“The organized encroachment of land developers”-Effects on urban flood management in Greater Dhaka, Bangladesh

This paper presents the results of a Global Position System (GPS) survey and questionnaire survey of 195 plot buyers in land and housing development projects located in Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan (DMDP) area and violations of the DMDP policy on flood flow zones and retention ponds. The findings showed that developers have significantly converted 10,128.33 ha of lands in flood zones into housing projects and related project developments on natural water retention ponds violating the DMDP policy. Results highlighted that such development projects contribute to the cumulatively increasing intensity of urban floods and subsequent damages in Greater Dhaka. Review shows that although Dhaka has its flood management policies, but these are mostly involved with structural measures such as construction of embankments, floodwalls, retention ponds, and pumping stations. In addition, the paper analyzed the inherent lack of integrated planning, the lacunae within agencies in charge of urban management and resultant externalities in the built-environment. Finally, in order to protect the flood zones and retention ponds from further encroachments and severe future flood vulnerability of Greater Dhaka, the study proposed some structural and non-structural measures for policy makers to consider.