Many studies have been conducted on the increasing population pressure in Dhaka and leaders have given many political speeches on the matter. However, the harsh reality is that effective measures to control Dhaka’s population are not yet visible.
In this context, the information presented during a seminar titled ‘Decentralizing Dhaka and the Sustainable Urbanization of Bangladesh’ organized by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) last Saturday is nothing short of worrying.
The main issue raised in the seminar revealed that the Dhaka metropolitan area is only 1 percent of the total land area of the country, i.e. 1528 square kilometers. Surprisingly, 32 percent of the country’s urban population lives in Dhaka.
In addition, climate change causes the displacement of approximately 700,000 people each year, most of whom seek refuge in the city of Dhaka. This Dhaka-centric urbanization has given rise to many challenges, including traffic congestion, water pollution, air pollution, increased energy consumption and health risks, in addition to loss of working hours for its residents.