Well-planned residential areas Gulshan-1, Gulshan-2 and Banani areas are turning into commercial areas in the capital by losing the glory of suburb status.
Once, Motijheel and Dilkusha were well-known as the commercial hub of the capital. But the scenario has changed with time. Gulshan-1, Gulshan-2 and Banani have become the center point of different business organisations.
The area is now plagued with traffic jams, illegal parking, sound pollution, garbage and other problems surrounding the business institutions. Due to these reasons, the residents of the Gulshan residential area are upset.Eva Rahman, vice president of Gulshan Society told Bangladesh Pratidin that the number of commercial establishments in this area is increasing day by day without rules and regulations.
“School-college, shops, restaurants, beauty parlours, coaching centers, bars, garments everything is available here. Everybody is conducting commercial activities as their wishes,” she lamented.
Eva said, “We have taken various initiatives on behalf of Gulshan Society. We have been saying verbally several times. But the authorities are not taking necessary steps in this regard.”
Urban expert architect Mubasshar Hussain told Bangladesh Pratidin that there was no five-storied building in the Dhanmondi area 15 years ago. But now, high-rise buildings are being constructed in the area. These buildings are being given rent to various commercial organisations.
From Dhanmondi, this virus of commercialisation spread to other parts of the city including Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara.
Institute for Planning and Development (IPD) Executive Director and urban planner professor Adil Muhammad Khan said conversion from residential to commercial requires some plans. When a residential area turns into a commercial area, its traffic management also been changed. The movement of people increases in the commercial area and other facilities also become limited. As a result, a residential loses its habitability.
“These irregularities have been happening for years due to the inefficiency and weakness of the policymakers,” he added.
Gulshan and its surrounding areas are now filled with various types of commercial buildings. Some of these residential plots have been converted into commercial ones, while commercial buildings have been constructed on residential plots without permission. The same situation was seen in Banani residential area.
@ This report appeared on the print and online version of Bangladesh Pratidin on Saturday (September 3) and has been rewritten in English by Tanvir Raihan and Golam Rosul
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