Govt formulating master plans for every city corporation, district: PM
Today is World Human Settlements Day, and this year’s theme is “Adequate housing for all”. The theme is timely and meaningful. Giving everyone safe, affordable, eco friendly and dignified housing is a key promise of the present government. So are planned, inclusive and lasting urban growth.
The government will put public and private partnership to work, especially for housing for low income people, slum development, water and waste management and care for the environment. Prime Minister Mr. Tarique Rahman said the government is making master plans for every city corporation and district in the country for planned urban growth. He said this step aims to build safe, inclusive, climate resilient and lasting cities, and to give everyone adequate, safe and affordable housing. He said this in a message today for World Human Settlements Day 2026.
He said one key goal of the day is to build a safe, healthy and livable city through planned urban growth and lasting development. The world has marked this day in many countries, including Bangladesh, on the first Monday of October since 1986. Bangladesh is marking it again this year, as every year, with the pledge of “housing for all and sustainable urban growth”. The Prime Minister said the United Nations theme this year, adequate housing for all, is timely and meaningful. He said this is true given the fast urban growth, the rising population and the growing demand for housing in Bangladesh.
He said giving everyone safe, affordable, eco friendly and dignified housing is a key promise of the present government. He said planned, inclusive and lasting urban growth is also a key promise. For this, the government is carrying out a long term policy that joins housing, city planning, civic services, care for the environment and climate resilience. He said it is now the need of the time to give future generations a good city life through joined up city development. The government gives special priority to housing for low income people and balanced city growth. He said every citizen needs adequate, safe and affordable housing. People also need cities and settlements where they get the civic services they need, a healthy environment and a life with dignity. He said World Human Settlements Day reminds us of this duty.
He said giving everyone a home and building livable cities through lasting urban growth is now one of our main promises. Dhaka and other cities and towns in the country are growing fast. But unplanned growth, traffic jams, pollution, weak civic services, the housing crisis and migration caused by climate change are creating many challenges for city life. The Prime Minister said the election manifesto of the present government clearly promises balanced regional development, planned urban growth and affordable housing for low income families and slum dwellers. He said it also promises to give slum dwellers a chance to own homes after a long wait, and to build joined up water and waste management.
The Prime Minister said the government sees “housing for all” as more than a promise of one room. He said it means a joined up promise of safe water, sanitation, a clean environment and the civic services people need. He said the government is making master plans for every city corporation and district in the country for planned urban growth. He said the government is also making the base of planned and balanced city development stronger by forming development authorities in Sylhet, Mymensingh, Barishal, Cumilla, Rangpur and Narayanganj. These steps will play a key role in building safe, inclusive, climate resilient and lasting cities. They will also help reach Sustainable Development Goal 11.
The Prime Minister said making housing and urban growth last is not the duty of the government alone. It needs the joined up work of private investors, local people, NGOs, social volunteer groups, research bodies and international partners. He said the present government wants to build a Bangladesh where every person, in the city or the village, gets safe and affordable housing and the civic services they need. He said every person should also live in a healthy, clean and dignified environment. He said the aim of the government is to build a humane, livable and lasting Bangladesh through planned and balanced development. He wished full success for World Human Settlements Day 2026.
Work starts to build 100,000 flats for the lower middle class
Minister for Housing and Public Works Mr. Zakaria Taher said the government has a plan for 100,000 flats to house the lower middle class. He said work on it has already started. He told reporters this at the start of a rally yesterday at 3:30 pm for World Human Settlements Day 2026. He said the plan follows the manifesto of the Prime Minister.
The minister said the government is also working on a master plan so that urban growth across Bangladesh stays planned. For now, it begins with city corporations and divisional district towns. The rally began after the minister finished speaking. The ministry organised it. It started from the Glass Bridge area of Crescent Lake at Zia Udyan, went around several roads and ended at the Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Centre.
State Minister for Housing and Public Works Mr. Ahmmed Sohel Manzur and Secretary of the ministry Mr. Md. Obaidur Rahman joined the event as special guests. Heads of different offices of the ministry, officers, staff and students of many schools and colleges also took part.
