Green Model Town is a private housing project straddling the boundary between Demra and Mugda Thana Khilgaon Thanas of

Dhaka District Dhaka District () is a Districts of Bangladesh, district in central Bangladesh, and is the densest district in the nation. It is a part of the Dhaka Division. Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, rests on the eastern banks of the Buriganga River ...

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

. Main entrance is Manda which is situated at Dhaka South City Corporation including ward 71,72,73. It is being developed by Amin Mohammad Lands Development Limited (AMLDL), a subsidiary of Amin Mohammad Group.

History

In 2005, the housing project, among others, was subjected to allegations of illegal business practices and land grabbing. The project was one of the 77 housing development initiatives that the High Court declared illegal in June 2011. However, in 2012, it received approval from the

Ministry of Housing and Public Works The Ministry of Housing and Public Works (; ''Gr̥hāẏana ō gaṇapūrta mantraṇālaẏa'') is a ministry of the government of Bangladesh which provides housing and regulates the state construction activities in the country. Directorate *P ...

. In September and July 2023, the company has been fined a total of by the

Dhaka South City Corporation Dhaka South City Corporation (), is a local governing body that manages all civic services in the southern part of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. The DSCC government is elected by popular vote every five years. It is headed by a mayor, who p ...

for allowing

mosquito larva Mosquitoes, the Culicidae, are a family of small flies consisting of 3,600 species. The word ''mosquito'' (formed by '' mosca'' and diminutive ''-ito'') is Spanish and Portuguese for ''little fly''. Mosquitoes have a slender segmented body, ...

e infestation to occur within the project area.

Geography

Green Model Town is located at . It is bounded on the south by the Matuail landfill and waste treatment plant, and on the west by Manda Khal, a canal into which the landfill discharges its effluent. Houses built on pillars encroach on the canal area, and are even built in the middle of the canal. With no access by land, the latter are reachable only by boat.

Recreation

An area adjacent to a wetland near Green Model Town experiences significant overcrowding by visitors on weekends, which locals have dubbed "Mini

Cox's Bazar Cox's Bazar (; ; ) is a city, fishing port, tourism centre, and Cox's Bazar District, district headquarters in south-eastern Bangladesh. Cox's Bazar Beach, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Bangladesh, is the longest uninterrupte ...

". The area has seen the emergence of children's play areas, mini

amusement park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, and events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central theme, often fea ...

s, fairs, and restaurants, with occasional

kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...

facilities available on the wetland.

Controversies

The housing project have faced allegations of fraud and environmental damage. The project was accused of filling in canals and reservoirs, occupying land illegally, and selling plots with fake documents. Despite residents' protests and a High Court order,

RAJUK Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (, RAJUK) is a Bangladeshi public agency responsible for coordinating urban area, urban Urban planning, development in Dhaka. RAJUK is composed of various public officials, city planners, urban administrators, engi ...

, the responsible organisation, has not taken any action against the project. The residents claim to have lost their land and are facing difficulties due to the project's activities. Developed illegally, leading to the destruction of wetlands, flood plains, cropland, and rural homesteads, the scheme was found to be in violation of the Private Housing Development Act 2004 and the conditions of the Detailed Area Plan.

References

External links