Dhaka Loses Half of Its Trees and 60% of Water Bodies Over 44 Years: Environmental Crisis Deepens
Dhaka is undergoing a serious environmental crisis due to traffic congestion, population growth, and the loss of green spaces and water bodies. A study by the Change Initiative found that from 1980 to 2024, built-up areas in the capital increased sevenfold, land temperatures rose by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius, and 60% of the city’s water bodies were lost (Change Initiative, 2025). This alarming trend was confirmed through 44 years of satellite imagery and urban heat maps.
The study was led by Md. Zakir Hossain Khan, CEO of the Change Initiative, with support from Sabrin Sultana and Md. Fuad Hasan. The findings show that Dhaka’s environmental degradation results from poor urban planning and violates citizens’ environmental rights and justice. Rapid, unregulated urban expansion has been the main driver behind the loss of trees and water bodies.
Data from the research show that Dhaka has lost nearly half of its total tree cover since 1980. While 21.6% of the city’s land area was once covered by trees, today it has fallen to just 11.6%. Areas such as Adabar, Rampura, Kafrul, Banshal, and Wari now have almost no vegetation. Most water bodies in regions like Sutrapur, Mirpur, Gandaria, and Kafrul have disappeared. Out of 50 police station areas in the city, only six retain minimal water bodies. Meanwhile, neighborhoods such as Shyampur, Hazaribagh, Tejgaon, Rampura, and Darussalam frequently experience temperatures exceeding 32 degrees Celsius (Change Initiative, 2025).
Md. Zakir Hossain Khan warns that by 2035, Dhaka’s population will exceed 25 million. The city’s tree cover will stay at 11.6%, water bodies at only 1-2%, and increasing temperatures will worsen environmental and health risks. Dhaka lags in tree cover, with only about 30%, compared to 30–47% in Singapore, Seoul, Delhi, and Jakarta, and is only better than Karachi, which performs even worse. This underscores the urgent need for a nature-integrated urban development model, inspired by Singapore but adapted to local conditions.
Dr. Rifat Mahmud, an Assistant Professor at Dhaka University’s Geography and Environment Department, highlights the significance of community-driven and innovative methods. Urban greening of flyovers, raising environmental awareness among youth, and fostering community ownership of conservation are essential for sustainable nature protection in cities. Without local participation, environmental preservation is unlikely to succeed.
The Change Initiative recommends urgent policies based on recent International Court of Justice rulings. These include restoring lost water bodies, criminalizing encroachment on forests and wetlands, reforming land-use plans, preserving environmental buffers, limiting construction in sensitive areas, and empowering communities to protect nature.
The loss of greenery and water bodies in Dhaka is not just an environmental issue; it endangers citizens’ health, livelihoods, and the city’s long-term resilience. Immediate, coordinated action in urban planning, lawmaking, and community involvement is essential to prevent a climate disaster, but time is running out.
