Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Bengali: রাজধানী উন্নয়ন কর্তৃপক্ষ, lit. 'Capital Development Authority', abbr. RAJUK) is a Bangladeshi public agency responsible for coordinating urban development in Dhaka.[1] RAJUK is composed of various public officials, city planners, urban administrators, engineers, and architects. It is the National Authoritative Board on building planning, estates and resources, plot allotment, and construction approvals from both public and private entities. It utilizes the Dhaka Improvement Trust (Allotment of Land) Rule of 1969 and The Town Improvement Act of 1953, both scribed since before the Independence of Bangladesh.
| RAJUK রাজধানী উন্নয়ন কর্তৃপক্ষ Rājadhānī Unnayana Kartṛpakṣa | |
 Logo of RAJUK | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1956 |
| Superseding agency |
|
| Jurisdiction | Dhaka |
| Headquarters | RAJUK Bhaban, Rajuk Avenue, Motijheel, Dhaka-1000 |
| Agency executive | |
| Parent department | Ministry of Housing and Public Works |
| Parent agency |  Government of Bangladesh |
| Website | www |
History
editThe Dhaka Improvement Trust (DIT) was established in 1956 under the Town Development Act of 1953 (East Bengal Act), was tasked with executing development projects for Dhaka, Narayanganj, and surrounding areas. Its administrative framework consisted of a 13-member board of trustees.[1]
In 1959, the DIT sanctioned the first master plan for Dhaka following the British colonial period. Initially covering an area of 220 square miles (570 km2), the plan, formulated by British planners Minoprio, Spencely, and MacFarlane, was later expanded to 320 square miles (830 km2). The primary aim of the 1959 Master Plan was to offer a comprehensive strategy for managing the anticipated rapid population growth of Dhaka. However, it fell short of its goals as the population surpassed the planning targets by threefold.[2]
The rapid urbanisation of Dhaka and its surroundings in the 1970s and '80s posed significant development challenges. To address these, amendments were made to the administrative and legal structure of the DIT. The Town Improvement (Amendment) Act of 1987 resulted in the transformation of the DIT into the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Capital City Development Authority). Under this act, the organisation's operational jurisdiction was expanded to 590 square miles (1,500 km2) in 1991, accommodating a population of nearly seven million.
In 1995, the Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan (DMDP) was formulated for the period of 1995 to 2015, comprising three tiers: the Structure Plan, Urban Area Plan, and Detailed Area Plan. Under the Structure Plan, RAJUK devised comprehensive schemes for various zones of the Dhaka Metropolitan city, outlining planned development strategies, proposed street locations, and infrastructure layouts to enhance citizen convenience. The project's timeline has been extended until 2035. Additionally, the Urban Area Plan encompasses the development policy for the existing vicinity areas under RAJUK's jurisdiction.[1]
Structure
editRAJUK operates under a board consisting of a chairman and up to five members, all appointed by the government. The chairman, equivalent to an Additional Secretary, serves as the chief executive of RAJUK. Each member, equivalent to Joint-Secretary level, holds specific responsibilities within one of the five divisions: development and engineering; estate and land; finance, budget and accounts; planning; and architecture. All board members are full-time officials.[1]
Activities
editIt carries out drives against building code violations in Dhaka City. This is challenging as policing of illegal development is limited.[3][failed verification] The agency is supposed to generate revenue from city land, which many feel conflicts with its strategic and planning functions.[4]
RAJUK projects
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d Asraful Islam, Md (2012). "Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha". In Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
- ^ Choudhury, Bayezid Ismail; Jones, Paul; Armstrong, Peter (30 October 2013). "The Failure of the 1917 Geddes Master Plan and 1959 Minoprio, Spencely, Macfarlane Master Plans: Some Reflections". Journal of Social and Development Sciences. 4 (10): 449–460. doi:10.22610/jsds.v4i10.784. ISSN 2221-1152.
- ^ "Rajuk mows down shops in parking garages". The Daily Star. 18 January 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
- ^ Cashmore, Matthew; Richardson, Tim; Axelsson, Anna (19 December 2012). "Seeing power in international development cooperation: environmental policy integration and the World Bank". Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers. 39 (1) (published January 2014): 155–168. doi:10.1111/tran.12011. eISSN 1475-5661. ISSN 0020-2754 – via Wiley.
- ^ a b "Rajuk locates site for 3 new housing projects". New Age. Retrieved 4 August 2017.