RAPID URBANIZATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION : THE CASE OF MEGA CITY DHAKA

Abstract: Dhaka the capital city of Bangladesh is one of the largest and most populous cities in the world. According to World Bank, Bangladesh has been experiencing a rapid urbanization over the last few decades, and Dhaka City’s projected 20 million residents will make it the third-largest city in the world by 2020. Dhaka city is also one of the most densely populated areas of the world. This paper tried to explain the reasons of rapid and unplanned urbanization and relate it to the most challenging issues of environmental degradation. This case study used qualitative research and some part in quantitative as well. Dhaka city has been experiencing excessively higher land prices, a huge slum population, abnormal traffic congestion, regular water shortages, irregular electricity supply, inadequate sanitation and drainage, increasing air pollution, weak governance and poor law and order situation. Basic needs for the inhabitants were found totally inadequate. All these problems aggravated by the absence of an inclusive policy on urbanization and the lack of well-organized agencies to implement such a policy. Therefore, people living in Dhaka city have been continuing severe living condition with all kind of life risk ingredients due to extreme level of environmental degradation.