Bangladesh’s megacity Dhaka is growing wildly, but not wisely. A new report from Saturday exposes how decades of unchecked expansion have turned the capital into a chaotic sprawl plagued by mismanagement. Once poised for greatness, Dhaka now epitomizes urban decay amid booming population and economic pressures.
Traffic misery defines daily life, housing lacks any blueprint, and basic utilities—power, water, gas—are substandard at best. The absence of parks and walkways is glaring, as noise pollution and toxic air suffocate the streets. Prothom Alo’s in-depth analysis reveals a governance vacuum fueling this downward spiral.
Slum proliferation is turning Dhaka into a patchwork of informal dwellings, constantly under threat from demolitions and blazes. While urbanization transforms demographics, it ignores critical aspects: living conditions, employment patterns, community ties, and neighborhood evolution.
The human cost is stark—elevated child marriages, widespread malnutrition among kids, dismal education, surging crime, and healthcare scarcity. The 2025 Global Livability Index by Economist Intelligence Unit slotted Dhaka near the bottom at 171 out of 173, scoring poorly across stability, health, culture, environment, education, and infrastructure.
Dhaka’s air is among the planet’s filthiest, per daily global rankings. Gridlock has slowed the city’s pulse to a crawl, evoking dread rather than dynamism. Flood risks loom large due to shoddy drainage, spawning waste heaps everywhere.
Perpetual building sites choke the air with dust, lending Dhaka a dreary, monotonous vibe. Poverty chasms, inequality, overburdened health services, and limp administration exacerbate the mess. This report serves as a wake-up call: Dhaka must reinvent itself or risk collapse.
