Urban Development and Urban Policy in Bangladesh

Abstract

<p><em>This paper seeks a general understanding of urban development and urban policy using different </em><em>variables</em><em> to </em><em>discuss </em><em>the reality of urbanization over the last couple of decades in Bangladesh. This study looks for the urban development factors that have driven and will promote urban development in the major cities of Bangladesh. A second related question is what is and has been the thrust of urban policy in Bangladesh. In particular, </em><em>it </em><em>considers whether economic factors are more associated with urban development in Bangladesh. </em><em>This study uses data </em><em>from </em><em>64 Bangladeshi cities covering the years 1991, 2001, and 2011 to look at the factors driving urban development in Bangladesh. This study </em><em>uses GLS regression to evaluate the weight of economic factors with population density as a dependent variable due to the concentrated nature of Bangladeshi cities relative to the surrounding areas considered against other factors (measured per capita) such as </em><em>literacy rate, number of NGOs, transportation and communication infrastructure, public employees, manufacturing, textiles, and agriculture key to the underdeveloped transitional Bangladeshi case. <strong>Secondary data were collected from various Bangladeshi government agencies and other reliable sources, including the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), and major NGOs.</strong></em><strong><em> </em></strong><em>The findings reflect a comprehensive look at understanding some of the core details of urban development in Bangladesh. </em><em>However, </em><em>the study finds that the main dirvers of most Bangladeshi urban economies under industrialization are transportation and communications, public employees, and the textile industry. </em><em>Moreover, agriculture is also a moving force in Bangladeshi urban development.</em><em> </em><em>The paper concludes by providing some strategies that might be helpful to policy makers in formulating development policies for urban development.</em><strong><em></em></strong></p>

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