Review of DMDP

Review of DMDP as a Planning tool to safeguard the Flood
Flow Zones from unrestrained development
Prepared by:
Md. Asaduzzaman,
Sohag Chandra Roy,
Israt Jahan.
Prepared for:
Md. Akter Mahmud,
Associate Professor.
Review of DMDP as a Planning tool
to safeguard the Flood Flow Zones from unrestrained development
Department of Urban and Regional Planning,

Jahangirnagar University.
1. Introduction
Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan (DMDP) - the first policy plan for metro Dhaka is
basically a three tier development control and growth management mechanism for Dhaka
City and adjoining areas including hinterlands. Rajdhani Unnyan Kartripakkha (RAJUK)
started to prepare it in 90s when Dhaka was expanding at a huge rate. Population was
increasing and the pressure on land did so. Before the independence of Bangladesh,
RAJUK (Former DIT) took this initiative once again and prepared a master plan. As
master plan is so much rigid and it couldn’t hold the uncertainties of upcoming future, the
plan failed to achieve its goal. This is why; RAJUK took in hand the task of preparing a
more flexible plan- The DMDP.
2. Components of DMDP
DMDP is a multisectoral development plan comprised of Structure plan, Urban Area Plan
and Detailed Area Plan. The project’s planning component is presented as a package of
plan outputs which collectively address Dhaka’s urban planning issues at three geographic
levels; sub-regional, urban and sub-urban. The Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan
therefore is composed of the three following components:
• Structure Plan;
• Urban Area Plan and
• Detailed Area Plans.
Structure Plan identifies the order of magnitude and direction of anticipation of urban
growth. It defines a broad set of policies in order to achieve the overall plan objectives and
states that the strategies shall be subject to review preferably every five years interval. The
plan is open ended, providing a broad policy framework for Urban Area Plan (UAP) and
long-term development programs. The DMDP Structure Plan provides a long-term
strategy for the 20 years upto 2015 for the development of the greater Dhaka sub region.
For the purposes of these plans and reports the term "Metro Dhaka" refers to the 590
square mile area administered by RAJUK under the Town Improvement Act 1953. The
DMDP Structure Plan consists of a written report and policy document with various
supporting maps and a 1:50,000 or as appropriate scale composite map. The report
identifies the order-of-magnitude and direction of anticipated urban growth and defines a
broad set of policies considered necessary to achieve the overall plan objectives.
Urban Area Plan is a mid-term strategy for the 10 year period for the development of
urban area and defines the geographic boundaries of the extent of area that covers during
the interim plan period. Besides, it includes UAP maps delineating various landuse
management zones. The UAP is primarily intended to be gradually superseded various
SPZ (spatial Planning Zone) plans which covers specific geographic sub areas of Dhaka.
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The UAP report includes Explanatory Report, Resource Maps, Interim Management
Report, Interim Planning Rules, Urban Area Plan Maps and MSIP (Multi Sectoral
Investment Program).
Explanatory report explaining the basis for the UAP and describes the salient features for
each of the spatial planning zones proposed, records existing infrastructure locations,
along with public and private sector development commitments, interim management
report describing the basis and approach taken towards urban landuse management zones
and interim planning development rules.
As stated above, Urban Area Plan (UAP) provides an interim mid-term strategy for the 10
years to 2005 and covers for the development of urban areas within Metro Dhaka
management area. The geographic boundaries comprising the Urban Area Plan are the
areas within the proposed Flood Action Plan (FAP) components 8A and 8B as well as the
Tongi-Gazipur and Savar-Dhamsona areas.
The DMDP Detailed Area Plan provides more detailed planning proposals for specific
sub-areas of Dhaka. Primarily it was declared that they do not initially cover the entire
Dhaka Structure Plan area (590 Sq. mile). While all sub-areas will eventually require a
DAP, only priority areas will be dealt with initially. The detailed area plans consist of
reports and maps at 1:15,000 scales (or larger as appropriate) with supporting documents.
They may include the area of one or more SPZ, or parts of several SPZs, depending on
circumstances. Until a Detailed Area Plan is prepared for a sub-area, however, land use
management functions will be exercised through the policies, guidelines, and rules found
in the Structure Plan and Urban Area Plan.
3. Concepts of Flood Flow Zone

The rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto normally dry land is called flood.
Annual place of inundations are thus flood flow zones. A river in its flow regime
maintains a width within which the flows occur during flooding time. Main flood flow
zone is the cross sectional area of a river that carries the dominant flood flow whereas sub
flood flow zone is that area which conveys the flood water only during high tide and
storms.
Flood Flow Zones are designed for control the area where the flood flows are running over
the flood time or at a specified time of a year.
Land development within the designated flood plain areas requires control to avoid
obstruction to flood flow, which might otherwise result in adverse hydraulic effects like
rise of flood water levels and change in flow direction as well as adverse environmental
effects like hampering ecological biodiversity.
4. Concepts of Development Control
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Development Control is the process to make best use of the resources of land to achieve
sustainable products of food as well as best possible output in the future. It covers all
activities concerned with the management of land as a resource both from an
environmental and from an economic perspective. It includes farming, mineral extraction,
property and estate management and physical planning of towns and countryside. It
embraces such matters as:
- Property conveyance including decisions on mortgages and investment
- Property assessment and valuation
- Development and management of utilities and services
- Management of land resources such as forestry, soils, or agriculture
- Formation and implementation of land use policies
- Environmental impact assessment and
- Monitoring of all activities on land that effect the best use of that land.
(UN Economic Commission for Europe, Land Administration Guidelines, final draft-
June14, 1995)
Development Control can be defined as the process of managing the use and development
(in both urban and rural settings) of land resources in a sustainable way. Land resources
are used for a variety of purposes which interact and may compete with one another;
therefore, it is desirable to plan and manage all uses in an integrated manner.
Although Land is part of man's natural heritage, access to land needs to be controlled by
ownership patterns. Land is divided for administrative and economic purposes, and it is
used and transformed in a myriad ways. This is the reason why development control is so
important for all of the associated professional groups.
Land is the scarcest commodity since it is fixed in supply having ever increasing demand
with the population influx. In Dhaka the scenario is even worse due to unplanned and
uncontrolled development race.
Development Control is basically practiced with legal powers that include FAR, Zoning
and likewise mechanisms. Zoning is a form of legal power which is delegated to
development authorities/municipalities through enabling legislation to ensure the welfare
of the community by regulating the most appropriate use of the land. Zoning is a
classification of land uses that limits what activities can or cannot take place on a parcel
by establishing a range of development options. Zoning has been defined as an action
through legislation provided to a development authority/municipality to control a) the
heights to which buildings may be erected; b) the area of lots that must be left un-built
upon; and c) the uses to which buildings and lots may be put. FAR too, is a tool to control
the development that is a byproduct of Zoning. The main categories of Zoning are:
 Area Zoning
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The objective of area zoning is to specify which types of land use are considered
appropriate for different areas or 'zones', and it therefore indicates the planning control
objectives of the authority or municipality for its administrative area. The authority is
obliged under the planning acts to designate in its development plan objectives for the use
solely and primarily of particular areas for particular purposes. Flood Flow Zone is such
type of Zoning.
 Density Zoning
The aim of the density zoning is to provide an acceptable density which is related to the
designed facilities and amenities especially in the residential areas. This will ensure a
healthy community and enjoyable community life.
 Height Zoning
This zoning provides height limits for structures and objects of natural growth and
standards for use of an area which encourage and promote the proper and sound
development of areas. It is also applicable to height restrictions for flight safety around
airports or other similar purposes.
For effective development control, in addition landuse zoning individual facility and the
structures therein is to comply certain regulations imposed to ensure desirable end.
Relation between ground cover of buildings and the land parcel that house it, minimum
setback of building from the adjoining plot boundaries, and the maximum floor area that
can be constructed in relation to plot size and the connecting road among many other
details, are controlled by RAJUK’s Building Construction Rules. Besides, Bangladesh
National Building Code focuses on the appropriate materials, construction method,
building safety and associated issues. In absence of DAP the above rules did not have
scope for area specific rules and hence were common for the whole development process.
According to the Building Construction Rule, 2008, minimum permissible road width for
obtaining plan permit is to shown, construction is allowed on plots connected by narrow
roads provided the plot owner leaves formally half of the addition area needed to make the
road 6m for widening the road to the permitted minimum. Perhaps the intension behind
this was that gradually the whole road would rise up to 6m in short time and it is true for
new areas coming urban development as most of the structures are non permanent and
they are to correct under this rule to permanent buildings making the whole road 6m in the
process. But congested unplanned Dhaka represents an alarming picture. Most of the plots
are occupied almost entirely by pucca structures several storied high soaring right from the
property line connected by the narrow pathways, these owners did not bother for
RAJUK’s plan permit and a handful those who obtained a plan permit did not bother to
follow them.
5. Importance of Flood Flow Zone
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Flood Flow Zones within the DMDP area play a vital role for environmental balance as
well as minimizing the flood risk in urban areas. It provides water both for agricultural
irrigation and urban uses also. These areas also have agricultural value which ultimately
ties with our food security. In DMDP, the flood flow zones are demarcated as special area
and special attention has been given to protect these areas from different encroachment for
our present and future generations. The importances of this zone are elaborated below.
Firstly, Dhaka’s water level during monsoon is rising throughout last consecutive years.
At the same time, the hinterlands that were earmarked as main flood flow zone or sub
flood flow zone are being filled up. If the zones are filled up, it heightens the level of flood
water. So to protect the capital, flood flow zones are very important. Secondly, these zones
are crucially important for protecting the ecological biodiversity as well as the aquatic
species like various kinds of fishes and microorganisms. Thirdly, the flood flow zones are
the supply of city’s demand for food grain. Our food security will be hampered if these
zones are diminished. Fourthly, the area holds a variety of environmental beauty. It is an
important issue of concern. Fifthly, ground water table is recharged through these areas
during the monsoon. Sixthly, the intensity of flood is increased in the place next to the
filled up area. Seventhly, if the area is filled, the water as well as silt cannot be flown over
the surrounding area that results decrease in moisture and fertility of the land. Eighthly,
filling flood flow zones result in diversion of main river flow. In some cases flow becomes
zigzag. This causes in erosion of riverfront that results an unacceptable economic
situation. Ninthly, some areas may face water logging if flood flows are filled up. Tenthly,
lifecycle of fishes as well as other aquatic lives are disturbed in such types of action that
may result in decrease of fish production. Furthermore, flood flow zones are mostly
navigable during monsoon that is disturbed if the areas are filled up.
6. Flood Flow Zones in DMDP

In DMDP, areas around the built up city has been earmarked as flood flow zone. The five
river basins of Buriganga, Sitalakkhya, Turag, Balu and Dhewleswari has been earmarked
as flood flow zone that includes a large area of Baktaboli, Keraniganj, Ashulia, Savar,
Rupganj, Baria, Dhitpur, Murapara and Basulia. Though a huge development pressure has
been seen here since 90s because of population growth and low price of land at the same
time, these areas have been demarked as “no development” zone.
7. Policy Regarding Flood Flow Zones in DMDP

There are a variety of rules and regulations in DMDP regarding the flood flow zones.
Structure Plan, Urban Area Plan and Detailed Area Plan separately gave policies and
regulations regarding the flood flow zones. Structure Plan came up with the following
policies:
Policy RS/3- Flood Flow Zones
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Land development, within the designated flood plain areas of the DMDP Structure Plan, will be
controlled in order to avoid obstructions to flood flow, which might otherwise result in adverse
hydraulic effects, such as, for example, the rise of flood water levels and changes in flow direction.
Reason behind the policy
To minimize adverse hydraulic effects, the risk to human life and economic damage.
Means of Implementation
Implementation of this policy will of necessity be via a range of controls, which collectively will
ensure, that any development which does take place within flood plains will not restrict flood flow,
or put at risk human life or infrastructure investment.
JICA in its Report on FAP-8A proposals identified main and sub flood flow zones. The DMDP
Structure Plan adopts the same division, whereby development restrictions are more severe in the
main flood flow zone. Proposed controls are as follows:
Main Flood Flow Zone
Land development for residential, commercial and industrial development, including raising the
level of land, via land filling, will be strictly prohibited.
Permitted uses, provided that they cause no adverse hydraulic effect will be:
• Agriculture;
• Dry season recreation facilities;
• Ferry terminals; and
• Excavation of mineral deposits, including dry season brick works.
Causeways for roads or railways will be permitted, subject to detailed geological surveys being
undertaken and on condition that they are built with culverts sufficient to allow for unimpeded
flood flow.
Sub Flood Flow Zone
Development compatible with the rural nature of these mainly rice growing areas, will be
permitted on condition that the:
• Structures arc built on stilts, or on land raised above design flood water level;
• Alignment of structures and raised land to be designed so as not to disturb flood
flow;
Implementing Agency: RAJUK, BWDB.
NB: Ideally a Dhaka Metropolitan River Conservancy Board, linked closely to BWDB, would be
established to execute such controls and enforcement procedures within the flood plains of the
metro region.
Urban Area Plan came up with the following policies and regulations regarding the Flood
Flow Zones:
SPZ: 173 Flood Zone West (Development Management Report: Part I)
Actions Committed/Required
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• The area should enabled to function properly as a flood plain and a basic rural/pisciculture
zone.
• All the development permits issued for the development of housing should be withdrawn
and no new one is needed to maintain the nature of the zone.
• Conversion of land from rural to urban should be regulated strictly in this zone.
SPZ: 18 Dhaleshwari Flood Zone South
Actions Committed/Required
• The area is a major flood zone, as such to avoid negative effects; flood water flow should
not be disturbed.
• Even at this stage Container Port should be relocated in the DND Triangle on the opposite
bank of Buriganga river.
• The RAJUK scheme and the Cantonment should not be realized and the area should be
allowed to maintain its present character.
Development Management Report (Part II)
The flood flow zones were determined by FAP 8A studies, and lie largely outside the present
urban area. The Lands Study recommended that development in low-lying flood plain areas be
restricted, since it could obstruct natural flood flow. Such restriction would cause a rise in water
level and changes in flood direction; affecting the entire metropolitan area.
In the Main Flood Flow Zone, now mostly agricultural land, urban development should be
prohibited. Only development having no adverse hydraulic effects should be permitted. Such
development includes:
• Agriculture
• Open space for recreation
• Ferry terminals
• Brickyards
The Sub-Flood Flow Zone is less affected by flood flow. It includes village and homestead areas.
Development in this zone should only be allowed provided that:
 The developed land is raised more than the design flood water level;
 The slope of such land is sufficiently gentle to prevent slope failure and is protected from
erosion;
 Structure orientation is designed to minimize flood flow obstruction;
 Floor elevation of structure themselves are sufficiently strong to withstand flood damage.
For both types of flood zone, it is important that laws preventing land fill soon come into force,
otherwise controlling development in these zones will be very difficult, and the effectiveness of
flood protection measures will be seriously compromised.
Policy RS\3 Flood Flow zone:
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Land development, within the designated flood plain areas of the DMDP Structure plan, will be
controlled in order to avoid obstructions to flood flow, which might otherwise result in adverse
hydraulic effects, such as, the rise of flood water levels and changes of flow direction.
Purpose and intent:
The purpose of the Sub Flood Flow zone is to generally define areas either temporarily or
seasonally flooded. The intent is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the general public, to
reduce negative environmental impacts within natural waterways, and to protect and preserve
natural drainage systems to ensure their proper and continued functioning. Areas designated on the
urban area plan map as sub flood flow zone are also designated.
Permitted and conditional uses:
Permitted uses Conditional Uses
• Agriculture forestry & grazing • Dwellings, farm
• Aquaculture & fisheries • Dwellings, minimal housing
• Brick fields • Dwellings, single\multi family
• Roads\Railways\ Utility ROW • Explosives manufacture & storage
• Farm dwellings • Industrial class 2
• Ferry Ghats and jetties • Patrol\service stations
• Flood management structures • Office\ services
• Institutions
• Public uses and structures
• Recreation facilities, outdoor Plan Review Required
• Religious uses & structures • Golf courses
• Repair shops, minor • Prisons
• Ship & boat servicing • Terminals-trains, bus, freight
• Utility installations Type A • Utility installation type B
The Detailed Area Plan came up with more specific regulations and delineation of the
Flood Flow Zones and specified the categories for use permits. The area over which the
flow of floodwater during monsoon passes through is termed there as flood flow zone.
Purpose
The intent of the Flood Flow Zone is to protect adverse hydrological impact, human life and
health, minimize property damage, encourage appropriate construction practices, and minimize
public and private losses due to overflow of water.
Additionally, this zone is intended to maintain the sound use and development of flood-prone areas
and to restrict potential home buyers by notifying that property is in a flood area. The provisions of
this zone is intended to minimize damage to public facilities and utilities such as water and gas
mains, electric, telephone, and sewer lines, street and bridges located in the floodplain, and
prolonged business interruptions; and to minimize expenditures of public money for costly flood
control projects and rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding.
Landuse Permitted
In the zone, uses permitted by the Authority are:
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Table: Landuse Permitted for Flood Flow Zone

Aquatic Recreation Facility (Without Structure)
Dry Season Play Field
Marina / Boating Facility
Plantation (Except Narcotic Plant)
Static Transformer Stations
Transmission Lines / Utility Lines
Landuse Conditionally Permitted

The following uses may be permitted or disallowed in this zone after review and approval by the
authority / committee.
Table: Landuse Conditionally Permitted for Flood Flow Zone
Communication Tower Within Permitted Height
Poultry
Restricted Uses.
All uses except permitted and conditionally permitted uses.
8. DMDP as a tool of development control to safeguard flood flow zones

a. RAJUK’s Legal Base to make such plan and controlling the development
TI Act’s (E.B. Act XIII of 1953) section 73 (Preparation of Master Plan by the
Kartripakkha), 74 (Publication of Master Plan) and 75 (Permission for use of land contrary
to the Master plan) gave RAJUK the power to make plan document and control the
development of the jurisdiction area.
b. Associated Policies and legal instruments
Through this plan (DMDP), RAJUK will be able to satisfy the aims of the following
policies related to environmental conservation and wetland protection:
• National Environmental Policy, 1992
The Environmental Policy, 1992 gave a lot of importance to protect waterbodies and
environment. It states in the part of Policies for Housing and Urbanization that
- In every planning, Environmental Consideration will be given due
priority,
- Controlling such kind of Housing and Urbanization that has
negative impact over environment
- Waterbody will be given priority in enhancing the beautification of
cities.
• National Land Policy, 2001
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One of the objectives of National Land Policy, 2001 was to ensure maximum use of land
resource according to the natural difference by introducing Zoning and controlling the
process of unplanned Residential Expansion and Industrial placement rationally. Food
production has been given highest priority in using the land resource in this policy.
Creation of a new Zoning law was given a great priority in this policy but in the landuse
classification, it didn’t give due emphasis on the flood flow zones though a great amount
of land in our country falls under this classification. It rightly addressed the incidence of
land fill here and there but regarding this phenomenon it suggested one thing only- the
local administration to control this.
• National Agricultural Policy, 1999
This policy aimed at Increasing production and supplies of more nutritious food crops and
thereby ensuring food security, Preserving existing bio-diversity and Taking necessary
steps to ensure environmental protection as well as 'environment- friendly sustainable
agriculture’.
Following steps were suggested to ensure planned utilization of land for crop production:
- Land zoning programme will be taken up by the Soil Resources
Development Institute (SRDI) on a priority basis. Integrated approach of
SRDI will be further strengthened for this purpose.
- To ensure maximum utilization of land, bottom up planning through
people's participation and its implementation will be started from the
mouza or village level.
- Fertile agricultural land is going out of cultivation due to its use for
non-agricultural purposes such as private construction, house building,
brickfield, etc. Appropriate measures will be taken to stop this trend in the
light of the Land Policy of the government.
• National Water Policy, 1999
National Water policy, 1999 in its every part emphasized usage of water and the water
basin management very seriously as most of the part of our country is situated in the area.
• National Fisheries Policy, 1998
Fisheries policy, too, aimed at maintaining ecological balance, conserve biodiversity,
ensure public health provide recreational facilities and obviously, at increasing the total
amount of fish production.
Besides, RAJUK will have an additional act to protect the wetlands and to execute the
policies of the plan in the field level.
• Wetland Protection Act, 2000
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A legal instrument that will enable RAJUK as well as the concerned organizations to
protect the waterbodies that includes Flood Flow Zones. According to this law, no
waterbody (Declared in Master Plan) can be transformed or converted to other use except
permission of the concerned authority.
c. Strength of DMDP to safeguard flood flow zones
DMDP could be an excel tool to control the development in flood flow zones. Here, it is to
be mentioned that, in Structure Plan and Urban Area Plan there are notions of two flood
flow zones but in DAP there is a single flood flow zone. The regulation or control in sub-
flood flow zone is less strict than the main flood flow zone in both structure plan and
urban area plan. The land grabbers took this opportunity to develop in sub-flood zones
around the city. As the regulation of main flood flow zone is more strict, the consultants of
DAP suggested similar restrictions in both of the flood flow zone and thus the two zones
of structure plan and urban area plan became one in DAP. This made much more strict
restriction on development within the area.
In DMDP, the recommended policies that are given ever, were intended to promote an
uninterrupted flood flow over the zone and to do this, structure plan in its policy map
earmarked an area of approximately 71995.41 (9.14% of total DMDP Area) acres of land
as main flood flow zone and 29971.29 acres (21.96% of total DMDP Area) of land as sub-
flood flow zone. The composition of landuse of DMDP is given here for an instance:
Table: Structure Plan Proposed Landuse
Quantity of Land
Sl. No. Landuse
Acre Hectare Percentage
1 Proposed Public Facility Area 1980.41 801.46 0.60
2 Special Areas 3809.68 1541.76 1.16
3 Retention Pond 8527.78 3451.15 2.60
4 Established Urban Area 47531.79 19235.85 14.50
5 Urban Fringe Areas 8236.15 3333.12 2.51
6 Sub Flood Flow Areas 29971.29 12129.22 9.14
7 Main Flood Flow Areas 71995.41 29136.14 21.96
8 Agricultural High Value Areas 47391.62 19179.13 14.46
9 Agricultural Areas 49470.47 20020.42 15.09
10 New Urban Land Development 23258.02 9412.39 7.09
11 Peripheral Urban Development 25929.01 10493.33 7.91
12 Cantonment Security Zone 849.93 343.96 0.26
13 Waterbody 8886.55 3596.34 2.71
Total 327838.10 132674.26 100.00
Source: DMDP Composite Policies Map, 1997
In DAP too, the area is given due importance declaring 81024.21 acres (24.71% of total
DMDP area) of land as Flood Flow Zone [It is to be mentioned that the Rural Homestead
Zone is situated within the area of Flood Flow Zone and Agricultural Zone and this is
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demarcated in DAP as no further invasion is possible in these environmentally and

economically crucial areas]. The composition of landuse declared in DAP is as below:
Table: DAP Proposed Landuse

Sl. Quantity of Land
Landuse
No. Acre Hectare Percentage
1 Urban Residential Zone 64807.96 26227.42 19.77
2 Commercial Zone (Business) 1193.32 482.93 0.36
3 Commercial Zone (Office) 6.88 2.78 0.00
4 General Industrial Zone 3866.68 1564.82 1.18
5 Heavy Industrial Zone 2012.86 814.59 0.61
Mixed Use Zone (Commercial–General
6 327.65 132.60 0.10
Industrial)
7 Mixed Use Zone (Residential-Commercial) 8098.03 3277.23 2.47
Mixed Use Zone (Residential-Commercial-
8 3733.12 1510.77 1.14
General Industrial)
Mixed Use Zone (Residential- General
9 739.21 299.15 0.23
Industrial)
10 Institutional Zone 3879.25 1569.91 1.18
11 Administrative Zone 980.49 396.80 0.30
12 Agricultural Zone 89471.10 36208.46 27.29
13 Flood Flow Zone 81024.21 32790.05 24.71
14 Open Space 3080.09 1246.50 0.94
15 Non Conforming Use 8114.34 3283.83 2.48
16 Rural Settlement Zone 31982.89 12943.30 9.76
17 Water Retention Area 5737.88 2322.09 1.75
18 Water Body 18782.14 7601.03 5.73
327838.1 132674.2
Total 100.00
0 6
Source: Composite Map, DAP
In Urban Area Plan, the use regulations that are accommodated, if followed strictly, one
cannot convert the rural characteristics of flood flow zone into urban or others.
The recommended policies of DMDP, the affirmed use permissions of Urban Area Plan
and DAP is very strict to safeguard the flood flow zone. As for example, nothing is
permitted in flood flow zone which are associated with any kind of hydrological change of
that area.
d. Limitations of DMDP to safeguard flood flow zones
From the point of view of us, the planning vision of DMDP policymakers was not so clear
and farsighted. According to their forecast the priority had been given for accelerated
growth in Badda or DND area but they couldn’t realize that, the growth in flood plain at
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savar, ashulia and keraniganj could be taken place so swiftly. This lacking in vision
resulted in some serious conflict of Real Estate Developers with Environmentalists.
The applicably of DMDP decreased at a great extent because of consuming more time to
complete the DMDP (Structure Plan, Urban Area Plan and DAP). Till today, DAP is
nothing but a detailed landuse plan that has not been Gazetted yet (It is on the process
now). Before DAP, as the flood plains were not earmarked at the ground level, some of
the developers (both large and small scale, even individuals) filled the low lands of flood
plains finding this gap in Structure Plan and Urban Area Plan.
Structure Plan and Urban Area Plan suggested that, the development of rural nature could
be done in flood flow zone which is not a good policy. If we spread our development or
give the opportunity to develop in flood flow zone (i.e. on flood plain and agricultural
land) consecutively, after some year we will lose our very valuable flood flow zone as
well as agricultural land.
In DMDP, the flood flow zones are earmarked according to FAP study but DMDP study
team did not conduct detailed study on it. In some cases DMDP conflict with Dacca
Master Plan 1959. As for example, Dacca Master Plan’59 suggested raising the land of
keraniganj over the flood level, but DMDP earmarked the area as Flood Flow Zone.
Sometimes, such types of land are earmarked as flood flow zone in Structure Plan that had
been grown as a growth centre in the past. As for example, Kashimpur, which is
earmarked as flood flow zone in Structure Plan was a growth centre in that time.
e. Conclusion
As the first two tiers of the DMDP are policy plans, it became very difficult to effectively
control Dhaka’s development. This has resulted in the sprawl development and
development in the areas of drainage corridor, flood plain and agricultural land. Wherein,
it was expected that development would be directed towards preferred areas of urban
expansion. DAP is going to provide the necessary legal instrument to steer development
according to the guidelines provided in the Structure Plan and the Urban Area Plan. It will
safeguard the Flood Flow Zones from further deterioration.
To save Dhaka from further deterioration there is no alternative of the application of the
plan in letter and spirit and as Planning is a continuous process, there are scopes for
reviewing and furnishing the plans from the weaknesses of previous plans.
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DAP Landuse Proposals for Dhaka & Adjoining Areas
LEGEND
Administrative Zone
Agricultural Zone
Existing Road
Flood Flow Zone
General Industrial Zone
Heavy Industrial Zone
Institutional Zone
Mixed Use Zone
Non Conforming Use
Open Space
Overlay Zone
Rural Homestead N
Transportation Facilities
Urban Residential Zone
Water Retention Area W E
Waterbody
Proposed Road Network 3 0 3 6 Kilometers
S
Commercial Zone
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DMDP Landuse Proposals for Dhaka & Adjoining Areas
LEGEND
Embankments
Proposed Flood Wall Proposed Railway Station
Proposed Embankment Railway Station
Existing Embankment Landuses
Existing Flood Wall Agricultural Areas
Bridge Agricultural High Value Areas
Roads Cantonment Security Zone
Bridge Established Urban Area
Eastern Highway Main Flood FLow Areas
Existing Primary Road New Urban Land Development N
Existing Railway Peripheral Urban Development
Existing Secondary Road Proposed Public Facility Area
Existing Tertiary Road Retension Pond
Poposed Road Special Areas W E
Proposed Bridge Sub Flood Flow Areas
Proposed Primary Road Urban Fringe Areas 3 0 3 6 Kilometers
Proposed Railway Waterbody
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16 | P a g e

Review of DMDP

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Review of DMDP

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Review of DMDP as a Planning tool to safeguard the Flood

Flow Zones from unrestrained development

Department of Urban and Regional Planning,

3. Concepts of Flood Flow Zone

4. Concepts of Development Control

5. Importance of Flood Flow Zone

6. Flood Flow Zones in DMDP

7. Policy Regarding Flood Flow Zones in DMDP

Table: Landuse Permitted for Flood Flow Zone

Landuse Conditionally Permitted

8. DMDP as a tool of development control to safeguard flood flow zones

demarcated in DAP as no further invasion is possible in these environmentally and

Table: DAP Proposed Landuse

DAP Landuse Proposals for Dhaka & Adjoining Areas

DMDP Landuse Proposals for Dhaka & Adjoining Areas

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