Urbanisation ignores the poor

OVER 10 per cent of the population live in the capital city and some 532 urban growth centres concentrated in a little over 11,000 square kilometres of the total landmass, contributing to over 60 per cent of the GDP. It is sad to witness that 4 out of 10 poor people in Dhaka city live in slums having little access to the basic amenities of modern life. These include lack of sanitation, access to educational and health facilities, security, etcetera, which underscore the basic failure to address the issues of economic and social emancipation of the toiling masses.

With urbanisation being a global phenomenon, it is only natural that Bangladesh's urban centres will continue to post impressive migration growth from rural areas. Yet, without the city administration taking into account the dire needs of the sizeable disadvantaged group to proper housing, education and other more basic facilities that allow for a decent quality of life, the disparity between the rich and the poor will continue to grow.

As expressed by experts in a recent meeting, more than 8 out of 10 urban poor lack ownership of habitat. Needless to say where powerful real estate groups vie for land in an already congested city, catering almost entirely to the middle and upper classes, the poor are left adrift to fend for themselves. Policy initiatives are needed to redress this inequality so that those less fortunate may have a chance to a decent life in the cities.