Urbanization and Its Impact on Environment

Urbanization is the process of migration of the population from rural to urban areas, allowing cities and towns to develop. Cities and towns have achieved better economic, political, and social benefits than rural areas. People from rural areas migrate to urban areas to avail these facilities. However, as rapid urbanization continues to shape the global economy, problems arise and hamper the life of city dwellers. Issues such as slumization, overcrowding, traffic jams, air pollution, and water pollution affect the overall GDP of the country. This research aims to study the impact Urbanization has on the physical environment. This paper will address issues such as slumization in the corners of Dhaka, overcrowding, traffic congestion, water pollution, visual pollution, and air pollution. This paper also gives us an idea about the economic aspects of Dhaka city and its development. Bangladesh has 4,444 garment industries, of which 75% are in Dhaka. People from rural parts of the country flock to Dhaka city for job opportunities and a better standard of living.

Urbanization in Dhaka city

Since independence, Bangladesh's average urbanization pace has been 5% (World Bank 2012). The pace of urbanization in Dhaka City is exceptionally rapid, which prompts different issues that hamper the residents' essential or basic privileges. Utility administrations like power, water, and gas need to catch up concerning requests, and streets and transport offices become seriously deficient due to the city dwellers' rising demand for these services. (https://mpra.

uni-muenchen. de/88521/1/ MPRA_paper_88521. pdf.) Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, and Khulna are Bangladesh's four most significant urban communities. Only a few affluent people tend to reside in the expensive neighborhood of Dhaka city.

The most negligible people in Dhaka city are the slum dwellers. These people are poor and uneducated and have migrated from the rural parts of the country to attain better living standards. Slums are formed in the corners of Dhaka city by impoverished people. These people mostly migrate from rural areas of the country into Dhaka city in search of job opportunities and a better standard of living. Further urbanization, migration, globalization, and industrialization have increased the number of female-headed households. Many wastes pollution is produced by the slum dwellers, which hampers everybody living in the city. Solid waste is the third primary pollutant after air and water. As a result, this waste impacts the physical environment, pollutes the pond water that dwellers use for many purposes, and causes diseases such as dysentery, diarrhea, cholera, etc. Some households dispose of their waste inside the house in a hole and create air pollution.

The unsanitary physical environment of the slum settlements impacts the health of its dwellers. Due to urbanization, more people are coming to Dhaka city, making it crowded. Industrialization and pollution are which directly or indirectly affect our ecosystems. It is caused by many problems, such as land insecurity, worsening water quality, excessive air pollution, noise pollution, and waste disposal issues (Rai, 2017). With the increase in population and industries, the air in Dhaka city is being polluted with toxic substances. In Dhaka, it is seen that poisonous emissions from almost all types of automobiles like cars, jeeps, trucks, bus minibuses, microbuses, two-stroke engine-driven vehicles, and motorcycles have been polluting the city’s air severely. Besides this, railway engines, industrial plants, aircraft, power plants, brickfields, open burning incineration, dust particles, and solid waste disposal sites are playing a role in contributing to air pollution. Road diggings, construction and other developmental activities create dust pollution, which also contributes to the air pollution of Dhaka city (Rahman, Haque, Sarkar, Hoque, 2006). Vehicles are the primary source of air pollution in Dhaka city, which is growing at an alarming rate.

Another significant negative consequence of urbanization is water pollution.

Industrial pollutants, domestic sewage, and clinical waste largely contribute to the water pollution of the Buriganga River in Dhaka city. Untreated sewage and industrial waste pollute the water (Bashar, Ivan, 2020). Industrialization in Dhaka city is a significant factor in water pollution. Domestic sewage also causes water pollution. Household waste that passes through the drainage falls into the river and pollutes the water. Various pollutants from low-income areas and slums contribute to water pollution. More than 19. 5 million people live in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, and it is the most densely populated city in the country. People from rural parts of the country migrate to Dhaka city for a better standard of living, leading to overcrowding. This rural-to-urban migration causes environmental problems which affect everybody in society.

Traffic jam is one of the significant problems in Dhaka city. People who live in the slums are mostly rickshaw pullers, one of the main reasons for traffic jams. Decentralizing important government offices, mainly in metropolitan areas, and shifting these to other cities can be effective as it will create less gathering, more minor traffic jams, and pollution. Imposing a tax on industries that pollute the environment and providing free housing for destitute people urbanization brings multiple challenges, creating various sufferings for city dwellers and degrading the natural environment, ultimately leading to global warming. If these effects are reduced, Bangladesh will be able to achieve progress quickly, and Dhaka will be a livable city to reside in. The most difficult challenges would be slums, settlements, and air pollution. If migration is reduced, there will be less demand for the essential services of Dhaka city and less traffic congestion. Free schooling will decrease juvenile delinquency in Dhaka city as more children will be involved in studies.

These initiatives will reduce the harmful impacts of urbanization, make the city greener and environmentally friendly, and help achieve sustainable development goals.


Tushia Amin is an academic
scholar and a columnist.