The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) had embarked on a 20-year city development plan in 1992 to build Dhaka in a planned way.

After three years of hard work, the Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan was completed in 1995 at a cost of Tk 16 crore. The Government approved the plan in 1997.

Professor Muzaffar Hossain, a pioneer of Buriganga Bachao Andolon, Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed, vice president of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon, Dr. Badiul Alam Mazumdar, convenor of Dhaka City Governance Committee were present among the speakers.

They observed that the establishments and changes in Dhaka metropolis did not follow the Master Plan of 1995. In most cases the structures were built on encroached land. Illegals filling of the city's lakes and nearby wetlands were proofs of this trend.

The encroachment of wetland is not only a violation of 1995 Master Plan but also a breach of the wetland conservancy law.

Professor Abu Sayeed remarked that the way the lakes have been encroached was nothing short of a 'robbery.'

The speakers also blamed industrial waste and sewage for contamination of the city's lakes. They also came down hard on the Ministry of Fisheries for leasing polluted waterbodies to private fisheries.

"People are getting ill by eating fishes from the contaminated water," said a speaker.

They also expressed deep concern regarding the lack of awareness among the citizens about the Master Plan and suggested distribution of a summerised version among the masses.

They Supervision committee should be formed to implement the master plan. The area of the wetland should be identified according to the master plan. Civil society should be involved in the implementation procedure of the Dhaka Metropolitan Development plan.