Urbanisation
Not only crisis, also an opportunity
Says Hossain Zillur Rahman
More than a half of the gross domestic product (GDP) of Bangladesh comes from its urban areas, said researchers at a discussion yesterday.
Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC), a non-government research organisation, organised the discussion at LGED auditorium in the capital following the launching ceremony of Bangladesh Urban Institute.
Urbanisation is not only a challenge or crisis, but also an enormous opportunity as it contributes 60 percent of the country's GDP, said Hossain Zillur Rahman, executive chairman of PPRC.
However, urbanisation, which holds the country's future, is taking place in an uncontrolled manner, causing economic inequality and environmental degradation, he added.
Dhaka alone contributes 36 percent to the country's GDP, said Ellen Goldstein, country director of the World Bank.
Weak urban planning and governance, inadequate infrastructure, and informal housing and landlessness are some major constraints in the way to Bangladesh's urbanisation, said Ming Zhang, urban and water sector South Asia manager of the World Bank.
South Asian countries are facing rapid transition to middle-income countries with accelerated urbanisation, with Bangladesh at 30 percent rate of growth, he said.
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