Narayanganj, Sept 22 (V7N) – Housing and Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher today said the Narayanganj Development Authority (NDA) has been formed to provide the residents of Narayanganj with a well-planned city and facilitate civic services.
"Urban development activities will be carried out under a special plan for Narayanganj alongside the existing master plan of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK)," he said while addressing a discussion following the inauguration of the NDA office this afternoon.
The minister said several initiatives have been taken to bring changes to the service delivery system of RAJUK since the incumbent government assumed office. "Although RAJUK covers a large area, it did not have sufficient manpower in proportion to its size," he said. In this connection, he added that the Gazipur Development Authority and NDA have been formed to reduce pressure on Dhaka city and ensure faster services at the local level.
Besides, the possibility of bringing the Fatullah area under NDA jurisdiction by rearranging its existing boundaries is also being examined, he said. He also added that the process of digitalizing all activities of RAJUK is underway to make services more dynamic, smoother, easier and faster.
The establishment of the NDA is part of the government's broader efforts to decentralize urban development and reduce the burden on Dhaka, which has been struggling with overcrowding, traffic congestion, and inadequate civic amenities. Narayanganj, a major industrial and commercial hub located just south of Dhaka, has experienced rapid, often unplanned growth in recent years. The NDA will be responsible for planned development, including housing, infrastructure, and civic facilities, in the district. The government has also established the Gazipur Development Authority to manage urban development in the northern part of the Dhaka metropolitan area.
NDA Chairman Masukul Islam Rajib presided over the inaugural programme, while Narayanganj lawmakers, representatives from the city corporation and district administration, among others, were present.
