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
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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
This investigation is based on the assumption that gentrification with all its troubles can’t be prevented and is an inherent part of every city. What are the negative impacts of gentrification? What are the underlying mechanisms that feed these impacts? What drives these mechanisms? What would be an alternative scenario?
Mike Davis in his book Planet of Slums, discusses the Third World and the impact globalization and industrialization has on both urban and poverty stricken cities. The growth of urbanization has not only grown the middle class wealth, but has also created an urban poor who live side by side in the city of the wealthy. Planet of Slums reveals astonishing facts about the lives of people who live in poverty, and how globalization and the increase of wealth for the urban class only hurts those people and that the increase of slums every year may eventually lead to the downfall of the earth. “Since 1970 the larger share of world urban population growth has been absorbed by slum communities on the periphery of Third World cities” (Davis 37). Specifically,
The Negative Effects of Urbanization on People and their Environment As our world becomes increasingly globalized, numerous people travel to urban areas in search of economic prosperity. As a consequence of this, cities in periphery countries expand at rates of 4 to 7 percent annually. Many cities offer entrepreneurs the potential for resources, labor, and resources. With prosperity, cities also allow the freedom of a diversity of ways of life and manners (Knox & Marston, 2012). However, in the quest to be prosperous, increasing burdens are placed on our health and the condition of our environment.
...ork, Inc; “Bangladesh among the worst trade performers in South Asia: report”. InfoTrac Web: Gen’l Reference Ctr Gold.December 5,2003; Xinhua News Agency, Dec. 9, 2003.
First is labour costs are low, even lower than in China. Obviously low hourly wages rates explain it but not only. Investments by textile manufacturers in productivity-boosting technology lowered the labour costs in Bangladesh making it one of the world’s low-cost producers. Indeed, this was an advantage during the Recession because big importers increased their purchases at low prices. Second is strong network of supporting industries. Thus, garments Manufacturers save transport and storage costs, import duties which boost their productivity.
Cities in different areas are often renowned for the wealth of culture and the chances they provide. The increase in technological ingenuity has led to the growth and expansion of downtown areas in the city. Cities have grown over the past decade hence increasing the number of individuals living in these areas. The rise in population density in these regions has led to the development of dangerous and run-down regions in different cities. Downtown areas play a fundamental role in the well being and interactions of the society. Increase in population in urban centers has led to the development of downtown areas which are withered, run down and violent.
As human civilization has grown, most inhabitants have increasingly chosen urban areas as their preferred area of residence. This is due to the availability of resources such as employment opportunities, housing, and greater wealth than can be found within the rural countryside. However, this build-up of individuals within a small urban area causes a great deal of urban stress upon the inhabitants of the city. Urban stress is the stressors within city areas that cause increased pressure and mental health disorders within individuals. Such stressors can range from lack of housing, overcrowding, pollution and high crime rates that cause significant anxiety to city residents. While these are found in most urban areas, this phenomenon is particularly noticeable in industrializing regions of the world, as cities in the developing world face significant pressures due to a lack of urban planning and development for their vast number of citizens.
Since the prehistoric time, rive is the main attractive thing for the people for its charming beauty and waste disposal facility, for this reasons the human settlement, industries and the city was built near the river course. The most intensive interactions between human beings and the environment take place in cities and their peripheries (Raihan and Kaiser, 2012). The ever increasing population increases the pressure on land and makes the demand of land which results people to be influenced to break the law of encroachment of the river and thus makes the word “Encroachment’’ at second stage of eye sore then pollution. Dhaka is expanding apace, at an average rate of 4.24% per year and is projected to be the third largest megacity in the world by the year 2020 (Dewan and Yamaguchi, 2009).Encroachment and Pollution make the mega city Dhaka poisonous, and these are the reciprocal practice of Dhaka city which make the mega city unloving. The mighty river of Dhaka, the Buriganga that serves Dhaka city by conveying its waste and the drainage system
...population distribution designed to reduce the rate of rural-urban migration appears to have had limited success in many developing countries. Policies must be directed at altering the rural economy in order to slow the rate of urban sprawl. Broad land use planning and changing of planning standards and governmental procedures would go a long way to reduce many of the problems that face urban populations in the developing areas, especially Africa. Urbanization can cause a lot of problems for a city or even a country. It can cause cities to become overpopulated which are known as mega-cites, and cause problems with living arrangements and finding a job. Urbanization can also cause health problems. Urbanization is supposed to be good for developing countries on the rise but with this rapid growth in Africa, these problems can become a major concern in the future.
Urban living like suburban living has positive and negative characteristics. The homes found in urban areas are primarily lower class. The absence of extra money creates an environment with more crime and run-down neighborhoods. In inner cities, the homes are found feet from each other. Since people live so close together, it causes the environment to be more disruptive and creates a less peaceful atmosphere. Having neighbors so close by in dangerous neighborhoods can also be a safety feature. It is easier to get help in emergencies if your neighbors are nearby. This may influence a person's decision on living in urban areas.
Although many efforts have been made to improve the standard of living in Bangladesh, the country still has many problems. The history of corruption and military intervention that has disrupted the development of the country can be seen everywhere. Even though enrollment in school has shown large improvement, drop out rates and the quality of that education are still dismal. The country has a very large population and with very low cost of labor, it should be growing at a rate similar to China, not slower than India. Bangladesh will encounter many new issues going forward as it transitions from a rural, to a more urban population. Infrastructure development will play a major role and is one of the largest problems facing Bangladesh today. In a country stricken with frequent cyclones, having strong infrastructure can make or break economic development.
Bangladesh is one of the most populated and poorest countries in the world. According to the World Population Review, Bangladesh is ranked 8th most populated country with 152,518,015 millions people (2012). In 2012, the per capita income of the country stood at US$2640, while the world average is $13,720 (World Bank, 2012). Bangladesh has undertaken an ambitious program of economic reforms with its newfound political stability. It has also opened its doors to foreign investment. Bangladesh is an attractive base for setting up manufacturing and assembling facilities because it has a large workforce, low wages and costs.
The shift to a free trade regime in the textile industry was good for Bangladesh. Bangladesh prospered when other economies were not t doing so well. The textile industry greatly increased causing it to become a major reason as to why the economic has continued to increase. Increasingly bring in billions and billions from exports between 2006 to 2012 like the book mentions.
The city life offers a range of accessible resources. With only a few steps outside your door and you will see massive corporations, grocery stores, schools, hospitals, and other infrastructures. The convenience of acquiring necessities in the proximal distance gives a benefit of consuming less time to the city dwellers. Also, the available resources lead to more opportunities and choices for education, employment, housing, lifestyle, and getting better treatment in hospitals. For instance, choosing a school or university in the city gives students the options of the right career for themselves. Thus, the city gives a variety of options to choose from as every individual has their own needs and wants.
We all know the urbanization rate is an index to value the development of a country. However, though urbanization provides great convenience to some individuals, it also brings about negative effects. Problems such as pollution, overcrowded and the high unemployment appear during the process of urbanization and they are hard to cope with. In face of the sequence of problems, a new way of development ----sustainable development was put forward. Just like its literal meaning, the word sustainability has something to do with continuity. It was used since 1980s and first appeared in Britain law in 1993. Sustainable development can help solve parts of the problem caused by urbanization, including environmental damage, overuse of resources, and natural disasters.