Speaking as chief guest at the 'Smart City Conclave' organized by Bonik Barta at the Sheraton Hotel in Dhaka on Wednesday (October 7, 2026), Minister Zakaria Taher revealed that 70 to 80 percent of the 4,300 buildings in Gulshan, Banani, and Baridhara lack required Septic Tanks or Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), causing raw sewage to discharge into storm drains. The Minister announced the formulation of a comprehensive 10-year master plan extending down to the upazila level, the strengthening of the Urban Development Directorate (UDD), and the establishment of six new development authorities in Mymensingh, Sylhet, Comilla, Narayanganj, Rangpur, and Barisal to ensure urban checks and balances. Additionally, under the upcoming Bangladesh Building Regulatory Authority (BBRA) framework, designers must certify structural, electrical, and plumbing compliance before occupancy certificates are issued. RAJUK Chairman Engineer Md. Reazul Islam highlighted the need for inter-agency coordination, announcing 5 percent incentives for green buildings, mandatory 10 percent tree plantation on one-bigha plots, and phased reduction of burnt bricks in public infrastructure.