Lecture Notes: Population Boom in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Introduction

• Topic: The population boom in the poorest urban areas, focusing on Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• Part of a Global Pulse series on mega-cities.

Abdurraheem's Story

• Background:
  • Lost his farmland to the Brahmaputra River.
  • Drives a rented rickshaw, earning about $1 per day.
  • Plans to move family to Dhaka for better opportunities.
• Migration:
  • Joins around 400,000 yearly migrants to Dhaka.
  • Faces emotional challenge of leaving behind familiar community.

Urbanization Trends

• Global Trend:
  • More people living in urban than rural areas for the first time.
  • By mid-century, 80% of the global population will reside in cities.
• Dhaka's Growth:
  • Estimated population: 15 million.
  • Fastest growing mega-city, one of the poorest.
  • UN predicts it will surpass Shanghai, Mexico City, or New York in population.

Challenges of Rapid Urbanization

• Historical Growth:
  • Post-1947: Population growth from 250,000 to millions.
  • Driven by rural poverty and natural disasters.
• Infrastructure Strain:
  • Traffic issues costing $2 billion annually.
  • Pollution from raw sewage.
  • Strained electricity and water networks, leading to protests.
• Slum Conditions:
  • New arrivals often settle in slums.
  • Pay inflated rates for pirated utilities due to illegal residency.

Social and Economic Dynamics

• Economic Opportunities:
  • Some migrants find work in industries like garment factories.
  • Example: Mahmooda Akhtar improved her living standards by working in a factory.
• Dual Reality of Slums:
  • Slums as both ladders out of poverty and traps.

Future Projections and Solutions

• Dichotomy:
  • Coexistence of high-rise buildings for elites and expanding slums.
• Necessity of Slums:
  • Acknowledged as the fastest-growing part of the city.
  • Need for concrete steps to improve living conditions.
• Potential Solutions:
  • Greater control over services by municipal governments.
  • NGOs providing small-scale solutions like legal water connections.
• Relevance to Global Urbanization:
  • Lessons from Dhaka applicable to other cities experiencing similar trends.

Conclusion

• Enormous Challenge:
  • Dynamic and expanding problems in urbanization.
  • Potential pathways for improving slum conditions can have wide-reaching impacts.