Housing and Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher. File photo

DHAKA, Jul 29, 2026 (BSS) - Housing and Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher today said ensuring planned urbanisation and providing housing opportunities for low-income people are among the government's key priorities.

He made the remarks while addressing the "High-Level Strategic Workshop on Sustainable Buildings in Bangladesh: Towards a Greener, Safer and Climate-Resilient Built Environment" as the chief guest. 

The workshop was jointly organised by the Ministry of Housing and Public Works and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) at a city hotel today.

The Minister said Bangladesh, as one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, must prioritise green buildings and climate-resilient infrastructure. 

The use of eco-friendly construction materials, energy-efficient technologies and low-carbon designs would help reduce carbon emissions while strengthening the country's resilience to climate-induced disasters, he added.

The minister said Bangladesh's urban population is projected to surpass its rural population by 2037, while more than 56 per cent of the country's population is expected to live in urban areas by 2050. 

In view of rapid urbanisation and growing housing demand, he said, there is no alternative to promoting sustainable construction practices.

The workshop was chaired by Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works Md. Nazrul Islam. 

State Minister for Housing and Public Works Ahammad Sohel Monzoor attended as the special guest.

Among others present were UNOPS Bangladesh Country Manager Sudhir Muralidharan, Representative and Head of the UNOPS Rome Liaison Office Mart¡n Ar‚valo de Le¢n and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Programme Management Officer Celia Martinez Juez.

The minister said Bangladesh has already achieved remarkable progress in sustainable infrastructure development. 

To further institutionalise green construction, the HBRI DESH Sustainable Building Labelling Framework has been developed, he added.
 
He expressed hope that the framework would serve as an effective national guideline for promoting sustainable and green buildings across the country.

State Minister Monzoor said the government would formulate and implement the necessary policies and action plans, based on the workshop's recommendations, in coordination with all relevant stakeholders to further strengthen sustainable and green construction practices in Bangladesh.

Senior officials of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) and the Public Works Department (PWD), along with representatives of development partners, experts and other stakeholders, also attended the workshop.