Bashundhara Cement supports urban design project exhibitio

A five-day exhibition on an urban design project kicked off at Alliance Française de Dhaka on Friday to showcase innovative solutions for urban mobility and accessibility through a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system.
The urban design project titled ‘Life Line for Dhaka’ (Integrating Metro Rail Station with Urban Fabric) was crafted by the Department of Architecture and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
BUET and Department of Architecture are organising the exhibition at La Galerie of the Alliance Française with support from Bashundhara Cement, a sister concern of the country’s leading business conglomerate Bashundhara Group.
Md Kaikobad Hossain, director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd, attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition as the chief guest. Eng Saroj Kumar Barua, deputy general manager (technical support) of Bashundhara Cement, addressed the event as the special guest.
Speaking at the event, Saroj Kumar said, “Bashundhara Cement is proud to be a part of such an event and we look forward to the mega construction of the Metro Rail Project to bring a new dimension in our urban transportation system.”
Mentioning Bashundhara Cement’s contributions to the country’s cement industry, Saroj Kumar maintained, “We have entered the industry as the first private manufacturer with innovative technologies through modernising the traditional cement production.”
He went on saying that Bashundhara Cement had introduced the Vertical Roller Mill (VRM) besides using the best-quality clinker from UBE, Japan in its manufacturing plant.
“With 20 years of experience, Bashundhara Cement is being used in all types of governmental, commercial, and industrial projects including mega power plants, bridges, multi-storied buildings and ready mix plants,” he added.  
The exhibition will remain open to all from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm from Monday to Thursday and from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays while closed on Sunday until January 10.
The exhibition will throw some light on the long felt need of the city dwellers and policymakers; thus public opinion needs to be developed for a successful implementation of MRT stations in Dhaka.
Megacity Dhaka has been suffering from worst traffic congestion since last two decades. Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), with a combination of train and bus, is suggested to be the most popular solution to support the masses of Dhaka.
Remarkable changes are expected to come in the urban life of Dhaka with the completion of ongoing Dhaka Metro Rail Project.
The success of such a system depends not only on the technological solutions; necessary adjustments are also needed in the built environment.
In response to these issues, the Department of Architecture and the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) have exercised the design project.
The prime concern of the project is to enhance accessibility as well as connectivity, land use integration with transport infrastructure and seamless pedestrian interconnection within transit centre to solve the last mile problem.
Ensuring accessibility and connectivity is essential. Within this system, MRT stations play a major role. Selection of ‘location’ and integration of the built-form within the existing fabric need attention, particularly when the infrastructure will be introduced in a built-up city like Dhaka.
Moreover, economic viability and social inclusiveness are also important considerations in designing a transportation infrastructure like this.
On the other hand, the impact of the newly introduced transportation infrastructure on the city fabric, particularly in closer proximity to the station, might be tremendous.
If properly handled, such a project will work like a lifeline to solve Dhaka’s tremendous traffic problem. An appropriate design of metro station may change the lifestyle and improve its quality, in physical, social, economic and psychological terms, said the organisers.

SOURCE : Daily Sun