August 28, 2025
DHAKA – The recently proposed amendments to the Detailed Area Plan (DAP), which aim to increase the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) in most areas of Dhaka by 20 to 80 percent, could fuel the construction of more high-rises in an already overcrowded city, urban planners warned yesterday.
At a press conference at the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), its leaders demanded that the government immediately halt the amendment process of the DAP and building regulations, saying the revisions mainly serve business interests.
They urged the authorities to instead review previously submitted proposals on FAR and incorporate recommendations from social, environmental, professional, and civic groups to improve Dhaka’s liveability.
Dhaka’s population density is already far higher than global planning standards, and the city suffers from severe traffic congestion, chronic waterlogging, and shortages in civic services, the planners said.
Increasing FAR would worsen these problems, putting more pressure on utilities while reducing access to natural light and ventilation, they added.
Presenting the keynote, BIP President Adil Mohammed Khan said the draft amendment proposes raising FAR in Khilkhet from 2 to 4.4; Mirpur DOHS from 2.5 to 4.8; Badda from 2 to 3.3; Faridabad from 2 to 3.1; Rampura from 2 to 3.5; Mirpur from 2.8 to 3.4; and Basabo–Khilgaon from 2 to 3.3.
In contrast, FAR in affluent areas like Gulshan–Banani and Dhanmondi has been slightly reduced, from 5.7 to 5.5 and 5.1 to 5.0, respectively, despite planners’ calls for bigger cuts.
This inequality, Adil said, would give plot owners in those neighbourhoods unearned financial benefits.
He, however, welcomed the proposal to ban development on agricultural land, wetlands, and flood-flow zones — something BIP and other environmental groups have long demanded.
He also noted adjustments in FAR for rural density blocks, including Dasherkandi, Kachpur, Moynartek, Alipur, Ruhitpur, Birulia, and Bongram.
FAR is the ratio of the total floor area of a building to the size of the land upon which it is built. For example, FAR of 2.0 means the total floor area is twice the size of the land.
A higher FAR means more people can live or work in a given area, which may lead to congestion and put pressure on infrastructure, said experts.
To maintain balance in residential areas, BIP leaders demanded maximum building height limits and called for dropping the “self-destructive” plan of allocating FAR along proposed roads.
They also sought a ban on high-rise construction along narrow streets and mandatory fire safety measures for all buildings above six storeys.
They further called for strategies under the National Spatial Plan to ease pressure on Dhaka through coordinated planning.
BIP Vice President Syed Shahriar Amin said increasing FAR in residential areas without addressing population distribution and road planning would obstruct sustainable development.
BIP Joint Secretary Tamjidul Islam stressed that urban planners must be consulted to ensure Dhaka’s liveability.