OBSERVED globally on October 1, National Green City Day serves as a powerful annual reminder of the critical importance of sustainable urban development. While this observance originated in Canada in 2014, its message resonates with profound urgency in Bangladesh, a nation also at the confluence of rapid urbanisation and acute climate vulnerability. For Bangladesh, this day is not merely ceremonial but a call to action 鈥� an opportunity to reflect on our urban challenges and to champion government and civic initiatives aimed at transforming our cities and towns into resilient, green and liveable spaces for all.
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Bangladeshi urban imperative
THE global statistics on urbanisation are staggering: the World Bank reports that over half the world鈥檚 population, 4.4 billion people, currently reside in cities, a figure projected to more than double by 2050. This trend is amplified in Bangladesh, one of the most densely populated countries on Earth. Our major urban centres, particularly Dhaka and Chattogram, are expanding at an unprecedented rate, exerting immense pressure on infrastructure, housing, transport and essential services. This rapid, often unplanned growth has come at a significant environmental cost, leading to the erosion of green spaces, the depletion of water bodies, severe air and water pollution, and a mounting crisis in solid waste management.
Compounding these challenges is our nation鈥檚 position on the front line of the climate crisis. The negative consequences of climate change 鈥� such as higher temperatures, erratic and excessive rainfall leading to severe waterlogging, and prolonged droughts 鈥� are already a reality in our urban areas. The 鈥渦rban heat island鈥� effect makes our cities significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas, impacting public health and energy consumption. The pre- and post-COVID-19 periods further exposed the vulnerabilities of our urban poor, highlighting the grim link between inadequate access to clean air, water and sanitation and heightened health risks.
In this context, the philosophy of a 鈥済reen city鈥� is not a luxury but a fundamental necessity for survival and prosperity. It is a pathway to building resilient urban communities capable of adapting to and mitigating the multifaceted shocks of the 21st century.
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Green cities initiative in a local context
THE global movement towards sustainable urbanism, spearheaded by organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization through its Green Cities Initiative, provides a valuable framework for Bangladesh. The GCI鈥檚 goal of fostering tangible improvements in 1,000 cities by 2030 鈥� focusing on urban forestry, urban agriculture and a sustainable bioeconomy 鈥� aligns perfectly with our national priorities and the sustainable development goals, especially SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities) and SDG 13 (climate action).
Translating this global vision into local action is where Bangladesh鈥檚 government projects and policy initiatives become crucial. We can draw inspiration from GCI successes 鈥� such as mangrove reforestation in Mozambique to mitigate flooding and food waste reduction programmes in Nairobi 鈥� and adapt them to our unique landscape.
Mainstreaming urban, peri-urban agriculture: Integrating agriculture into the urban fabric holds immense potential for Bangladesh. Government initiatives promoting rooftop gardening, vertical farming and community gardens in urban spaces can directly contribute to food security (SDG 2), improve access to nutritious food for city dwellers and create a 鈥済reen lung鈥� effect that helps reduce air pollution and mitigate heat. Projects such as the Department of Agricultural Extension鈥檚 rooftop gardening programmes in Dhaka are a step in the right direction and need to be scaled up across all municipalities.
Revitalising urban forestry, green spaces: Protecting and expanding our green cover is paramount. The government鈥檚 social forestry programmes can be strategically extended into urban and peri-urban areas. City corporations and municipalities must be empowered and mandated to develop new parks, preserve existing ones such as Ramna Park and Suhrawardy Udyan, plant native tree species along roadsides and reclaim encroached water bodies. Such initiatives not only enhance biodiversity (SDG 15) but also provide crucial recreational spaces, improve mental and physical well-being (SDG 3) and act as natural drainage systems to combat waterlogging.
Building a sustainable and circular bioeconomy: Our cities generate enormous amounts of organic waste, which currently overwhelms landfills. By adopting circular economy principles, government projects can support the development of composting facilities and biogas digesters. This approach, similar to initiatives in Nairobi, can transform waste into valuable resources such as organic fertiliser for urban farms and clean fuel for households, creating new jobs and reducing the environmental burden of our cities.
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Government projects and sustainable infrastructure
THE government of Bangladesh has already embarked on several ambitious projects that align with the green city ethos. The landmark Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 is a long-term, holistic strategy that intrinsically links water management, land use and climate resilience 鈥� all core components of a sustainable urban future. Furthermore, the Amar Gram, Amar Shohor (My Village, My Town) initiative, which aims to provide urban amenities in rural areas, is a visionary project that can help ease migration pressures on major cities by creating sustainable, well-serviced growth centres across the country.
To accelerate this transformation, government initiatives must intensify their focus on key areas of sustainable infrastructure, drawing lessons from global frameworks such as the World Bank鈥檚 Sustainable Cities Initiative:
Integrated solid waste management: Moving beyond simple collection and disposal, projects need to focus on waste segregation at source, recycling infrastructure and waste-to-energy plants to create a comprehensive and financially viable system.
Sustainable urban transport: The expansion of the Dhaka Metro Rail is a commendable step. This must be complemented by investments in pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, dedicated cycle lanes and an efficient, modern public bus system to reduce dependence on private vehicles, thereby cutting down congestion and emissions.
Water and wastewater management: Upgrading our ageing drainage systems is critical to combat urban flooding. At the same time, enforcing regulations for effluent treatment plants in industrial zones and investing in centralised wastewater treatment facilities are essential for protecting our rivers and public health.
Energy efficiency: Promoting the construction of green buildings through policy incentives, retrofitting existing government buildings with energy-saving technology and deploying solar-powered street lighting can significantly reduce our cities鈥� carbon footprints.
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A focus on poverty and social inclusion
A TRULY green city is an inclusive city. As the FAO鈥檚 initiative emphasises, greening efforts must address the needs of the urban poor. In Bangladesh, this means ensuring that slum dwellers and residents of informal settlements have access to essential services. Green initiatives can create employment opportunities for marginalised communities in sectors such as urban farming, recycling and green infrastructure maintenance. By strengthening the connectivity between urban markets and rural producers, we can create more stable food systems and bolster regional economies, reducing poverty-induced migration.
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A collective responsibility
We must recognise that building sustainable cities in Bangladesh is not the sole responsibility of the government. It requires a concerted effort from city planners, architects, private developers, academic institutions, non-governmental organisations and every citizen. The day should inspire our policymakers to champion bold reforms, our planners to design with nature and our citizens to adopt more sustainable lifestyles. By embracing the principles of a green city, we can forge a path towards an urban future for Bangladesh that is not only economically prosperous but also environmentally resilient, socially equitable and profoundly more liveable for generations to come.
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Manik Esahak Biswas is a social development worker.