Dhaka is hurtling toward environmental catastrophe unless immediate steps are taken to restore the city’s ecological balance — warns a new study by the research and advocacy organisation Change Initiative.
Presented at a press conference at Dhaka hotel on Sunday, the report titled 'Dhaka without nature ? Rethinking Natural Rights Led Urban Sustainability' paints a dire portrait of the capital’s urban and environmental future.
Based on 44 years of satellite imagery and data analysis, the research reveals a staggering sevenfold increase in densely populated areas, a 60% loss of wetlands, and a 3–5°C rise in land surface temperatures (LST) since 1980. These dramatic changes, driven by mismanagement and unregulated urban sprawl, have turned Dhaka into one of the most ecologically vulnerable megacities in the world.
Green cover disappearing, heat rising:
According to the study, Dhaka has lost half of its trees since 1980, with green coverage plummeting from 21.6% to just 11.6%. The average green space per capita in the city is now a mere 3.44 square meters far below the World Health Organization’s minimum standard of 9 sqm.
Meanwhile, once cool urban zones have transformed into heat hotspots. No area of the city remains below 30°C and areas such as Shyampur, Hazaribagh, Tejgaon, Rampura, and Darussalam regularly exceed 32°C, the report noted.
“Dhaka is rapidly losing its capacity to function as a livable city,” warned M. Zakir Hossain Khan, CEO of Change Initiative and lead author of the study. “This is not just environmental degradation — it is a structural violation of nature’s rights and intergenerational justice.”
Wetlands on the verge of extinction:
The report’s findings on wetlands are equally alarming. Only 4.8% of Dhaka’s surface area now remains covered by wetlands — a sharp decline from historic levels. The per capita wetland area has fallen to 1.43 sqm, with some neighborhoods like Sutrapur, Mirpur, Gandaria, and Kafrul nearing complete water-body extinction.
Only 6 of Dhaka’s 50 thana area meet the minimum ecological standard for wetland distribution, highlighting the scale of the imbalance.
A call for matural rights-based governance:
The study advocates for an urgent shift toward Natural Rights Led Governance (NRLG) — a model that legally recognizes the rights of nature and integrates them into city planning and environmental laws. The report identifies four foundational rights of nature: the Right to Life and Dignity, Freedom from Exploitation, Equity and Justice in Environmental Exposure and Recognition of Indigenous and Community Knowledge
“This isn't about cosmetic tree planting anymore. It’s about a deep, structural transformation,” said Khan. “We must stop treating nature as a passive resource and instead become its guardian.”
Urgent policy demands:
In light of a recent International Court of Justice ruling on environmental responsibility, the report outlines a set of urgent recommendations short and mid-term basis.
Short-term actions should be implemented which are- enacting laws to recognize nature’s rights and criminalize wetland destruction, reforming Dhaka’s Detailed Area Plan (DAP) to include ecological buffer zones, restricting urban density through FAR limitsin ecologically sensitive areas, enforcing eco-compensation and green zoning regulations and recovering lost wetlands and penalize concrete-heavy development
Medium-term actions which needes to be implemented are- implementing Nature-Based Solutions tailored to Dhaka, prioritizing green investments in low-income and dense neighborhoods, launching a citywide afforestation campaign across 56.5 sq km, restoring wetlands to reduce average city temperatures by 1°C and promoting community water stewardship and digital accountability for all stakeholders
Dhaka falling behind regional reers:
The report contrasts Dhaka with other major cities. Singapore and Seoul maintain 30–47% green cover. Even Delhi and Jakarta surpass Dhaka in terms of ecological resilience. Only Karachi.ranks below — and Dhaka is quickly heading down the same path.
Dr. Riffat Mahmud, associate professor of Geography and Environment at Jagannath University, emphasised the need for civic engagement, “Turning flyovers into vertical gardens, educating youth on environmental stewardship, and empowering communities to co-manage green spaces can transform our urban environment sustainably.”
“Time is Running Out”
Change Initiative concluded with a sobering warning: “If we delay, we may lose the last chance to let Dhaka breathe again.”
The message is clear: the city cannot survive if nature does not. To secure Dhaka’s future, policymakers, communities, and citizens must urgently embrace a nature-centric vision of urban sustainability.