Unplanned Dhaka sinks in livability ranking
Dhaka now ranks 171st among 173 cities on the Global Livability Index, with planners warning that unplanned urbanisation, environmental degradation and weak governance have pushed the capital towards one of the world’s lowest levels of livability.
Dhaka’s worsening livability is being driven by interconnected failures in urban planning, transport, environmental management, public health and governance, planners said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a press conference titled “Dhaka City’s Livability: Challenges and Roadmap for Planned Solutions”, Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) President Muhammad Ariful Islam said the capital’s problems were directly linked to planning failures.
The event was organised by BIP at its conference hall in Planners Tower.
Ariful said Dhaka ranks 18th among the world’s most polluted cities, while transport congestion, air and noise pollution, waterlogging, shrinking green spaces, public health risks and weak social inclusion continue to undermine the city’s quality of life.
The city’s loss of natural drainage systems has further intensified the crisis. Of the roughly 56 canals Dhaka once had, only 26 survive in any recognisable form, he said.
As many as 48 areas have been identified as waterlogging-prone because of canal and wetland encroachment and inadequate drainage, he added.
Traffic congestion is also imposing a major economic burden on the capital.
Ariful said Dhaka loses around 50 lakh working hours annually because of congestion, resulting in an estimated economic cost of Tk 37,000 crore.
He also pointed to problems caused by unplanned billboards and lighting, saying they are damaging the cityscape and affecting road safety.
Increasing building density and inadequate waste management are also contributing to public health risks, including dengue and chikungunya, he said.
Around 1,765 tonnes of waste, equivalent to 27 percent of total waste generation, remain uncollected every day, worsening waterlogging and creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Dhaka’s shrinking green cover is another major concern.
Only 7.99 percent of the city’s 99.29 square kilometres is currently green space, Ariful said, describing the figure as far below what is required for a liveable city.
BIP General Secretary Mohammad Mosleh Uddin Hasan said Dhaka was heading towards its lowest-ever level of livability because existing plans were poorly implemented and institutions remained weak.
Planner Adil Muhammad Khan highlighted footpath encroachment, illegal businesses, extortion and political influence in urban management as major concerns.
Planner AKM Riaz Uddin said migration to Dhaka was continuing despite the decline in livability because other parts of the country lacked adequate employment opportunities and essential services.
The speakers agreed that Dhaka’s problems were interconnected and could not be addressed through isolated measures.
They called for long-term, coordinated national planning covering the environment, land use, transport, healthcare and waste management to reverse the capital’s declining livability.
