World Habitat Day tomorrow

Publish: 8:57 PM, October 2, 2022 | Update: 8:57 PM, October 2, 2022

The World Habitat Day-2022 will be observed tomorrow in the country as elsewhere in the world in a bid to raise awareness among people about safe and habitable residence for all.

The United Nations designated the first Monday of October of every year as the World Habitat Day to reflect on the state of towns and cities.

The Day is also intended to remind the world that all have the power and the responsibility to shape the future of their cities and towns.

The theme of day this year is ‘Mind the Gap. Leave No One and Place Behind.’

On the eve of the day, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages.

In his message, President M Abdul Hamid said there is no alternative to planned urbanization to create a safe and livable country for future generations.

With the aim of planned urbanization, the government has formulated the Future Master Plan Detailed Area Plan (DAP) 2022-35 for Dhaka Metropolis, the head of the state added.

For sustainable development, he said the government has taken necessary initiatives to formulate upazila-wise master plan along with city and regional planning.

In the light of articles 16 and 18(Ka) of the Constitution, the government is taking a multifaceted action plan to eliminate the disparity of the quality of life between urban and rural areas, he said.

The president hoped that all concerned will make relentless efforts to implement the government’s promise that ‘None will remain homeless in Bangladesh’ in order to build the ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said the greatest Bangalee of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman undertook various activities for the overall development of the masses of the country aiming to improve the standard of living of all the people of the country.

At the same time, he (Bangabandhu) wanted to ensure a balanced development of urban and rural areas, the premier added.

She said as per the direction of Bangabandhu, the Awami League led government has given utmost importance to the overall development of the country.

The government’s election pledge ‘Amar Gram-Amar Shahar’ is a practical expression of it, she said.

“Our government has already built Padma Bridge with its own funding. We have undertaken various programs to expand public housing facilities in urban areas of the country,” she added.

Besides, the government has constructed houses for 1, 85,129 landless families in Mujib Barsho, she continued.

Bangladesh has established itself as a low carbon emitting country in the context of global climate change, the premier said, adding that the Awami League government’s eco-friendly urban management and the programmes adopted for it will play an effective role in combating the risks of climate change.

Besides, the government has been able to successfully deal with the unstable situation with firm determination that has arisen as a result of the global conflict in the present world, she said.