Absence of affordable housing in Dhaka

There is a scarcity of affordable housing in Bangladesh, particularly in Dhaka city. According to a recent study by the World Bank, over 40 per cent of Dhaka residents live in slums or informal settlements. This is due to a number of factors, including rapid urbanisation, shortage of land and high construction costs. The crisis of affordable housing is having a devastating impact on the lives of Dhaka city dwellers. Many people are forced to live in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, which can lead to health problems and a social unrest. The lack of housing is also a major barrier to economic mobility, as it prevents people from moving to better job opportunities. The government of Bangladesh has taken some steps to address the affordable housing crisis, such as providing subsidies to developers and building public housing projects. However, these efforts are not enough to meet the growing demand. Given this reality, we are going to celebrate the World Habitat Day today.

The United Nations designated the first Monday of October every year as the World Habitat Day to reflect on the state of our towns and cities and on the basic human rights to adequate shelter. This day is celebrated in a bid to raise awareness among people about safe shelter. On this day, we must think over how we can ensure quality housing for the city dwellers in Dhaka, especially the lower-income and lower-middle-income groups, as they hardly get incentives from the government. Along with the government, the private sector also has a role to play in addressing the affordable housing crisis in Bangladesh. Developers should be encouraged to build more affordable housing units and financial institutions should provide more affordable mortgages. To resolve the housing crisis in Dhaka city, a concerted effort is needed from all stakeholders. The government, private sector and civil society need to work together to develop and implement sustainable solutions.

Kowshik Podder,

Student of Department of Marketing,

North South University, Dhaka,

kowshik.podder@northsouth.edu