Municipalities growing in unplanned way

Speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural session, VC Prof Khandaker Mustahidur Rahman said "If we fail to ensure practical use of urban planning, the objective of the seminar will not be achieved".

"The number of municipalities has been growing up across the country in a totally unplanned way by encroaching land and filling up water bodies and lowlands, resulting in water logging and exposing life of the citizens to risk," said Prof Abdul Hai, treasurer of the university.

Department Chairman and Dean of Social Science Faculty Prof Amin Mohammad Ali, Assistant Prof Md Akter Mahmud and Dean of Science Faculty Prof Mahmuda Ghani were present at the seminar. Earlier, a colourful procession was brought out on the campus before the inauguration of the seminar.

Three papers were presented at the seminar. Prof Dr Md Ghulam Muratza of Urban and Rural Planning Discipline (URPD) of Khulna University presented a paper on "Citizens' participations and awareness: The context of urban governance" while Mir Ahmed Tariqul Omar, ministry of planning, Dhaka presented a paper on "National physical planning institutional set up: A proposal" and Mir Abdul Matin, head of GIS division, CEGIS, Dhaka presented another paper on "Application of GIS and remote sensing for implementation of urban plan".

A roundtable discussion on "Urbanisation and Planning Regulations" was also held.