President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said ensuring quality and affordable housing for all is one of the prerequisites for inclusive development. He stressed the need to ensure livable, affordable, safe and environmentally friendly housing for everyone to guarantee citizens’ fundamental constitutional rights and achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

He made the remarks in a message issued on Sunday (October 4) ahead of World Habitat Day 2026, which will be observed on Monday (October 5).

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said he welcomed the initiative to observe World Habitat Day 2026 in Bangladesh, as in other countries around the world, with due importance.

Noting that cities are no longer merely places where people with access to civic amenities live, he said urban areas worldwide have become hubs of employment, economic activity, culture, education and innovation. Therefore, planned and environmentally friendly urbanization is a prerequisite for sustainable development, he added.

The president said urban areas in developing countries like Bangladesh are continuously facing new challenges, including growing population pressure, traffic congestion, severe pollution and inadequate and substandard housing. Against this backdrop, this year’s World Habitat Day theme, “Universal Housing, Sustainable Urbanization,” is highly significant, he said.

He further said safe, affordable, pollution-free, adequate and dignified housing is one of the basic needs of human beings. The housing crisis in Bangladesh is becoming increasingly severe due to rapid urbanization, population growth, high land prices and the impacts of climate change. The crisis is even more acute for low-income people, he added.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir reiterated that ensuring quality and affordable housing for all is one of the prerequisites for inclusive development. Therefore, livable, affordable, safe and environmentally friendly housing must be ensured for everyone to protect citizens’ fundamental constitutional rights and achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Saying that the current government is firmly committed to inclusive urban development and ensuring housing for all, the president said government plans and programmes—including housing initiatives for disadvantaged communities, climate-resilient infrastructure, proper enforcement of safe building codes, efficient land use, smart and sustainable urban management, and inclusive governance—would play a significant role in expanding civic services.

He said the collective participation of government, semi-government and private stakeholders, civil society, professionals, researchers and the younger generation is essential to achieve these goals.

The president expressed hope that the current and future challenges facing the country’s urban areas could be addressed through planned urbanization and responsible management, paving the way for a livable and humane Bangladesh.

In conclusion, he wished success for all programmes undertaken to mark World Habitat Day 2026.