Riverfront redevelopment in Dhaka: reviewing the prospects of river Buriganga

Abstract

River Buriganga and canals around Dhaka played a strategic role in the flourishing of trade and commerce after the establishment as a provincial capital by the Mughals. The use of the Buriganga Riverbank was enormously extensive. In 1864, the Buckland Bund was constructed in Sadarghat area which included a promenade to beautify the waterfront and this became an important public place of the city. Unfortunately, Buriganga Riverfront gradually began to lose its importance. The non execution of planning proposal of Dhaka also contributed to the deterioration of the Riverfront. Today the Riverfront is in a sorrow state. Inaccessibility due to encroachment and lack of proper road network made the area as the back of the city where the openness of the river is blocked by solid walls. Dhaka severely lacks in public spaces and urban amenities where people can spend quality time with friends and family. Being surrounded by rivers on all side, Dhaka is most unfortunate for not having a Riverfront of which the citizen can be proud of. Actually the edges of Dhaka have been considered the backside of the city and remained neglected. Buriganga Riverfront has the potentials of providing that much needed public space if the Riverfront uses can be regulated and redesigned through proper planning. This study examines the issues that are responsible for the deterioration of the Riverfront and tries to find out what are the perceptions of people about the Riverfront use. Data has been collected for understanding the actual condition of the Riverbank and to get the perception of the citizen about their views and what are their expectations regarding redevelopment of the Buriganga Riverfront. It is felt that people want the Riverfront as an asset to themselves with public amenities where all can gather to celebrate life. This thesis aimed to give guidelines for starting of a renewed redeveloped Buriganga Riverfront considering the perception of the people.