WE have done it again. Dhaka’s residents can share with the world that they are the residents (and survivors) of the second least livable city in the world. According to reports published by the London-based Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Livability Index, Dhaka is preceded narrowly by the city of Harare (Zimbabwe) and followed by war-torn Damascus (Syria) from the survey conducted over 140 cities. On the other hand, Australia’s Melbourne has been ranked as the most livable city in the world for the fourth time in a row. The cities were ranked based on their standing in criteria like healthcare, culture, environment, education and infrastructure. To rub salt on our wounds, Bangladesh was also featured in the bottom five positions among 28 Asia and Pacific countries in four categories, including education, information and communication technology, knowledge economy and innovation, according to a report revealed by the Asian Development Board.
Such an ‘accolade’ will be very difficult to share due to the unfortunate nature of its content. As the cities are ranked on the basis of social and political stability, access to quality healthcare, natural environment, education, crime rates, and the standard of infrastructure including public transport, ranking second means Dhaka falls as one of the worst to live in the world. Amongst many drawbacks, even if we are to merely consider the disruption of traffic (caused by incessant rainfall and disproportionate number of vehicles on the road) and the consequent plights of pedestrians and others alike, Dhaka cannot be considered as ‘livable’ by any means. An immense lack of regulation by governing bodies exists which causes crime and corruption to rage rampantly. Apart from the law and order system is spiralling out of control, degradation of the environment is taking place due to the lack of parks, too many buildings constructed (mostly illegally) and littering mixed with awful drainage systems.
Due to the lack of resources and proper infrastructure in a city that was never meant to shelter the whole of Bangladesh, the slum population is increasing at more than double the general growth rate of urban population, which is adding to everyone’s misery, and making already prevalent problems of uncontrolled urbanization, worse. Rivers and lakes, which are significant sources of water and beauty, are being encroached upon or polluted by politically backed devious members of society, defying High Court directives. The situation is no better with land and housing as buildings all being erected to and fro all over the congested city without any regulation or planning. The notion of proper garbage disposal is almost nonexistent as garbage is openly thrown anywhere and everywhere, and the city corporation in different parts of Dhaka is failing miserably in maintaining roads, sanitation, water bodies and healthcare.
The grievous lack of concern and commitment shown by the existing government indicates a bleak future for Dhaka’s residents ahead- with winning the ‘least livable city’ award year after year and suffering the decay and destruction of what once was, one of the most meaningful cities in the world. Unless official inefficiency and all pervasive corruptions are checked, Dhaka shall remain a bad city as it now.
