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URP 2115: Urban Planning Techniques

First Master Plan of Bangladesh

Lecture 3: Master Plan-Bangladesh
§ Beginning in the preparation of master plan was made in 1917 when Patric
Geddes visited Dhaka.
§ He prepared a master plan which remained on paper only.
§ In 1948 a planning department was created in East
§ Pakistan & re-planning scheme was prepared for Dhaka city.
§ Preparation of master plan with all its process, procedures & legal
framework was started from 1959.
Presented by,
Arpita Bakshi § The British firm completed master plan for Dhaka city
Lecturer, Dept. of URP, KUET
Special thanks to,
Saima Rahman
Assistant Professor, Dept. of URP, KUET

Master Plan of Bangladesh (1959-1984) Responsible Authority: Plan Preparation and

Enforcement
Enforcement authorities Name of the Statutes
Master Plan for the city Year of preparation Prepared by
Khulna City Corporation Khulna City Corporation Ordinance, 1986
Chittagong City Corporation Chittagong City Corporation Ordinance, 1982
Dhaka 1959 Minprio, Spencely &
Rajshahi City Corporation Rajshahi City Corporation Ordinance, 1987
P.W. Macfarlane Dhaka City Corporation Dhaka City Corporation Ordinance, 1983
Chittagong 1961 Minprio, Spencely & Pourashava Authority Pourashava Ordinance, 1977
P.W. Macfarlane Municipality Municipality Administration Ordinance, 1960
Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakha Town Improvement Act, 1953
Khulna 1966 Minprio, Spencely & Khulna Development Authority Khulna Development Authority Ordinance, 1961
P.W. Macfarlane Rajshahi Development Authority Rajshahi Development Authority Ordinance, 1976
Chittagong Development Authority Chittagong Development Authority Ordinance, 1959
Rajshahi 1984 UNDP-UDD
Thana Parishad Thana Parishad Ordinance, 1976
Zilla Parishad Zilla Parishad Ordinance, 1976

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Stages of Master Plan Preparation Khulna Master Plan, 1966

Procedure Activities § Khulna Development Authority (KDA) has prepared a master plan in
1966.Khulna City Corporation did not take part in this regard.
Government Permission For mobilization § According to Khulna master plan development activities were comprised by
Component of master Residential, commercial, industrial, park, open KDA, KCC, different authorities & private landowners.
plan spaces, roads etc. § Implementation of master plan by the authority on different components such as
Gazette Notification Within one month from the date of receipt of ü Neighbourhood development/development of organized housing area
master plan from responsible authority (draft ü Development of market/commercial area
master plan) ü Development of park/open spaces
ü Establishment of transport facilities
Personal Objection File objection from the date of publication of ü Socio-cultural development
master plan ü Low cost residential & housing areas
Government Approval Within3 months fromthe date of publication ü Establishment of rehabilitation zone
ü construction of road
ü Provide recreational facilities like Shishu park

Proposed Land-Use: Khulna Master Plan Planned Housing Areas:

Developed by KDA & NHA
Landuse Percent of the total Area in acres
Residential & ancillary uses 28.7 12222
Industrial areas 12.8 5443
Brick manufacturing areas 2.2 941
Godown & light industrial areas 0.3 127
Small scale workshop & service industry 0.1 22 § Khulna Master Plan has suggested a gross maximum density of 70
General business areas
Special office & shopping areas
0.3
0.1
117
27
persons per acre & net density 130 persons per acre.
Public & government buildings 0.6 248
Daulatpur town centre 0.2 87
Large education & institution areas
Experimental, research & testing
1.1
2.8
489
1163
§ But, KDA & NHA have developed organized housing without
stations
Parks, playfields and other open spaces 3.7 1566
consideration of those densities.
Maidan, special open spaces 0.1 29
Cemeteries 0.2 68
Areas to provide fill for adjacent
development & to function as open
3.9 1635 § This is a violation of master plan, violated by the development
space
Agriculture 25.0 10665
authorities.
Defense areas 0.2 92
Proposed airport 4.3 1860
Railway operational land 1.0 447
Port Authority future operational area 0.2 51
Roads 2.8 1153
Flood protection bund with road on top 1.7 738
Land liable to flood & unzoned 1.4 631
Rivers 6.0 2572

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Planned Housing Areas: Schemes:

Developed by KDA & NHA Executed by KDA with Government Finance
Project Name Area in Acre No. of plots
Shiromoni Low Cost Housing 40 There are 4 authorities directly involved with the establishment of large
234
Mirerdanga Low Cost Residential Area 43.91 number physical development in Khulna city: KDA, KCC, NHA & RHD
784
Fulbari Low Cost Housing Area 19.65 369 Name of Schemes Actual Cost Year of Completion
Mujgunni Residential Area 67.00 670
Rupsha Market 11.77 1965
Sonadanga Residential area (phase 2) 34.84 445 KDA New Market 43.32 1977-78
Sonadanga Rehabilitation Zone 28.94 205 Development of commercial 16.66 1966-67
Daulatpur Residential Area 5.53 82 area around Jessore road
Nirala Residential Area 67.00 487 Setting up of parks within Khulna 6.19 1981-82
Master Plan area
Sonadanga Low Cost Housing Area 5.00 107 Constructions of inter district bus 115.06 1984-85
Khalishpur Housing Area 402.62 1789 terminal
Boira Housing Area 29.59 458

Restricted Use of Land Dhaka Master Plan, 1959

§ For an urban area like Khulna city, master plan prepared and approved
according to the single statute “Khulna Development Authority
Ordinance, 1961” but restriction on the land-use imposes with two
statutes; Khulna Development Authority Ordinance, 1961 and
Building Construction Rules, 1996.
§ Example: Industrial erection may be followed according to the setback
rules, “the covered area of the structure should not be less than two-third
of the site and 2.5 m will be kept vacant on both side and backside of the
structure.”
§ Town Improvement act, 1953 empowers RAJUK to prepare a master
plan for the area under its jurisdiction.
§ As the act says, such plan may define the sites of proposed roads,
public & other buildings or fields, parks, pleasure grounds and other
spaces or allocate areas of land for use of agriculture, residential,
industrial or other purposes.
§ According to act DIT in 1959 undertook a project for the preparation of
master plan
§ In 1960 the master plan was completed for an area of 320 sq. miles
of Dhaka city & its vicinity including Tongi & Narayanganj
municipalities.

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Dhaka Master Plan,1959: Major Features Dhaka Master Plan,1959: Planning Control
§ It made a 20 year forecast of master plan population & proposed various § Height of building & height in relation to street width
urban services & development projects. § Proportion of site covered
§ The buildable city areas were grouped into major land use zones divided § Sitting of buildings
by hierarchy of road networks. § Density of houses per acre
§ Some recommendations were made for residential, commercial, industrial § Minimum size of plots
& open space zoning. Like, west side of Johnson road & Chakbazar was § Means of access to buildings
recommended for public building zone. § Layout plans for development of building estates & plot plans
§ The plan deprecated any extensive development in old town. § Provision of car parking facilities for offices & such special buildings as cinemas
§ The plan proposed such services & facilities as open space, market § Provision of service roads where development has frontage into main roads
centre, waste disposal, drainage, sites for health & education facilities. § Preservation of trees
§ Various procedures for implementation of plan provisions were set forth. § Control over display of advertisements in the interests of traffic safety
§ Various legal measures were also recommended for execution of the plan. § Excavation of land for fills to raise building sites
§ The plan was formulated in the form of maps supported by written § Temporary prohibition of building of areas where development is premature
documents. because lack of
§ public amenities

Dhaka Master Plan,1959: Proposed Uses Penalties

Landuse Percent of total Area in acre
Housing & ancillary uses 20.1 5848
Industry 3.4 905 Statute Cause Penalty
Central business 0.9 246 Building Construction Unauthorized 2 years imprisonment
Commerce 1.3 330 Rules, 1996 Construction or with fine or with
Warehousing & storage 1.5 388
Provincial government centre 0.4 100
both
Government areas 1.7 456 Town Improvement Removing fence etc. in 5 hundred TK.
Education & institution (including hospital) 3.6 942 Act, 1953 street
Main roads 3.1 790 Building within street 5 hundred to 5
Railways & railway land 1.6 439 alignment or building thousand TK., may be
Steamer station & bus station 0.1 26
Open space 5.1 1338
line further extended.
Cemeteries 0.4 113 Use of land in zone 1 thousand TK., may
Cantonments (part only) 3.7 971 plan in contravention be further extended.
Major reclamation (part only) 14.4 3766 for section 74
Water areas (rivers & land liable to flood) 38.7 9389

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Implementation of Master Plan

But in practice most of the recommendations and suggestions of the

Master Plan, 1959 were in black and white, didn’t find the result.