Change mindset for better cities

Speakers at a roundtable yesterday called for taking initiatives to bring a change to people's mentality to make cities more livable and reduce pollution.

They also underscored the need for coordination among government bodies, including ministries and mayors' offices, to solve problems faced by cities. The roundtable on "City's Development and Environment" was organised by Bangladesh Economic Teachers' Association (BETA) at Dhaka Reporters Unity.

Noted economist Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said the number of slums increased over the years which was having an impact on those seeking to ensure proper service delivery to city dwellers. "Without examining its viability, development works are carried out in the country by blindly following foreign nations. Such development work is implemented for personal profits, not to serve public interests," he said.

He stressed the need for changing people's mindset, saying personal interests should be kept aside while providing services to the community.

Dr AKM Nazrul Islam of Dhaka School of Economics said the behaviour of humans should be changed. "We throw banana peels here and there or smoke cigarettes blocking streets without thinking of other's distress," he said. Such attitude needs to be changed, he said adding, "We can bring in infrastructural development but what we need most is bringing a change to our attitude otherwise these developments would not be fruitful."

BETA acting president Sarder Syed Ahmed said decentralisation of the administration, relocation of factories and shifting of universities to peri-urban areas were very urgent to make Dhaka a livable city. He said city dwellers were facing different socio-economic problems, thanks to rapid urbanisation. He also opined that the city corporations require more income and authority over the service providers.

Prof Hamida Khatun of Dhaka University also spoke.