slum, the RAJUK chairman said services would be improved without replacing it with high-rise buildings, as residents do not want such structures.
He said work is underway to recover parking spaces to ease traffic congestion in the capital and that action is being taken against buildings that have violated parking provisions. He also stressed the need to improve public transport.
Dhaka WASA Additional Chief Engineer Alamgir Hossain Ahmed said several water treatment plants are under construction but administrative delays are slowing progress. Projects that were supposed to be completed in five years are taking up to 12 years.
He said water is being supplied from the Meghna, Shitalakkhya and Buriganga rivers through about 51 kilometres of pipelines, which could be extended to 150 kilometres if needed. He added that sourcing water from the Bay of Bengal may become necessary in the future.
Architect Sujaul Islam Khan said plans must be implemented rather than remaining on paper. He noted that most urban facilities are concentrated among a small elite population in areas like Gulshan and Banani, while areas such as Korail remain deprived.
Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority Deputy Transport Planner Dhruva Alam said a 20-year plan is being developed for the capital’s public transport system. Efforts are underway to reduce the number of bus routes from 42 to 32, with a single company operating on each route to restore discipline.
He said buses will begin operating under the revised route plan within this year.
Also present were Institute of Planning and Development Executive Director urban planner Adil Muhammad Khan and environmental lawyer Syed Mahbubul Alam, among others.
