Book Launch

Dhaka is one of the world’s mega-cities rich in history, culture, and natural endowment. Yet relentless traffic, environmental deterioration, and lack of governance have made it the worst for living. Urban planning and development hardly address the economic, environmental, and socio-cultural aspects of people and their habitat. Availability of resources was never considered a political issue, but was dealt with as a technical problem only, resulting into conflicts, segregation and crisis, evident in deplorable living and environmental conditions, poor infrastructure and deprivation in one side, and an unjust display of wealth and consumerism in other side. Planning and development must allow greater participation, and consider the context of the cultural dynamics of builtscape, nature and values in a setting. Architects have seldom sought to aesthetically, symbolically, and ideologically interpret their spatial interactions into socially relevant landscapes. This book, a compilation of ten essays by urban experts, focuses on contemporary issues covering evolution and integration, cultural spaces and adaptation, urbanism and liveability, and perspectives on urban design and planning. These topics in on the context of Dhaka city have become more imperative in the backdrop of ever deteriorating urbanism of this great city. Dhaka Urban Reader with its focus on often unexplored areas will add value to further studies in pertinent areas.

About the Author

Prof. Mahbubur Rahman, a Commonwealth Scholar and McNamara Fellow, is the Dean of Engineering & Design at the Kingdom University in Bahrain. He completed his PhD at the University of Nottingham in 1990 after graduating from BUET, and has taught at universities in Bangladesh, KSA, Oman, Bahrain, Malaysia, and Canada. More importantly, Prof. Rahman has prepared and reviewed several academic programs at home and abroad, worked on accreditation and quality assurance, and was involved with the formulation of Building Code, Housing Policy, Structure Plan, Building Construction Rules, Urban Poverty Reduction Program, etc. He runs an educational consultancy in Canada, and has also provided advisory services to international and national organizations and governments on housing and urban development issues. Prof. Rahman has made presentations in numerous international meets and made over 100 international publications, including books. He also served as the General Secretary of the Institute of Architect Bangladesh.

Book Discussion

5.00-5.10 pm

Introduction by Ms Mahrukh Mohiuddin (Managing Director UPL)

5.10-5.20 pm

Note by Prof Dr. A.S.M. Ahmed ( President IAB)

5.20-5.40 pm

Book review by Prof. Dr. Akhter Mahmud (President BIP) and Prof. Dr. A.T.M. Nurul Amin ( NSU)

5.40-5.55 pm

Speech by Chief Guest Mr. Annisul Huq (Mayor Dhaka North City Corporation)

5.55-6.10 pm

Speech by Special Guest Prof Dr. Gour Gobinda Goswami, VC in charge NSU

6.10-6.15 pm

Speech by Book Editor Dr. Mahbubur Rahman

6.15-6.20 pm

Unveiling the Book Covers

6.20-6.30 pm

Certificates distribution

6.30-6.35 pm

Vote of thanks by Mr. Mujtaba Ahsan (NSU)