Dhaka's vanishing trees affect ecosystem
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E-mail Xinhua, November 2, 2012
Dhaka, once a city of lush green forests and verdant grass fields, has gone through drastic environmental changes over the past four decades due to rapid urbanization and unplanned economic expansion.
The capital city of Bangladesh and now home to over 15 million people began to lose its greenery, lawns and huge swaths of open spaces in the wake of rapid and unplanned urban settlements since the country became independent in 1971.
With millions of people flocking to the one of the fastest growing megacities in the world in quest of a better life, Dhaka is now in dire state and considered as one of the least liveable cities in the world.
Hundreds of brick kilns on the fringes of the city also contributed to air pollution, killing trees and resulting in severe health hazards to people, such as asthma, pneumonia, anemia, mental imbalance and other related ailments.
Experts say urban forest plays an important role in ecology of human habitats as they filter air, water and sunlight, provide shelter to animals and recreational areas for people.
They said unplanned rapid urbanization has already taken its toll on the ecosystem of the 400-year-old Dhaka which boasts of a number of cultural relics dating back to the Mughal empire.
"Population boom coupled with unplanned industrialization and urbanization spoiled the urban vegetation of Dhaka," said Mohammad Shakil Akther, an urban environmental expert, in an interview with Xinhua.
Akhter, who teaches at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, said there should be at least nine square meters of green space in every residence in the city to ensure a healthy life.
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