Millions of poverty-stricken people are leaving their rural homes and migrating to Dhaka and Chittagong in search of better livelihood opportunities.
Dhaka is already the most densely populated city on Earth according to the latest Demographia World Urban Areas Index, with over 17.4 million people and a population density of 47,400 people per sq km.
Despite these grim statistics, more people are arriving in the capital every day. The city’s population density has risen by 3.7% from a year ago, according to the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), an affiliate of Dhaka University.
A recent RMMRU study found Dhaka receives three out of every five (59.2%) migrants from rural areas, with one in five (20.1%) preferring the port city of Chittagong.
“Though migration is necessary for economic growth, the gathering of masses in two major cities indicates exclusive growth, when there is a need for inclusive growth,” Tasneem Siddiqui, DU professor of political science and chair of RMMRU, told the Dhaka Tribune.
RMMRU surveyed 1,431 internal migrant households of 20 districts and found other urban destinations included Gazipur (2.9% of all migrants), Sylhet (1.9%), Khulna (1%), Mymensingh and Narayanganj (0.6% each), and Satkhira (0.4%).
The remaining 13.2% of migrants were spread among the other districts and towns of the country.
Dhaka and Chittagong are equally attractive to both male and female migrants, but Gazipur attracts more female migrants compared to Dhaka and Chittagong districts due to its position as a garment industries hub. In total, Gazipur accommodates 7.2% of all female migrants.
The majority of the workers employed by garment factories and other manufacturing industries dwell in slums, while some of them live under the open sky.
“People will go to a place where there is an industry and employment opportunities,” Tasneem Siddiqui said.
“The problem is not due to migration but due to the absence of effective management, planning and government policy, especially urbanization.
“We should develop more cities with various urban facilities within the peripheries, such as easy and fast modes of transportation. The government has done nothing for decentralization since Liberation.”
Dr Akter Mahmud, a professor in the Jahangirnagar University Department of Urban and Regional Planning, said decentralization plans are present “only in words”.
“Health, education and employment are the major three components of urbanization (and) if we can reallocate these facilities to other cities or the periphery, people will not throng in Dhaka” he said.
“Benefits can be reaped only when urbanization is done in a proper way. Dhaka will face threatening consequences if strategic measures are not taken immediately.”
The RMMRU study revealed that 94% of Bangladeshis are migrating to cities for economic reasons, while 59% also migrate to escape social problems. The other key causes of migration are environmental, demographic, and political.
From the economic perspective, 54.8% migrate to overcome poverty while 53% migrate to find better jobs to increase their earnings.
From the social perspective, 84.3% have said they migrated for a better future for their families, and 12% said they migrated for a better education for their children.
According to the 14th annual edition of “Demographia World Urban Areas” released in April, Dhaka was by far the most densely populated city among 1,758 surveyed.
Dhaka’s nearest competitor was Mogadishu in Somalia, with a population density of 28,600 people per sq km.
Two years ago in 2016, Dhaka and Chittagong were both among the top 10 in a table ranking the world’s most densely populated megacities.