One of the more obvious factors which has historically impacted quality of life for those living in the urban areas of Bangladesh is the sheer unplanned nature of our national urbanization efforts -- to the extent that the current heatwave, with Dhaka witnessing its second-highest temperature recorded in the past 60 years, is very clearly being exacerbated by it.
This is known as the Urban Heat Island effect, which dictates that urban areas are always significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas due to reasons such as the replacement of natural ground cover with concrete and higher population density among others.
While our capital city is certainly far too deep into its own urbanization schemes, this does not discount the possibility of employing more sustainable practices in advancing its future development, which can be achieved by placing an emphasis on letting nature thrive alongside concrete.
The idea of having dedicated green spaces in cities is not without basis -- trees and greenery help regulate everything about our environment, from the quality of air to the very temperature itself, which is why it is imperative that the government cease any and all drives which seek to clear entire areas of trees, and instead dedicate the time and research necessary to understand in close detail which species of trees and plants can best help improve the quality of life for urban citizens.
Of course, another factor which continues to negatively affect quality of life in our capital is its ever-increasing population density. This is the direct result of our economy’s abject state of centralization, which sees Dhaka as the centre of any and all major commercial activity.
As a publication we have long championed the cause of decentralization -- by ensuring that other parts of the nation are developed at an even clip, the almost yearly influx of people into the capital would stop while also ensuring that employment, and thus commercial activity, is spread more equitably throughout Bangladesh.
