The roles of real estate developer companies in disaster management in Dhaka city

Abstract

Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, is one of the populous megacities in the world. As the growth of urban population is taking at an exceptionally rapid rate, the landscape of the city is forced for rapid urbanization to keep pace with rapid increase in population. Rapid and haphazard urbanization is creating a lot of environmental and physical hazards. Dhaka is already exposed to natural hazards such as flood and earthquake, but interventions of some government agencies such as RAJUK and private housing companies are damaging the environmental in many ways. Apartment building construction introduced by private Real Estate Developer companies have not only contributed in the national economy but at the same time due to lack of sustainable issues in their building policy, Dhaka is now under threat to many man made hazards. Through this research it is evident that these developer companies are more focused towards making profits rather than achieving sustainability. The residents of the apartment buildings have shown much concern for their safety in their building as well as in the neighborhood for which many suggestions and problems have been brought forward by them which they prefer should be addressed by the developer companies in near future for sustainable and healthy growth of Dhaka city. Some suggestions on Bangladesh National Building Code has been addressed for achieving sustainability and disaster management for Dhaka city.