How to transform Dhaka into a water sensitive city?

ABSTRACT

Many cities and urban areas are growing rapidly to accommodate increased population and economic activities. However, unplanned urban growth is putting significant pressure on existing water supply systems, green infrastructures, and natural systems, especially in developing countries. The water sensitive cities concepts allow to plan and systematically develop integrated urban water management to achieve balanced sustainable outcomes. In this paper, we have noted that through full implementation of existing long-term masterplans water sensitive cities concepts could be internalized in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. We emphasize implementation of existing masterplans and have further identified six broad groups of key strategies that could accelerate this internalization: development of a vision and political willingness; strengthened government policy support and coordinated outcomes; adaptive decision-making capacity; private sector engagement; community and NGO engagements and implementation of multi-functional water sensitive urban designs.

KEYWORDS:

• Water sensitive urban designs
• Bangladesh
• Dhaka
• Integrated planning and management

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s). The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency.