Migration from villages to cities contributes rapid urban growth in Bangladesh that poses serious threats to urban disaster since the cities are growing violating urban development principles and standards, says a new study.
The study conducted by Oxfam states that while the rural people, affected by joblessness, migrate to the cities for better living, a large section of them have poorer living.
The cities are not prepared to better manage them.
The international NGO has revealed the study findings yesterday at a workshop on urban disaster risk reduction based on the disaster vulnerabilities of Dhaka, Rangpur, Khulna, Mymensingh, Sirajganj, Mongla Port, Kurigram and Durgapur.
The workshop took place at Spectra Convention Centre in the city.
According to the study, over 4.4 crore people which is 29.1% of the total population of now are now living in the urban areas.
It was only 15% in 1981 and 23% in 2001.
Within the next decade, the number could rise to 6.5 crore, as of the UN projection, says the study.
Analysing last 10 years’ poverty incidence gap between rural and urban areas, the study says: “The poverty incidences in disaster-affected or adjacent urban areas increased than rural areas, but in non-affected areas, the urban poverty has reduced in last 5 years.”
Citing the example of Khulna and Barisal divisions where urban poverty has increased rapidly after the cyclones in 2007 and 2009, the study states that such natural disasters are pushing people to the urban areas.
“Such trend will go up. So, if we do not handle rural-urban migration in a planned way, vulnerabilities in the cities will be serious threats,” AKM Mamunur Rashid, a disaster risk reduction specialist, said while presenting the study.
He said the existing urban land-use planning did not consider urban hazards in their planning and guidelines.
Only the recent Detailed Area Plan (DAP) of Dhaka city has considered flood and water-logging issues, while the building code is considered because of earthquake and fire hazard, he said.
“However, implementation of the DAP and the building code still remains a big challenge to implement for the city,” he added.
Disaster Management Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya said presently more than 90% of the ministry’s allocation was spent for humanitarian assistance, “but reducing risks is now becoming more important.”
He assured of settling these issues in consultation with other ministries concerned.
Prof Mahbuba Nasreen, Prof AQM Mahbub and Prof Dr ASM Maksud Kamal, Department of Disaster Management Director General Mohammed Abdul Wazed, European Commission representative Abdul Awal and Oxfam Country Director Snehal Soneji also spoke at the function.
