Effects Of Urbanization In Dhaka

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Abstract
In the 21st century which has been declared as the ‘Century of the City’ by UN HABITAT, urbanization is a major issue in the national and international arena. In comparison with other third world countries, the level of urbanization in Bangladesh has been incredibly high. This phenomenon has brought with itself an array of results which are both positive and negative in nature. These impacts are observed in the capital city Dhaka more than any other city in the country. This paper sheds some light upon the nature and extent of urbanization in Dhaka and also some of the consequences that have emerged because of it. Later it discusses about the various challenges that have to be faced regarding this matter and makes possible policy recommendations …show more content…

Since gaining independence in 1971, urbanization rates have drastically increased in Bangladesh. But most of this urbanization has taken place in the capital city, Dhaka. The city of Dhaka is divided into two City Corporations namely, the North and South City Corporations. From 1906 to 1991, Dhaka city’s area grew by 58 fold and its population grew by over 35 fold (ADB 2000). More recently, Dhaka’s population grew from 3.26 million in 1980 to a staggering 10.16 million in 2000. According to recent data, Dhaka is home to almost 15.391 million people (CIA World Factbook 2016). This means more than 10% of the total national population lives in Dhaka. All these people live in an area of 1463.60 square kilometer. Thus the population density is about 19,447 per square kilometer (Wikipedia). This makes Dhaka the 31st most populous city in the world. It is also the fastest growing megacity in the world along with Lagos, Nigeria. About 80% of the garments industry in Bangladesh, accounting for the overwhelming majority of the country’s exports, is located in Dhaka city (World Bank 2005b). The cause of this rapid urbanization is often attributed to rural urban migration. As most of the development work has been done in this part of the country and employment opportunities are supposedly higher than other areas, people migrate to Dhaka in search of money and better living …show more content…

This phenomenon has several effects on the lives of the city dwellers which are both positive and negative in nature. Some effects of urbanization are discussed below:
Economic Growth: As Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh, most of the economic activities are concentrated in this area. Most of the industries, business organizations and offices including government, banking, construction and trade are situated here. As a result it is having great impacts on the national economy. The garments industry, which is responsible for 80% of the national export earnings is mainly located in Dhaka. Dhaka megacity contributes to about 13% of the country’s total GDP (Zaman, 2010). Alongside the formal opportunities for employment, there is a vast range of informal employment opportunities which is also a major contributor to the overall national economic

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