People's influx into Dhaka

Around 600,000 people come to Dhaka every year to live permanently, a conference in Dhaka was told on February 26. Every day around 1,700 people are added to the capital city's 16 million population. Many of them are migrating due to climate change effects - river erosion, water-logging, cyclone, drought, cold weather, and salinity in their locality. It is feared that 20-30 million people may be homeless and come to cities and towns due to climate change risks. It is crucial to work for environment-friendly development and build better towns and cities outside of Dhaka.

Many are also coming to the capital seeking economic opportunities that are absent in their villages and rural areas. The rural-urban divide in terms of resource availability and education and healthcare is not any good sign for development. Benefits of developments must be equitably distributed so that people love to live in a variety of places.

Hosne Ara

Dhanmondi, Dhaka