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The physical form of cities has been shaped by the economic, social and political forces of society. The degree to which freedom or slavery has dominated human life, the manner in which war has been waged the instruments of destruction and defense, the tools for peaceful pursuits and the way have been used, the consideration, neglect, or disdain people have shown their follows, all account for the kind of cities people have built for themselves. Physical planning in Bangladesh does not have a long history. Besides, no attempt has yet been made to work out a systematic record of events taking places in this field. This paper attempts to highlight the major events that took place in urban planning in this country. It does not go for analyzing the details of qualitative and technical aspects of plans, the plan making process and their implementations. It focuses on inception of urban planning in this country, achievements made so far, the changing trend of planning approaches and the agencies involved in planning.

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