The Global Livability Index 2021 of the Economist Intelligent Unit (EIU) ranks Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka as the fourth worst livable city in the world. Dhaka has been placed 137th among 140 cities based on a range of factors, including political and social stability, crime, education, environment and access to healthcare. The survey was conducted from February 22 to March 21 this year.
Earlier, the Bangladesh capital was ranked the third least livable city obtaining the 138th position in 2019 and the second worst in 2018. Damascus in war-torn Syria remained the worst ranked city, followed by Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, Lagos and Dhaka. The year 2020 was not surveyed because of the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic.
The metropolitan city of Auckland in New Zealand has been named the most livable city globally due to the country’s successful handling of Covid-19, which allowed schools, theatres, restaurants and other cultural attractions to remain open during the survey period. New Zealand implemented a strict nationwide lockdown for several weeks last year to slow the spread of the virus. It also shut its international borders to most travellers.
According to the survey, Asia-Pacific dominated top 10 rankings this year, even as the pandemic caused overall livability around the world to decline. After Auckland, nine other most livable cities are Osaka of Japan, Adelaide of Australia, Wellington of New Zealand, Tokyo of Japan, Perth of Australia, Zurich and Geneva of Switzerland, Melbourne and Brisbane of Australia.
Disapproving the pattern of the survey, some city planners and environmentalists said the state of housing has not been included in the EIU’s list of factors. But if it were, the condition of Dhaka city would have been even lower than it currently is. The government is undertaking mega projects but is not focusing on projects to improve the environment at the community level. As result, there is shortage of green spaces, parks, lack of proper development of roads and drainage.
The two city corporations have no worry or accountability to take care of the capital city. Please find pity how everyone in the corporations made their livable conditions how high. The government has incompetent sycophants to tell them how much better we are among the countries of the world. The persons in the government think we believe such rubbish.
