Life in Dhaka city report

1. Assignment on Life in Dhaka City
Sharmeen Akter
Course Lecturer
Course Title: Introduction to Sociology
Course Code: SOC2124
Section: 3
Department of Bachelor of Business Administration
School of Business Studies
Southeast University, Dhaka – 1213
[Group Name: INNOVATION]
NAME ID
MD. MOHIN UDDIN 2017010000302
AMINNOR RASHID 2017010000116
RASHED RAYHAN 2015110000360
SHOAIB MAHMUD RAFAT 2017010000308

2. Life in Dhaka City
Introduction:
Dhaka, located in Bangladesh and it is the capital of this country. Perhaps it is the poorest mega
city in the word with a population of approximately 9.5 million and growing. Besides it is the
most congested city in the world. People who live here have to face many problems in their daily
life. They have face traffic jam, pollution, hijack etc. There are also some advantages of living in
this city. The purpose of the easy is to inform about advantage and disadvantage of living in
Dhaka city.
In Bangladesh Dhaka is called “The city that never sleeps”. Dhaka is a very crowded city. But it
is not so big. There is not sufficient space in the roads of the city. So traffic jam is always a big
problem to live here. Besides there are not enough transport system. Living space is a big
problem here. The people under poverty line have to live many together by sharing a single
space. Besides house rent is also so high. Without it, the electricity, gas, water providing service
is not so well. Here in this city it is not safer to walk alone on road at night. There is not enough
security for the citizen of this country. Anyone can be hijacked or killed in the middle of road.
Avoiding the disadvantages Dhaka is the capital of this country. So it is the complete city of this
country. All things that need to lead a luxury life can be found here. Beside All the famous
Universities, colleges and schools are situated in here. The transport system of this city is better
than other city of Bangladesh. All the big factories, companies, garments are in this city.
So now it can be say that people have to face both problems and advantages if they want to live
in Dhaka city. But it is necessary for a citizen that he should start his career form the capital city
because how many opportunities that he can found in this city, he would not found such many in
other city.

3. History of Dhaka City:
Dhaka City formerly spelled Dacca, named Jahangirnagar during Mughal era is the capital of
Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major
cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its
metropolitan area, had a population of over 16 million in 2011, making it the largest city in
Bangladesh. It is the 9th largest city in the world and also 28th among the most densely
populated cities in the world. Dhaka is known as the City of Mosques and with 400,000 cycle
rickshaws running on its streets every day, the city is also described as the Rickshaw Capital of
the World.
Under Mughal rule in the 17th century, the city was known as Jahangir Nagar. It was a
provincial capital and a centre of the worldwide muslin trade. The modern city, however, was
developed chiefly under British rule in the 19th century, and became the second-largest city in
Bengal after Calcutta (presently Kolkata). After the Partition of Bengal in 1905, Dhaka became
the capital of the new province of Eastern Bengal and Assam but lost its status as a provincial
capital again after the partition was annulled in 1911. After the partition of India in 1947, Dhaka
became the administrative capital of East Pakistan, and later, in 1971, the capital of an
independent Bangladesh. During the intervening period, the city witnessed widespread turmoil;
this included many impositions of martial law, the declaration of Bangladesh’s independence,

4. military suppression, devastation during war, and natural calamities. Modern Dhaka is the centre
of political, cultural and economic life in Bangladesh. Although its urban infrastructure is the
most developed in the country, Dhaka suffers from urban problems such as pollution and
overpopulation. In recent decades, Dhaka has seen modernization of transport, communications
and public works. The city is attracting large foreign investments and greater volumes of
commerce and trade. It is also experiencing an increasing influx of people from across the
nation; this has reportedly made Dhaka the fastest growing city in the world. Lalbabh Fort
constructed in the mid 17th century by Prince Mohammed Azam Shah, son of the Emperor
Aurangzeb, and the Fort contains the tomb of Bibi Pari, daughter of Shaista Khan. The existence
of a settlement in the area that is now Dhaka dates from the 7th century. The city area was ruled
by the Buddhist kingdom of Kamarupa and the Pala Empire before passing to the control of the
Hindu Sena dynasty in the 9th century. The name of the city may have derived after the
establishment of the Goddess Dhakeshwari’s temple by Ballal Sena in the 12th century. The
town itself consisted of a few market centres like Lakshmi Bazar, Shankhari Bazar, Tanti Bazar,
Patuatuli, Kumartuli, Bania Nagar and Goal Nagar.
After the Sena Empire, Dhaka was successively ruled by the Sultanate of Bengal as well as
interruption of governors from the Delhi Sultanate before being taken over by the Mughals in
1608. The development of townships and housing has resulted into a significant growth in
population came as the city was proclaimed the capital (Rajmahal) of Bengal under Mughal rule
in 1608. Mughal subahdar Islam Khan was the first administrator of the city. Khan named the
town “Jahangir Nagar” (জাহাঙ্গীর নগর; City of Jahangir) in honour of the Mughal emperor
Jahangir, although this name was dropped soon after Jahangir’s death. The main expansion of the
city took place under Mughal general Shaista Khan. The city then measured 19 by 13 kilometres
(12 by 8 mi), with a population of nearly one million people.British East India Company in 1765
gained right to collect revenue (Diwani right) and later took over governing in 1793 when

5. Nawabs of Bengal were forced to abdicate all their authority over Bengal, Bihar & Orissa & the
city passed on to total British control. The city’s population shrank dramatically during this
period as the prominence of Calcutta rose, but substantive development and modernisation
eventually followed. A modern civic water supply system was introduced in 1874 and electricity
supply launched in 1878.The Dhaka Cantonment was established near the city, serving as a base
for British and Bengali soldiers. Ahsan Manzil,was once the palace of the Dhaka Nawab Family;
it is now a museum. Bastion of the Lal Bagh, Dacca – 1816. During the abortive Partition of
Bengal in 1905, Dhaka was declared to be the capital of the newly established state of East
Bengal and Assam, but Bengal was reunited in 1911. Following the Partition of India in 1947,
Dhaka became the capital of East Pakistan. The city witnessed major communal violence
following the partition of India. A large proportion of the city’s Hindu population departed for
India, while the city received a large influx of Muslims. As the centre of regional politics,
however, Dhaka saw an increasing number of political strikes and incidents of violence. The
adoption of Urdu as the sole official language of Pakistan led to protest marches involving large
crowds. Known as the Bengali Language Movement, the protests resulted in Pakistani police
firing which killed a number of peaceful student demonstrators. Throughout the 1950s and
1960s, Dhaka remained a hotbed of political activity, and the demands for autonomy for the
Bengali population gradually gained momentum. Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban houses the national
parliament.
The 1970 Bhola cyclone devastated much of the region, killing an estimated 500,000 people.
More than half the city was flooded and millions of people were marooned. With public anger
growing against ethnic discrimination and poor cyclone relief efforts from the central
government, Bengali politician Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman held a nationalist
gathering on March 7, 1971 at Ramna Racecourse. An estimated one million people attended the
gathering, leading to the March 26 declaration of Bangladesh’s independence. In response, the
Pakistan Army launched Operation Searchlight, which led to the arrests, torture and killing of
thousands of people. After nine months of bloody battle with Indian Army and Mitra Bahini, the
Pakistani Army surrendered to the Indian Army on December 16 marking the end of the
independence war of Bangladesh. As the nation’s capital, Dhaka saw a rapid and huge growth of
the city population in the post-independence period, as migrant workers from rural areas across
Bangladesh moved to the city. The growth of commerce and industry along with the city’s
population has created further challenges to services and infrastructure. A real estate boom has
followed the expansion of city limits and the development of new settlements such as Uttara,
Mohammadpur, Bashundhara, Mirpur and Motijheel.
Dhaka is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh. With its colorful history and rich cultural
traditions, Dhaka is known the world over as the city of served as the Mughal capital of Bengal
from 1608 to 1704. Before coming under British rule in 1765, it was a trading center for British,
French, and Dutch colonialism. In 1905 it was again named the capital of Bengal. And in 1956 it
became the capital of East Pakistan. During the liberation war of Bangladesh for independence in

6. 1971, the city suffered a heavy damage. In recent time, the area of Dhaka city is about 1353 sq.
km. This mega city has become the hub of the nation's industrial, commercial, cultural,
educational and political activities. Today's Dhaka has a long story of evolution.
Living in Dhaka City:
Dhaka, located in Bangladesh and it is the capital of this country. Perhaps it is the poorest mega
city in the word with a population of approximately 9.5 million and growing. Besides it is the
most congested city in the world. People who live here have to face many problems in their daily
life. They have face traffic jam, pollution, hijack etc. There are also some advantages of living in
this city. The purpose of the easy is to inform about advantage and disadvantage of living in
Dhaka city.
In Bangladesh Dhaka is called “The city that never sleeps”. Dhaka is a very crowded city. But it
is not so big. There is not sufficient space in the roads of the city. So traffic jam is always a big
problem to live here. Besides there are not enough transport system. Living space is a big
problem here. The people under poverty line have to live many together by sharing a single
space. Besides house rent is also so high. Without it, the electricity, gas, water providing service
is not so well. Here in this city it is not safer to walk alone on road at night. There is not enough
security for the citizen of this country. Anyone can be hijacked or killed in the middle of road.
Avoiding the disadvantages Dhaka is the capital of this country. So it is the complete city of this
country. All things that need to lead a luxury life can be found here. Beside All the famous
Universities, colleges and schools are situated in here. The transport system of this city is better
than other city of Bangladesh. All the big factories, companies, garments are in this city.
So now it can be say that people have to face both problems and advantages if they want to live
in Dhaka city. But it is necessary for a citizen that he should start his career form the capital city
because how many opportunities that he can found in this city, he would not found such many in
other city.
The Present Condition of Dhaka:
Dhaka is the 9th largest city, and one of the most densely populated cities in the world. In
current, the population of Dhaka city is near 2 corers. Hence, the condition of Dhaka City is
going to be bad to worse on the view of living condition. Every day we face different types of
problems such as water crisis problem, gas problem, accommodation problem, security problem,
load shading problem, traffic jam, sound pollution problem, overpopulation problem, air
pollution problem, environment pollution problem, garbage problem, sanitation problem,
transport problem, land pollution problem, roads problem etc. which are the key causes behind to

7. be bad to worse condition of Dhaka City. The people are becoming crazy, and children are not
getting a healthy environment in order to grow up properly in the city
Geography:
Dhaka is located in central Bangladesh at 23°42′0″N 90°22′30″E, on the eastern banks of the
Buriganga River. The city lies on the lower reaches of the Ganges Delta and covers a total area
of 360 square kilometres (140 sq mi). It consists of eight principal thanas –Lalbagh, Kotwali,
Sutrapur, Ramna, Motijheel, Paltan, Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, Tejgaon – and 16 auxiliary
thanas – Gulshan, Mirpur, Pallabi, Shah Ali, Turaag, Sabujbagh, Dhaka Cantonment, Demra,
Hazaribagh, Shyampur, Badda, Kafrul, Kamrangir char, Khilgaon and Uttara. In total the city
has 130 wards and 725 mohallas. Dhaka district has an area of 1463.60 square kilometres (565 sq
mi); and is bounded by the districts of Gazipur, Tangail, Munshiganj, Rajbari, Narayanganj,
Manikganj. Tropical vegetation and moist soils characterize the land, which is flat and close to
sea level. This leaves Dhaka susceptible to flooding during the monsoon seasons owing to heavy
rainfall and cyclones.
Climate:
Dhaka experiences a hot, wet and humid tropical climate. Under the Köppen climate
classification, Dhaka has a tropical savanna climate. The city has a distinct monsoonal season,
with an annual average temperature of 27 °C (81 °F) and monthly means varying between 19.5
°C (67 °F) in January and 32 °C (90 °F) in May. Approximately 87% of the annual average
rainfall of 2,123 millimeters (83.5 in) occurs between May and October. Increasing air and water
pollution emanating from traffic congestion and industrial waste are serious problems affecting
public health and the quality of life in the city. Water bodies and wetlands around Dhaka are
facing destruction as these are being filled up to construct multi-storied buildings and other real
estate developments. Coupled with pollution, such erosion of natural habitats threatens to destroy
much of the regional biodiversity.
Civic Administration:
The Dhaka municipality was founded on August 1, 1864, and upgraded to “corporation” status in
1978. The Dhaka City Corporation is a self-governing corporation which runs the affairs of the
city. Recently Dhaka City Corporation has been divided in two administrative parts these are
1) Dhaka City Corporation-North and
2) Dhaka City Corporation-South for ensuring better civic facilities.
The incorporated area is divided into several wards, which have elected commissioners.
Presently These Two corporations are headed by two administrators. The Dhaka Education
Board is responsible for administering all public schools and most private schools with the
exception of English-medium schools and madrassahs. All madrassahs in Bangladesh are

8. governed by a central board while English-medium schools are under separate educational and
governance structures.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) was established in 1976 and has 6,000 personnel in 12
police stations.[40] With the rapid population growth of the city, the force has been raised to
23,000 personnel and the establishment of 33 police stations has been completed and the creation
of another 18 police stations is underway.
The city is divided into 25 (i.e. 2011) parliamentary constituencies. The two main political
parties are the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Ramna contains the
Secretariat, which houses most of the government ministries. The Supreme Court of Bangladesh
and the Dhaka High Court are located in the city. The Bangabhaban palace has served as the
official residence of the Viceroy of India, the governor of East Pakistan and presently the
President of Bangladesh. The Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban, designed by renowned architect Louis
Kahn, houses the unicameral national parliament. The Baitul Mukarram, developed with a design
resembling the Kaaba of Mecca, is the national mosque. Other historical monuments in the city
include the Bara Katra palace, the Lalbagh Fort, the Hoseni Dalan and the Ahsan Manzil.
To fight rising traffic congestion and population, the national government has recently
implemented a policy for rapid urbanization of surrounding areas and beyond by the introduction
of a ten year holiday on income tax for new construction of facilities and buildings outside
Dhaka.
Aside from Chittagong, Dhaka has a water-borne sewage system, but this serves only 25% of the
population while another 30% are served with septic tanks. Only two-thirds of households in
Dhaka are served by the city water supply system. More than 9.7 million tons of solid wastes are
produced in Dhaka city each year. While private and government efforts have succeeded in
collecting refuse city-wide and using it as manure, most solid wastes are often dumped untreated
in nearby low-lying areas and water bodies.
Demographics:
The population of Dhaka (areas under the jurisdiction of the Dhaka city corporation) stands at
approximately 7.0 million. The city, in combination with localities forming the wider
metropolitan area, is home to an estimated 16.6 million as of 2011. The population is growing by
an estimated 4.2% per year, one of the highest rates amongst Asian cities. The continuing growth
reflects ongoing migration from rural areas to the Dhaka urban region, which accounted for 60%
of the city’s growth in the 1960s and 1970s. More recently, the city’s population has also grown
with the expansion of city boundaries, a process that added more than a million people to the city
in the 1980s. According to Far Eastern Economic Review, Dhaka will become a home of 25
million people by the year 2025.

9. The literacy rate in Dhaka is also increasing fairly quickly. It was estimated at 62.3% in 2001. By
2010, the literacy rate had gone up to 72.7%, significantly higher than the national average of
56.5%.
The city population is composed of people from virtually every region of Bangladesh. The long-
standing inhabitants of the old city are known as Dhakaia and have a distinctive dialect and
culture. Between 15,000 to 20,000 of the Rohingya, Santal, Khasi, Garo, Chakma and Mandi
tribal peoples reside in the city. Dhaka also has a large population of Chinese, Korean, Indian,
Burmese and Nepali expatriates working in executive jobs in different industries.
Most residents of Dhaka speak Bengali, the national language. Many distinctive Bengali dialects
and regional languages such as Chittagonian and Sylheti are also spoken by segments of the
population. English is spoken by a large segment of the population, especially for business
purposes. There is a minority Urdu-speaking population, who is descendants of displaced
Muslims from eastern India during 1947 and sought refuge in East Pakistan. The correct
population is ambiguous; although official figures estimate at least 40,000 residents, it is
estimated that there are at least 300,000 Urdu-speakers in all of Bangladesh, mostly residing in
refugee camps in Dhaka.
Islam is the dominant religion of Dhaka’s people, of about 90% of the city practicing the faith;
with a majority belonging to the Sunni sect. There is also a small Shea sect, and an Ahmadiya
community. Hinduism is the second-largest religion, with about 9%, and smaller communities
practice Buddhism and Christianity, both of about .5% each.
It is the National Authoritative Board on building planning, estates and resources, plot allotment
and construction approvals from both public and private entities. It utilizes the Dhaka
Improvement Trust (Allotment of Land) Rule of 1969 and The Town Improvement Act of 1953,
both scribed since before the Independence of Bangladesh.
Facts About Dhaka:
1. Before 1983, the city was wrongly spelled as Dacca and got the correct spelling after that only.
2. Dhaka is the trade center of silk and muslin in the world and is considered is one of the
primary cities in South Asia and the largest city in Bengal.
3. In Bengal, Dhaka was called as the City of Mosques because the city was decorated by the
Mughals with the forts, palaces, mosques, tombs and gardens.
4. Dhaka earns a nickname as the Rickshaw Capital of the world due to the largest number of
rickshaws in the city.

10. 5. Dhaka was called as one of the richest cities in the world during the medieval period. More
than 50 percent of the Mughal GDP was generated from the economy of the old city of Dhaka.
The population of Dhaka (areas under the jurisdiction of the Dhaka city corporation) stands at
approximately 7.0 million. The city, in combination with localities forming the wider
metropolitan area, is home to an estimated 16.6 million as of 2011. The population is growing by
an estimated 4.2% per year, one of the highest rates amongst Asian cities. The continuing growth
reflects ongoing migration from rural areas to the Dhaka urban region, which accounted for 60%
of the city’s growth in the 1960s and 1970s. More recently, the city’s population has also grown
with the expansion of city boundaries, a process that added more than a million people to the city
in the 1980s. According to Far Eastern Economic Review, Dhaka will become a home of 25
million people by the year 2025.
The literacy rate in Dhaka is also increasing fairly quickly. It was estimated at 62.3% in 2001. By
2010, the literacy rate had gone up to 72.7%, significantly higher than the national average of
56.5%.
The city population is composed of people from virtually every region of Bangladesh. The long-
standing inhabitants of the old city are known as Dhakaia and have a distinctive dialect and
culture. Between 15,000 to 20,000 of the Rohingya, Santal, Khasi, Garo, Chakma and Mandi
tribal peoples reside in the city. Dhaka also has a large population of Chinese, Korean, Indian,
Burmese and Nepali expatriates working in executive jobs in different industries.
Most residents of Dhaka speak Bengali, the national language. Many distinctive Bengali dialects
and regional languages such as Chittagonian and Sylheti are also spoken by segments of the
population. English is spoken by a large segment of the population, especially for business
purposes. There is a minority Urdu-speaking population, who is descendants of displaced
Muslims from eastern India during 1947 and sought refuge in East Pakistan. The correct
population is ambiguous; although official figures estimate at least 40,000 residents, it is
estimated that there are at least 300,000 Urdu-speakers in all of Bangladesh, mostly residing in
refugee camps in Dhaka.
Islam is the dominant religion of Dhaka’s people, of about 90% of the city practicing the faith;
with a majority belonging to the Sunni sect. There is also a small Shea sect, and an Ahmadiya
community. Hinduism is the second-largest religion, with about 9%, and smaller communities
practice Buddhism and Christianity, both of about .5% each.
It is the National Authoritative Board on building planning, estates and resources, plot allotment
and construction approvals from both public and private entities. It utilizes the Dhaka

11. Improvement Trust (Allotment of Land) Rule of 1969 and The Town Improvement Act of 1953,
both scribed since before the Independence of Bangladesh.
We've all heard about that list in that magazine where Dhaka is the second worst city in the
world. Born and raised in this city, I refuse to believe that. I don't know about you but I'm not
one to trust a list on a magazine, so here's a list of reasons to call Dhaka the BEST city in the
world.
Dhaka, Bangladesh has been named the second worst city to live in the world (an improvement
over being deemed the absolute worst last year), according the Economist Intelligence Unit‘s
2013 Livability Report, which reviewed 140 cities around the world and was published in
August 2013.
The Transportation System:
Take a rickshaw ride with the hood down on an open road on a rainy day before you die; if you
don't, you will have died without living. There are millions of rickshaws in Dhaka and the art on
the back represents how most people in this city live their lives – colorful and cheap. Speaking of
cheap, public transportation in Dhaka is the most efficient mode of travel you could think of. The
roads are filled with buses and minibuses and these truck-van fusion thingies called tempo. There
are mild drawbacks to these vehicles, things like pick-pocketing and getting poisoned and
mugged, but at the end of the day they do what they're supposed to, which is get you from one
place to another. You can travel from literally anywhere to everywhere in Dhaka on public

12. transport, other than Uttara, because no one's quite certain if that's inside Dhaka. Also, you are
forced to remain immobile if a government high-up or a foreign emissary decides to take the
roads. It's theirs whenever they want it.
The Stray Animals:
Only in Dhaka will you see dogs and cats roam the streets like they own it, littering where they
want. These animals are stray not because the people are too heartless to take them in, but
because animals need to be free and the confines of assured care and food will destroy them,
which the people of this city understand. Then there are crows. These little angels clean up our
city by devouring the garbage we produce. They aren't particularly successful, but at least they
try, unlike the people who are supposed to be in charge of waste management. The crows often
decide to sit and relax on our electric wires and electrocute themselves, shutting down the
electric supply for a whole block, but we don't mind because we're grateful.

13. The Traffic Jam:
Haters will say traffic jams are a bad thing because they waste our time, but they're actually not.
Traffic jams teach us things like patience and how to plan ahead of time. They also teach us that
no matter how far ahead of time we plan, sometimes it just doesn't work. Take a good look
around the next time you're stuck in traffic. You'll see people, people who have lives of their own
and together, they all put the brakes on because someone somewhere stuck a car into an
oncoming lane. In today's fast and unforgiving world, it is a blessing to get the chance to simply
stop and do nothing. In cities around the world, such an opportunity is scarce, but you can do it
every day in Dhaka.

14. The Street Food:
Dhaka isn't the street food capital of the world, but it's close, somewhat. You can find food in
Dhaka no matter what the state of your purse/wallet is. The mama haleem, the chotpoti-fuchka,
and the jhalmuri are few of the things that define Dhaka's street food scene (food carts can rot in
hell). In old town, there's biryani being sold out of shops that have been there for centuries.
Everywhere else, there are poser biryani places wrongfully claiming to be their branches. Every
Ramadan, the roads are literally jammed with street food vendors in the hours before iftar.
Hygiene is a tiny issue but it can be easily figured out by this formula: “The product of an item's
taste and number of trips to the toilet it causes is inversely proportional to how much it costs.”
What happens in Ramadan doesn't stay after Eid and what really matters is the taste. So we eat
anyway and try not to think about diarrhea too much.

15. The People:
When this many people manage to survive in such conditions for so long, it makes you wonder if
Dhaka is actually a paradise in disguise and we just haven't figured it out yet. Sure there are
muggers, robbers, thieves, pickpockets, frauds, drug dealers and organized crime, but there are
also people who are naïve enough to be the victims and we can safely say that at least they aren't
the bad guys. There are so many people in this city that you'll get lost in a crowd more often than
finding yourself lost in a vacant alley. And if you really are lost, you will probably find help. In a
way Dhaka is like Hogwarts – help will always be provided in Dhaka to those who are lucky
enough to get it. The others get mugged, obviously.
If you ever feel bad about living in Dhaka, take a look at this list. Or you could go drive around
Hatirjheel at night, but sadly, it's not exactly safe after dark in the best city in the world.
Good Sides Living In Dhaka City:
The London-based Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) revealed on 18 August in its ‘Global
Livability Ranking ‘that Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, had continued its miserable position
within the worst livable cities in the world. Dhaka this year, according to this evaluation, had
moved from being the worst city to being the second worst city, just ahead of Syria’s capital- war
ravaged Damascus. To the surprise of many Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Lagos, Nigeria

16. and violence prone Tripoli, Libya were ahead of Dhaka. One presumes that perception of Dhaka
being less livable was greatly influenced by the systematic political violence and arson carried
out by certain political parties in the last quarter of 2013 and in the first quarter of 2015.
The five best livable cities were- Melbourne, Australia, Vienna, Austria, Vancouver, Canada,
Toronto, Canada and Adelaide, Australia. The rankings were based on 12 indicators and out of
an index benchmark of 100 points. Melbourne scored 97.5 points, whereas Dhaka scored 38.7
points. The rankings provided scores for lifestyle challenges in 140 cities worldwide. Analysts
also interpreted the data to conclude that since 2010, average livability across the world had
fallen by 1%, prompted by a 2.2% fall in the score for stability and safety. The Report also
indicated that 10 cities had perceptibly improved their living conditions over the last five years.
Kathmandu was the only city from South Asia in this grouping.
The indicators were carefully chosen and tried to cover all the parameters associated with urban
living. They included- prevalence of both petty and violent crime, threat of terror, threat of
military conflict, threat of civil unrest, quality of private and public healthcare, discomfort of
climate for travelers, level of corruption, quality of public transport, quality of energy provision
and quality of water provision.
One needs to analyze the decision of Dhaka being the second worst city to live in against this
background and with an open mind. Making a holistic analysis of Dhaka, as a livable city would
be difficult to say the least. With a population nearing 17 million, it is not only one of the fastest
growing cities of the world but faced with serious limitations related to urban governance.
The city also continues to deteriorate because of lack of coordination among 56 government
agencies responsible for providing services to its citizens- including the RAJUK, the two City
Corporations and Dhaka Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA). It has also been noted that the
Detailed Area Plan (DAP) meant for Dhaka was not prepared after practical field visits. This has
now moved the relevant authorities to prepare another master plan- the Dhaka Structure Plan
(DSP)-2016-2035. Analysts have indicated that the new Plan will aim to protect the flood-flow
zones, canals, rivers, ponds and flood water retention areas through land acquisition and proper
demarcation to save surface water from contamination and help storm drainage and ground water
percolation. This emphasis on quick drainage of rainwater to avoid water-logging has come to
the fore after the recent problems faced by the Dhaka population several times in September.
One can only hope that necessary measures and steps will be taken in this regard by the relevant
urban planning experts- the sooner the better.
Syed Emdadul Haque, Atsuro Tsutsumi and Anthony Capon in their op-ed published in ‘The
Independent’ on 17 September have made certain interesting observations about what stands for
an ‘ideal healthy and sustainable urban environment’. They have pointed out the following
requirements- (a) Transport- less than 500 metres to a bus stop, with regular bus services every
30 minutes; (b) Food and goods- less than 500 metres to shops; (c) Green space- less than 500
metres to Parks; (d) Access- less than 30 minutes by mass transit to a range of employment,
education, social and cultural opportunities- including safe walking and cycling paths; (e)
Housing- to be built in a planned manner on the basis of environmental principles, good indoor

17. and outdoor air quality and (f) Social cohesion- a sense of community in the neighborhood with a
tolerant and safe environment.
These are good aspirations; however we are discussing here a city spread over about 1620 square
kilometers with a population set to cross 20 million in five years. That would be nearly double
the total population of several West European countries. This dynamics entails that we try to
approach the above desirable points with care.
Nevertheless, urban planners of Dhaka have quite correctly touched on some very important
factors- availability of healthcare facilities. We need to remember in this context that one of the
reasons for the silent internal migration from rural to urban areas in developing countries take
place due to availability of not only economic opportunities but also the possibility of better
healthcare. This however does not stand the litmus test in the case of Dhaka. Living conditions
and health provisions are drastically insufficient in the marginal slum areas inhabited by millions
who have migrated to Dhaka for existing economic opportunities or, due to erosion of land or
river banks or loss of agricultural land due to growing salinity caused by climate variability in
coastal areas.
Those living in slums and improvised make-shift shelters in Dhaka are faced with inadequate
access to basic infrastructure related to health requirement, poor sanitation systems, worsening
environmental pollution and unhealthy water availability. Consequently, viral and communicable
diseases are prevalent in these areas and the mortality rate of children less than five years old
living in such slums is estimated to be almost double of the rest of Dhaka.
Air pollution is also worsening in Dhaka. The National Institute of Diseases of the Chest
Hospital has suggested that this has led to a geometrical increase in the number of Dhaka’s
citizens suffering from allergy, pulmonary, respiratory and neurological illnesses. This is being
caused by growing toxicity in the air and water due to downloading of toxic wastes in the water
bodies (by leather and dyeing units) surrounding Dhaka, smoke arising from the many brick
kilns surrounding Dhaka and also in the toxic emission of unfit transport carriers on roads. The
Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, the Urban Management Unit of Local Government
Engineering Department and the relevant Directorate of the Ministry of Environment need to be
more efficient in their efforts and not succumb to misgovernance or the temptation of corruption.
Brick making and establishing of brickfields near residential areas must not also be allowed
under any circumstance.
Another point that needs to be addressed by the City Corporation Authorities relates to the
efficient and speedy clearance of garbage that is produced on a daily basis in Dhaka. It has been
pointed out that the total household waste generated every day in the city is about 4000 tons of
which only 40 to 45 percent are collected by the Municipal authorities. The rest is littered next to
road sides or in canals creating health hazards. One needs to add to this figure industrial wastes
which are also disposed off under the scanner.
The next element that needs to be addressed carefully and in a more organized manner is the
question of the deteriorating traffic situation. ‘The New Republic’, an important US magazine
has dubbed Dhaka as the “traffic capital of the world”. This sarcastic observation means that the

18. notoriety of our situation has gained world-wide attention. On any day of the week, or evening,
except for the morning hours of weekly holiday- Friday, one requires at least one hour to travel
to any destination between 6 to 10 kilometers. That would be considered as absurd in any other
city. This effect of being taken ‘hostage’ while travelling in a bus, rickshaw, and auto-rickshaw
or in a car leaves every commuter frustrated. It also does not add to the image of the country.
Tedious manual manipulation of 60 traffic lights spread over several street intersections in
different parts of Dhaka adds to the complexity of traffic flow.
This unfortunate situation goes downhill even further because drivers of vehicles, particularly
buses and auto-rickshaws do not observe road and lane regulations. The presence of motorized
and non-motorized vehicles at the same time on the narrow streets and important cross-city roads
also act as a detracting factor.
Another important element that adds to the chaos on Dhaka streets are its pavements. Within the
two City Corporations of Dhaka there is about 165 km of pavements. The two authorities are
supposed to maintain these pathways. However, nearly 90 km of these pathways are now under
illegal occupation through the setting up of shops. This illegal occupation hinders movement of
pedestrians and also contributes to creation of unwanted plastic garbage. This is especially true
of the following city areas- Farmgate, Gulistan, Jatrabari, Saydabad, Mirpur, Mouchak,
Shantinagar, Motijheel, New Market, Nilkhet, Nawabpur, Karwan Bazar, Gulshan 1 and 2,
Badda, Natun Bazar, Baridhara J Block and Uttara. Attempts are sometimes made to free these
intrusions and punish the illegal occupants according to existing Corporation regulations.
However, very soon, within days of eviction, they are normally back again, thanks to corrupt
officials.
One cannot conclude about the livable aspects of Dhaka without also referring to the presence of
beggars in general in most cross roads and traffic light points- but particularly near up-market
Hotels and in residential areas like Dhanmondi, Banani, Baridhara, Uttara and Gulshan. It
definitely affects the image of the country when people visiting Bangladesh are confronted with
disabled people and mothers holding on to infants begging for food. That does not inspire
confidence in the country and definitely affects the potential of tourism.
We have a lot of problems that need to be resolved if we are to move up the ladder. In addition to
political will, we require resources (public-private partnership under CSR), civic consciousness
and commitment towards good governance.
We have seen that if Dhaka citizens want to, they can keep the city clean. On 25 September, the
Eid-ul-Adha was observed with great enthusiasm throughout Dhaka. Despite the numerous
animal sacrifices, the city was clean in a few hours- thanks to a proactive engagement between
the citizens and the two city corporation workers. They demonstrated that the city can be kept
clean if we so want it. If we can continue like this, it will help us to break through the glass
ceiling and save Dhaka from continuing as a patient in the ICU as described by North Dhaka
City Mayor Annisul Huq.

19. Dhaka city’s problems:
The capital Dhaka is experiencing one of the highest rates of urbanization in the world. Over the
years, the city has had inconsistent transformation of land use and organic development which in
turn created crisis in residential areas or neighborhoods and affected the city life adversely.
Bureaucratic problems, political influence, lack of appropriate mechanism for land development
for the residential areas, ineffective implementation, poor supervision and monitoring system are
continuously creating problems for the citizens.
Dhaka city’s common problems are increase in water pollution, traffic congestion, air and noise
pollution, solid waste disposal, black smoke, etc. Inadequate drainage sections, conventional
drainage system with low capacity and gravity, natural siltation, absence of inlets and outlets,
indefinite drainage outlets, lack of proper maintenance of existing drainage system, and over and
above disposal of solid waste into the drains and drainage paths are accounted for the prime
causes of blockage in drainage system and water logging.
In addition, seasonal tidal effect and the topography of the city are also causing water logging.
The storm water becomes polluted as it mixes with solid waste, clinical waste, silt, contaminants,
domestic wastes and other human activities that increase the water-borne diseases. The stagnant
storm water leads to the creation of breeding sites for diseases vectors that become a hazard to
health as well as being unsightly and foul smelling. Open dustbins on roadsides overflow with
garbage. Roads and drains go under knee-deep water not only in monsoon but also after a sudden
shower. The housing shortage is so acute that one third of the city's population lives in slums.
Parks and open spaces are gradually disappearing.
Specific locations for dumping the garbage are either not present in a region or are not properly
used. In public parks, schools or university campuses, distance between two trash cans is so large
that people usually do not walk all the way to throw a banana peel or a used tissue.
Apparently the capital dwellers will have to brace for another spate of traffic jams and inordinate
hold-ups on the roads of the capital during the month of Ramzan. This unfortunately is the
situation which is getting horrendously repetitive every year without any signs of improving any
time soon.
The current traffic situation is due mainly to the service agencies taking undue time for road
repairs, unregulated roadside markets, piling of construction materials on the roads, and, of late,
the under construction flyovers. Unless there is strong political will and co-ordination among the
various utility service providers there is no possible end to the suffering in sight.

20. 10 Think of Expect from Dhaka:
1. Traffic is Unbearable
I put Dhaka in my Top 5 worst traffic cities, alongside Manila, Bangkok, Mumbai and Delhi.
There isn’t much else to say other than expect to wait hours and hours without moving an
inch. It’s really frustrating, but you have to embrace it because it’s part of the Dhaka experience
I’ll just let this photo do the talking.

21. 2. You Will Get Stared At
If you physically stand out (white skin, blonde hair or ESPECIALLY red hair) — then expect to
be stared at everywhere you go in Bangladesh. I am pretty used to this after traveling all over
India and living in rural village in Korea, but if you are not used to this, then you will have to
adapt quickly. They don’t mean to be rude when they stare at you, they are simply surprised to
see you and they will always smile at you if you nor your head in acknowledgement.
I can’t count how many times people came up to me on the street and asked to take a photo with
me. So I took selfish with them

22. 3. People are Friendly
My favorite part about visiting Bangladesh was the people. Almost everyone I came across was
super friendly and they always went out of their way to help me. I was stopped on the street
dozens of times every day from people who asked if I needed any help with anything. I was
offered to go inside people’s homes for chai (tea) and food. If I stood on a street corner looking
around, someone would come up and ask me if I knew where I was going. It seemed that people
were just as interested to get to know me as I was to know them.
In addition, I never once felt harassed or unsafe. I really enjoyed the kind hospitality of
Bangladeshi people.

23. 4. Pollution is Rampant
As you probably could have guessed from my traffic photo above — Dhaka is much
polluted. It’s probably the most polluted city I’ve ever been to… So you’ll want to get yourself a
mask when walking outside, to avoid breathing in dirt and chemicals from the excess amount of
people, cars, tractors and factories.

24. 5. It’s a Foodie Paradise
I was surprised to see how much food was offered in Dhaka! Not only Bangladeshi food, but so
many chains that I recognized from the U.S. such as KFC and Burger King. There were loads of
Korean, Japanese and Thai restaurants as well.
Bangladeshi food is similar to Indian food. Lots of curry-based dishes, soups, vegetables, roti
and chai. Although contrary to in India, Bangladeshis eat a lot of meat (mutton, chicken, and
beef). My favorite dish that I ate in Dhaka was Mutton Leg Roast, as you see in the above
photo.
I even ate at a Bangladesh-Chinese fusion restaurant, which was fantastic and I can’t even
describe what I tasted.

25. 6. It Might be the Cheapest Country in Asia
It’s hard to say for sure, because I still haven’t been to every country in Asia… But Bangladesh
is amongst the cheapest countries in Asia and the world. Yes, even cheaper than India, Vietnam,
and the Philippines.
This makes it much less stressful because I didn’t have to worry about budgeting myself. I could
splurge a little more on a nice dinner!

26. 7. There Are Many Forms of Transportation
Bicycles, taxis, buses, private cars, 3 wheeled rickshaws, and more — you have the option to
decide how to get around. I took almost every form of transportation, and I enjoyed most the 3
wheeled rickshaws as I could get a great view of the city along the way.
If its rush hour and you’re in a hurry, then you might be better off walking instead of sitting in
traffic.

27. 8. It’s Mostly Cash Only
While most fancy restaurants & hotels will accept card (visa and MasterCard), almost everything
else in Bangladesh is cash only. Therefore, I recommend taking out a bunch of extra money at
the ATM machine when you arrive at the airport, so you will be fully equipped on your
trip. You can always exchange back the money when you’re leaving Dhaka

28. 9. Most People Can Speak English
I was surprised to see the majority of people speaking (or understanding) English. This broke
down cultural barriers and made it easier to make friends and do daily activities like ordering in a
restaurant or riding in a taxi. When I was visiting some ruins (above), these young ladies came
up to me and asked for a photo and we talked for a few minutes!
Many people will want to practice speaking with you if they see you, so be open to that and help
them out!

29. 10. Nothing Runs on Time
This is mostly due to the horrific traffic. Don’t expect to get anywhere on time. If you are
meeting someone for dinner at 7, that really means 8. There is no way around it.
The capital Dhaka is experiencing one of the highest rates of urbanization in the world. Over the
years, the city has had inconsistent transformation of land use and organic development which in
turn created crisis in residential areas or neighborhoods and affected the city life adversely.
Bureaucratic problems, political influence, lack of appropriate mechanism for land development
for the residential areas, ineffective implementation, poor supervision and monitoring system are
continuously creating problems for the citizens.
Dhaka city’s common problems are increase in water pollution, traffic congestion, air and noise
pollution, solid waste disposal, black smoke, etc. Inadequate drainage sections, conventional
drainage system with low capacity and gravity, natural siltation, absence of inlets and outlets,
indefinite drainage outlets, lack of proper maintenance of existing drainage system, and over and
above disposal of solid waste into the drains and drainage paths are accounted for the prime
causes of blockage in drainage system and water logging.
In addition, seasonal tidal effect and the topography of the city are also causing water logging.
The storm water becomes polluted as it mixes with solid waste, clinical waste, silt, contaminants,
domestic wastes and other human activities that increase the water-borne diseases. The stagnant
storm water leads to the creation of breeding sites for diseases vectors that become a hazard to

30. health as well as being unsightly and foul smelling. Open dustbins on roadsides overflow with
garbage. Roads and drains go under knee-deep water not only in monsoon but also after a sudden
shower. The housing shortage is so acute that one third of the city's population lives in slums.
Parks and open spaces are gradually disappearing.
Specific locations for dumping the garbage are either not present in a region or are not properly
used. In public parks, schools or university campuses, distance between two trash cans is so large
that people usually do not walk all the way to throw a banana peel or a used tissue.
Apparently the capital dwellers will have to brace for another spate of traffic jams and inordinate
hold-ups on the roads of the capital during the month of Ramzan. This unfortunately is the
situation which is getting horrendously repetitive every year without any signs of improving any
time soon.
The current traffic situation is due mainly to the service agencies taking undue time for road
repairs, unregulated roadside markets, piling of construction materials on the roads, and, of late,
the under construction flyovers. Unless there is strong political will and co-ordination among the
various utility service providers there is no possible end to the suffering in sigh
In this circumstance, if the condition remains same for a long time, the future condition of
Dhaka city shall be dangerous. These problems are increasing day by day. These problems
cannot be solved in a day. So we must follow different rules and regulations to solve these
problems.
In our view, as soon as possible, if Bangladesh govt. will take a robust plan; the dreadful
condition of Dhaka City may be eliminated. At the same time, the people of Dhaka can also act a
vital role in order to make the city healthy as well as wealthy.
With the development of technology, over consumption and inadequate emissions of waste have
a considerable impact on the air, water, forest and wildlife which leads to various problems to
human life. This essay will give an overview of the sources as well as the negative impacts of
those problems and possible solutions for the problem.
Water Pollution:
Water crisis problem is a great problem in Dhaka city. The problem cannot solve in a day.
To solve the problem we should follow some rules and regulations.
• We should stop the misuse of water.
• After using the water we should stop the taps, fountains etc.
• After filling the tangs we should stop the stitch of connecting lines.
• We should be conscious to use the water.
• Our government should take proper steps to control the waste of the water. Our government
and other companies should make different types of cartons about the waste of water.

31. Load Shedding:
Load shedding is another big problem in Dhaka city. Every day we face the problem as a
routine.
To remove the problem we must be sincere to control load shedding.
• We should stop our lights, our fans, and air cooler when it is not necessary.
• At day light we should stop our lights. Most of the shopping complex, shops, industries, mills
and other institutions should be opened in day light.
• Our govt. should take necessary steps to remove load shedding and also make hard rules
against that person who misuse the power supply.
Gas Problem:
Gas problem is another great problem in Dhaka city. The problem is increasing day by day.
To solve the problem we should follow these steps:
• We must control our over and unnecessary use of gas.
• We must stop our gas oven after using.
• We should be conscious to the proper utilization of gas.
• When we face traffic jam we should stop the engine of the vehicle.
• Government should take a proper step to control the problem.
Population Problem:
Population problem is a vital problem in Dhaka city. Our population is increasing day by day but
our accommodation is not increasing at the same rate. Our land is limited, so day by day our free
space is decreasing.

32. • To solve the problem we should control our birth rate.
• We should build up many multi-stored buildings to remove the problem.
• Our govt. should remove all slams from Dhaka city and at that place govt. can build up many
multi-stored buildings to remove accommodation problem.
Air Pollution:
Air pollution problem is also one of the main problems in Dhaka city. Without fresh smoke we
will fall in danger and we could be sick quickly. The main reason of air pollution is smoke. To
remove the problem -
• Our mills and factories create polluted smoke which pollutes our air. On the other hand,
• Increasing amount of vehicles also created polluted smoke.
• Govt. should transfer all mills and factories from Dhaka city and stop smoking.
• Smoking should be banned in public places.
Sound Pollution
Sound pollution problem is another major problem in Dhaka city. It is increasing day by day.
To remove the problem our govt. should follow different rules and regulation and build up hard
rules against those people who create these pollution and are responsible. Besides,
• Our government and general people should be conscious to keep our environment free from
sound pollution.
• Sound or Horn limitations should be imposed.
Then we will be able to remove sound pollution from our city.
Insects Problem:
Insects’ problem is another major problem in Dhaka city. It is increasing day by day. There are
different types of insects contain in Dhaka city. Such as- mosquito, mouse, fly, bug, ant,
scorpion, cockroach, oil beetle etc. Those insects are very harmful for our daily life.
To prevent those insects
• we should always keep our environment neat and clean.
• We should keep our garbage in a particular place.
• Our city corporation should use medicine every week in the drain to remove these insects.
• We should be conscious to remove those insects.
Garbage Problem:
Garbage problem is another major problem in Dhaka city. The city dwellers make a lot of
garbage and they also keep them in different places. As a result that garbage create stink. So it
creates different types of diseases every day. To remove the problem -

33. • We should keep our garbage in a particular place and
• Government should build up many dustbins according the necessity of people.
Sanitation Problem:
Sanitation problem is another problem in Dhaka city.
• There are not enough public toilets in the city.
• Besides, the roads or any public place are being illegally used by the people for sanitation. As a
result they are unable to walk beside the foot-path. So they always walk the high way roads. As a
result it occurs many accidents and many people lose their life.
• Our government should ensure good sanitation system.
• Build up more toilets in important areas of Dhaka city.
• NGO should also build up many public toilets to ensure sanitation.
• Govt. should build up hard laws against those people who illegally use road side areas and all
public places for sanitation.
• Public awareness should be grown among people against it.
Street Problem:
Street problem in Dhaka city is also a great problem. For this reason we face many problems as a
result we lose our valuable time without any work. We also spoil our valuable economy.
To remove the problem -
• Government should build up high way roads and abolish all foot-path. Besides,
• The shops, institutions, markets, departmental stores etc which is close to roads, should be
removes.
• New road projects could be imposed.
• Traffic police should do their duty properly.
• Fly over, one way road system etc should be introduced.
The objective of the essay is to create awareness regarding the environmental issues in Dhaka.
The types of pollution focused in this assignment are mainly air pollution, water pollution, noise
pollution and soil pollution and other topics are related to save Dhaka city from many vital
issues. This essay identifies these problems and their underlying causes. Further, it addresses the
major problems created in Dhaka city due to pollution and how it can be prevented. Although the
focus of this paper is the area within the DCC limits, we cannot forget about the close
interrelationship of DCC with the other municipalities, or with the surrounding region within the
megacity. Indeed, Dhaka’s functional hinterland is the whole of Bangladesh.
Dhaka will remain the most important urban agglomeration in the country and one of the largest
in the world. Given the political system, economic situation, and environmental condition, it is
impossible to restrict migration into Dhaka, and therefore the city is likely to continue to grow
rapidly
for the foreseeable future. There are many other issues to be tackled that concern the future of

34. Dhaka. A number of them are reflected in recently adopted policies and plans. We should
carefully review these Topics and declare our total commitment to implement them. If we fail to
do this, we have failed Dhaka.
Finally, as indicated earlier, the planning and development process of Dhaka (or any other city)
cannot reach its desired objectives without direct and total participation of its residents. Equally
important is efficient city administration, including planning, development, and service delivery.
Traffic Jam in Dhaka City:
Over the last few years the transportation problem of Dhaka City has visibly been deteriorating
steadily. Citizens constantly complain about the unbearable twin problems of traffic jam and air
pollution. Democracy watch decided to address this problem through an opinion poll covering
around eight hundred households randomly selected from several purposively selected
neighborhoods of the city, representatives of middle and lower income areas.
Some preliminary results from this survey were presented at a workshop, which was participate
by persons associated with the formulation and implementation of traffic policies, rules and
programmed .This Draft Final Report benefits from valuable discussion and comments received
at the workshop. The methodology of this survey is explained below in brief. It is easy to see that
the study extended beyond a standard opinion poll and entered the arena of investigative research
in seeking some explanations to perceptions as well as behavior.
The findings are presented mainly in the form of self-explanatory tables with some introductory
highlights and conclusions. A further extension of the survey is currently being completed to
cover the very poor and the rich categories of residents as was recommended by several
participants at the workshop mentioned earlier. Reasons behind traffic jam
(a) City lay-out (master plan) and over-population: The causes of traffic congestion in Dhaka city
are multifarious. Starting from the city itself, it is observed that the skeleton, structure and lay-
out of Dhaka City are not well-planned and well-directed.
In today’s world, the success of a city depends on its economy, which in turn is dependent on the
infrastructure, among other things. The importance of the infrastructure can be particularly felt
by the citizens of Dhaka in its traffic system, as its congestion reminds us of how important it is
to have a good transport system.
• We the citizens of Dhaka are suffering because our traffic system is failing us, as it is resulting
in less efficiency in various fields, such as business.
• Due to traffic congestion, our valuable times and energy are being wasted.

35. • The problem of traffic congestion and uncontrolled vehicle emission make life miserable in
Dhaka city causing threat to health.
• Everyday work-hours are unnecessarily wasted due to traffic jam. It has a great economic
impact on production and thus on our economy.
• Traffic congestions intensify sufferings of commuters keeping people motionless as well as
creating suffocating condition in the streets.
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Reasons of Traffic Congestion are mentioned below:
1. The minimum road requirement is 25% for a standard city, whereas Dhaka has only 7.5% road
of its total area which is creating huge traffic. Moreover, if we look at the map of Dhaka city, the
road connection of north and south is comparatively better than east and west which is causing
people to take a longer route to travel.
2. The district truck and bus travel through heart of the capital city due to no bypass road. For
example, a person who lives in Chittagong must enter Dhaka to reach Kushtia.
3. The Export Processing Zone (EPZ) which is established near Dhaka forces the vehicles to
move from Savar to Dhaka to Chittagong. Our EPZ is oriented to bulk products like garments
and it must be located near sea port.
4. Every day thousands of people are entering the city as our economic activity and
administration like education, health sector are all Dhaka centered. There is no attempt for
decentralization.
5. Bangladesh population growth is…
Thousands of pedestrians in Dhaka jaywalk every day, particularly during rush hours, risking
their lives and the lives of motorists and sometimes with fatal consequences.
Jaywalking has reached such an alarming state that fatalities are recorded almost every day.
Pedestrians are often seen crossing the streets at places they are not supposed to while talking to
each other or on mobile phones oblivious to things around them. Some seem to be unaware of
the doctrine “Don’t run across the road”.
Jaywalking is so widespread that it has become almost a norm and motorists are often blamed for
mishaps despite the fact that the pedestrian he or she hit was jaywalking.

36. The fast Airport Road from Uttara to Mohakhali, Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Shaheed Tajuddin
Sarani (Tejgaon), and Mirpur Road are the ones where most fatal accidents to pedestrians
happen.
Largely, people’s tendency to flout traffic rules and lack of adequate facilities for pedestrians,
illegal occupation of pavements by parked cars, shops, vendors and construction materials
contribute to pedestrian’s use of the streets, said traffic experts.
A journalist died at Bangla Motor intersection while crossing Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue in 2005.
Dhaka University student Shammee Akhter Happy was run over by a speeding bus while
crossing the Shahbagh intersection in 2005.
Sultana Akhtar Sumi, a 20-year student of Narayanganj Art College, died on April 3, 2009, as
she stepped on a livewire and fell from the under-construction footbridge near Shishu Park.
According to Accident Research Institute at Buet, 380 deaths occur on the streets of Dhaka every
year, and 75 percent are pedestrians.
“Lack of enforcement of law to free pedestrians’ facilities is the foremost reason why people go
on jaywalking,” said M Rahmatullah, former director (transport) of United Nations Economic
and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
Absence of useful underpasses, footbridges and pavements force people into jaywalking, said
Rahmatullah.
On controlling jaywalking, Selim Md Jahangir, deputy commissioner (traffic west zone) of
Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said it is practically impossible for the police to stop jaywalking
because it is a massive problem with almost everyone having a tendency to break traffic laws.
The volume of pedestrians compared to that of vehicles at certain places is many times higher
and police have to control traffic, he said.
Dhaka City Corporation, entrusted with providing facilities to pedestrians, has been turning a
blind eye to pavements occupied by illegal structures, parked cars, makeshift shops and
construction materials.
The DCC has only 390 kilometers of pavements while it has 1,900 kilometers of roads, said
DCC officials.
Most of the 52 footbridges in the city remain unused for various reasons. The DCC has four
underpasses: one each at Gulistan intersection, Gabtoli bus terminal, Syedabad (Dhalpur) and
Karwan Bazar. Apart from the one at Syedabad, the rest are in a poor state.

37. Nargis Chowdhury, a bank employee at Karwan Bazar and a resident of West Raza Bazar, said,
“I never feel encouraged to use the Karwan Bazar underpass as it is often dark and infested with
beggars, vagabonds and is very filthy.”
Prof Jamilur Reza Chowdhury, noted civil engineer and transport expert, said a key reason
behind jaywalking is that most of the city dwellers are rural people who migrated or are first-
generation urban dwellers.
Another reason is utterly unplanned footbridges that the pedestrians do not feel encouraged to
use. Footbridges are not in a favorable state for the pedestrians to use. Some of them have been
taken over by vendors, beggars and vagabonds, like the one at New Market, or they have human
excreta on them.
“They are not user-friendly,” he said. Provision for on-the-surface pedestrian crossings should
also be there too.
People’s tendency is not to climb up a footbridge. Moreover, there are no required footbridges
across many busy roads like Shaheed Tajuddin Sarani (Tejgaon), Gulshan Avenue, and at
intersections like Shahbagh, Nabisco, and Mohakhali.
Existing traffic signals are not pedestrian-friendly at all, according to those who research in the
transport sector. Physically disabled, elderly people and children have no alternative but to use
the footbridges.
According Prof Nazrul Islam, an urban researcher, around half the city dwellers go to work on
foot. Around 90 to 95 percent of the poor and people of the low-income group go to work on foot
Bangladesh’s water crisis affects both rural and urban areas, and is a matter of both water
scarcity and water quality. While Bangladesh has made commendable progress in supplying safe
water to its people, gross disparity in coverage still exists across the country. Latrine usage is
very poor, averaging only 16% in the rural areas. Diarrheal diseases constitute a major health
problem in Bangladesh, killing over 100,000 children each year. Thousands of episodes of
diarrhea occur in children and adults each day. Diarrheal diseases have close biological and
socio-economic links to the problems of malnutrition, poor maternal health, high fertility, and
child survival.
The water crisis will be triggered in coming years while acute water crisis will be erupted in
urban areas due to rapid growth of population and urbanization and lack of civic amenities. But,
the demand of water is increasing day by day keeping pace with growth of population and
development of civilization. Bangladesh will also have to face acute water crisis in coming
decades. There are different water gaps in Dhaka city caused by rapid urbanization; these are –
growth of informal settlements; water demand and supply; service coverage; consumption
pattern and water safety.

38. The rapid and uneven urbanization has resulted in growth of informal settlements; inter-city and
intra-city gaps in water supply coverage. About 35 percent slum dwellers of Dhaka city in living
in only 4 percent of land area while the hygienic sanitation in slums is only 12 percent at the
moment. Piped water coverage in Dhaka is 83 percent, Chittagong 41 percent, Khulna 45 percent
and 102 municipal towns 40 percent.
Almost 90 percent of water supply comes from underground water and Dhaka continues to
withdraw groundwater for its 85 percent of supply. According to the international standard, there
should be no color in the effluent discharge. Thermal waste has become a major concern for us.
The Shitalakhya River, one of the main rivers surrounding Dhaka, has become subject to thermal
waste.
This sort of waste destroys the ecosystem of rivers which has happened to Shitalakhya. The
actual hygienic sanitation coverage is quiet below than that reported by the government. This is
because an essential requisite for hygienic sanitation is proper sewage treatment which is missing
in our sewerage system.
Random destruction of water sources about 65 percent of the surface of Metro Dhaka was water
bodies (Ponds, small lakes and streams) about 20 years ago. But, now we have seen very few
number of water bodies in the city.
The underground and surface water in the city is contaminating in many ways. Industrial and
household waste is destroying surface water in rivers surrounding the Dhaka city, which is the
major concern for us.
Water percolates very slowly through these soils from the water bodies to recharge the ground
water table. During the rainy season the water bodies around Dhaka were filled up and a
significant quantity of surface water would also runoff into the streams and rivers.
All know that water supply of Dhaka city is heavily dependent on groundwater extraction; more
than 87% of the supplied water is being extracted from this source and the rest amount from
rivers. Such extensive dependency enhances a very high depletion rate of groundwater table.
The size of the urban population is increasing at alarming rates. The poor from the rural areas
continue to migrate to the urban areas with the hope of being able to earn larger wages to support
their families. Many of these people find shelter in Dhaka’s slum communities.
These squatter communities are the most densely populated areas in the country. The enormous
quantity of people living in such close quarters causes people living in these slums to have very
poor health. Acute poverty, overcrowding, poor housing, and unhealthy disposal of waste all
play major roles in the water and sanitation crisis in the urban areas of Bangladesh. The capital
Dhaka is experiencing one of the highest rates of urbanization in the world. Over the years, the
city has had inconsistent transformation of land use and organic development which in turn
created crisis in residential areas or neighborhoods and affected the city life adversely.
Bureaucratic problems, political influence, lack of appropriate mechanism for land development
for the residential areas, ineffective implementation, poor supervision and monitoring system are
continuously creating problems for the citizens.
Dhaka city’s common problems are increase in water pollution, traffic congestion, air and noise

39. pollution, solid waste disposal, black smoke, etc. Inadequate drainage sections, conventional
drainage system with low capacity and gravity, natural siltation, absence of inlets and outlets,
indefinite drainage outlets, lack of proper maintenance of existing drainage system, and over and
above disposal of solid waste into the drains and drainage paths are accounted for the prime
causes of blockage in drainage system and water logging.
In addition, seasonal tidal effect and the topography of the city are also causing water logging.
The storm water becomes polluted as it mixes with solid waste, clinical waste, silt, contaminants,
domestic wastes and other human activities that increase the water-borne diseases. The stagnant
storm water leads to the creation of breeding sites for diseases vectors that become a hazard to
health as well as being unsightly and foul smelling. Open dustbins on roadsides overflow with
garbage. Roads and drains go under knee-deep water not only in monsoon but also after a sudden
shower. The housing shortage is so acute that one third of the city's population lives in slums.
Parks and open spaces are gradually disappearing.
Specific locations for dumping the garbage are either not present in a region or are not properly
used. In public parks, schools or university campuses, distance between two trash cans is so large
that people usually do not walk all the way to throw a banana peel or a used tissue.
Apparently the capital dwellers will have to brace for another spate of traffic jams and inordinate
hold-ups on the roads of the capital during the month of Ramzan. This unfortunately is the
situation which is getting horrendously repetitive every year without any signs of improving any
time soon.
The current traffic situation is due mainly to the service agencies taking undue time for road
repairs, unregulated roadside markets, piling of construction materials on the roads, and, of late,
the under construction flyovers. Unless there is strong political will and co-ordination among the
various utility service providers there is no possible end to the suffering in sight.
Although living in Dhaka can be tough at times, there are some great things about it, for me. I
fully realize some points in the list below can't be enjoyed by everyone in Bangladesh whether as
a tourist or a resident, but there you have it. I'm well aware I'm incredibly lucky to be in this
country and enjoy so much of it in ways many millions of people here can't due to not being
British/white/able to earn a half-decent salary (I work at a local school and earn a local salary,
but I know it's still more than the majority)/other factors I'm well aware of. I'm just trying to
defend myself a bit here as I've had a few comments about this particular blog entry along the
lines of how I sound elitist/prejudiced/patronizing etc. which I don't think is true at all. I have
tried to be a part of everyday life here in Dhaka as much as I can and have met many wonderful
people here, from Bangladesh and from other countries. Anyhow, here's a glimpse of life in
Bangladesh from my point of view.
25 great things about living in Dhaka (in no particular order):
1. Being able to get your own shoes made, to fit you, out of any color leather you want, any

40. buckle, shape, size, style, heel all within a week and for £15 equivalent.
2. Having freshly-made waffles with fresh cream and jam, with a jug of iced tea, for 2 quid, at
Sally-Ann's, a Salvation Army place which sells lovely handmade stuff including household
items, paper, candles, decorations.
3. The favorite restaurants. Thai, Chinese, Indian, Bangladeshi, Japanese, Korean, Italian,
French...the list goes on, and all for less than £10 between 3 people usually. I've lived and
travelled quite a bit and I've never had such good food so consistently in one place. I really like
the Mango Cafe near where I live (lassies to die for) and also the Dhaba on Road 11 (I think?) in
Banani...yummy mutton curry...aah don't get me started..Yum...
4. Fresh fruit like pineapples, grapes, coconuts (is that a fruit?!), mangoes again, for less than 1p
per whole pineapple for example, all year round
5. Getting any material you fancy and/or any clothing pattern you like and getting a dress, or a
skirt, or a top etc made to measure for not a lot.
6. Jatra, Aranya, Aarong, Karamanga, Kumudini..the array of fair-trade, individual, non-massed
produces products you can buy at these kinds of places is amazing wish the UK had these. And
they're in such bright colors - again, the UK has much to learn from B'desh when it comes to
experimenting with bold, bright colors. Good to know People Tree (peopletree.co.uk) work so
closely with B'desh sourcing beautiful clothing and accessories from there to sell in the UK!
7. Being whizzed around the streets in a rickshaw. It feels like you are going to be thrown off
every second and the rickshaw-wallahs are always trying to scheme me for much more taka than
I know locals get charged (as I have found out), but I like being whizzed around in one
occasionally! Anyway I don't mind paying a bit more than perhaps is usual; I have so much
compared to them. However when I had a rickshaw ride that was under a mile long and he
wanted 100 taka for it (when I know people usually pay 10-20), I refused to be a mug!
8. Buying a dinner set (cups, platters, 2 different sized plates, bowls, teapot etc) for 20 quid from
the warehouses that produce china and porcelain for John Lewis, M&S etc but before those
shops put mark-up prices on!
9. Being called 'pretty' or 'beautiful' almost every day by my students or random people. I don't
know why because I've never had such compliments while living in the UK! Maybe it's because I
wear shalwaar kameez (es) all the time, as they're much cooler in this climate than Western
clothes..I know people say they appreciate me wearing 'their' clothes as I've had comments about
it but...I have no idea!

41. 10. Move pick ice cream par lour, a Swiss ice cream company that acts like a bar, open till late,
most people don't drink alcohol here (Muslim) so this is the equivalent of going down the pub on
a Friday night!
11. Going out on the boat on the river at weekends. Peace and quiet, greenery, kids from villages
waving from the shore, seeing kingfishers and dolphins.
12. Village life 30 mins outside the city. Saris drying on the line, chickens clucking around, kids
playing, men fishing with massive Chinese nets..
13. Cheap DVDs and CDs!
14. Markets Manic but great once you're in and try to ignore being stared at! Last time I went to
new market I tried to search for a poster of Hrithik Roshan...he's so fit!
15. Learning to be a 'proper' teacher, making my kids laugh (occasionally) and trying to raise
funds for e.g. the cyclone victims through school bake sales! (Any excuse baking...)
16. Watching Bollywood movies and learning the songs (I can now sing a little...in Hindi �) I
love 'Dhoom 2', 'Bunty aur Babli' and basically anything with the aforementioned Hrithik in...
17. Material. Silk everywhere, cotton, silk-cotton mix, hand-woven stuff, loves it.
18. Swimming in an open air pool, having a fresh pineapple juice and a club burger at the British
High Commission down the road. Aaah. Yes, in that way, I'm very spoilt having access to a
pool!
19. Singing in a band. It can get thorny at times with 9 people in the band currently, but it's fun.
We play gigs at various Embassies when wanted...
20. Going to the local salon around the corner and getting a massage/manicure/hot oil
treatment/henna etc, again for only a few quid.
21. Call to prayer. OK it's a bit annoying sometimes when you're in a quiet bit in a movie when
you hear 'aaaaaAAAAAAAA' from the mosque down the road, but it's kind of nice and
comforting.
22. The sound and smell of monsoon rain. Not practical to move about in, but enjoyable if you're
under a solid roof! Watch the road outside turn into a lake in minutes!

42. 23. A brown baguette from the Westin hotel. Ridiculously expensive but I treat myself once in a
while as I really miss crusty brown bread (even though I didn't have it in China, still I miss it!).
Also it has very cold air conditioning, which is a relief after a hot day!
24. The friendliness of people here they want to practice their English and it's much better than
in China (sorry China) so it's much easier to hold a conversation with a random person! First
question 'Where you from?' Second question 'Are you married?' (this from women and men...and
then they gasp when I say no...)
25. The different and seemingly endless festivals they have here with clothing to match...Spring
Day (yellow and orange everywhere); Mother Language Day (black and white everywhere); I
now have every shalwaar kameez colour in the world to go with every festival/celebration that
happens in Bangladesh!
Conclusion:
Everything has its both good and bad sides. Living in Dhaka city is not exceptional. Here you
will be facing both good and bad sides living in Dhaka city. So you need to balance with what
you have got so far here in Dhaka to live in. People should be more practical rather than being
emotional which can ensure a better living life here in Dhaka City.

43. Reference:
1. http://www.thedailystar.net/shout/5-reasons-dhaka-the-best-city-the-world-105841
2. https://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-248603.html
3. https://drewbinsky.com/10-things-expect-dhaka-bangladesh/
4. https://www.quora.com/What-is-it-like-to-live-in-Dhaka-Bangladesh
5. http://www.assignmentpoint.com/arts/modern-civilization/history-dhaka-city.html
6. http://www.assignmentpoint.com/arts/modern-civilization/traffic-jam-dhaka-city.html
7. https://www.facebook.com/AssignmentSolution/posts/497180103678111