Dhaka is heading for another mayoral election. Unlike other cities of Bangladesh, Dhaka is home of the largest floating people of the country. They throng here to look for jobs and to sustain families back in their native villages. Both the City Corporations mostly cater to the need of 15% or 20% of Dhaka population who have their own roof and a tiny section of whom , I assume, pay taxes to City Corporations.
Meanwhile, descamidos occupying numerous shanties across the city lack all basic amenities for a city dweller in spite of the fact that they also participate in economic activity to keep the wheel of urban economy moving. However, many of these village folks fall victim of intense exploitation as the city is infested with numerous thugs of all hues to swallow a part of the fruit of their hard labor. To insulate them from exploitation, to provide them a secure livelihood are no less important task for City Corporations. Ignoring a decent place to stay and a decent work place for these fortune seekers could be proven too costly for both the City Corporations when it comes to the matter of making a livable Dhaka. Dhaka cannot become livable overnight by letting homeless people, the 85% of city dwellers, live a miserable life.
There will be no gainsaying that there is a slum dwelling population bulge in the last five years due to the lack of seasonal employment in rural areas, climatic conditions and urban pull factors. Numerous floating street markets and overwhelming number of rickshaws buttressed the evidence. Bangladesh's other major cities emulate the picture of rural-urban migration that can be found in Dhaka.
However, I am appalled to see that the floating people and their woes have never been made entry into the urban development programs of the two City Corporations.
According to census of slums in 2014, 64.87% of slum dwellers live in rented houses whereas 48.45% of them lived in rented accommodation back in 1997. In Dhaka North City Corporation only 48.89% of the slum dwellers dependent on rented houses. In 2014, that percentage rose to 72.83%. Meanwhile, 87.42% of slum dwellers live in rented accommodation in Dhaka South City Corporation.
In the meantime, house rent indices also increased. For Dhaka city, it was 4843.69 in 2013-14. In 2017-18, it stood at 6718.23.
Despite the fact it took into account the private residential house across the country, rent in slum dwelling also goes up when utility fares and rent of private houses increase. So House Rent Indices could be seen as a measure of changes in prices of housing in slums also.
Certainly, for slum dwellers the rent of accommodation has also gone up. I have recently done a little survey on rickshaw pullers about their daily earnings and expenses. I found that a rickshaw puller pays between Tk3000-5000 as house rent to reside in this city. That means a rickshaw puller has to pay between 25% and 41.67% of his monthly earnings on house rent.
The census of slums 2014 also tells that 61.4% of slum dwellers live in slums popped up in govt lands whereas 32.32% of slum dwellers live in slums erected on own lands in Dhaka North City Corporation. In contrast, Dhaka South City Corporation offers a completely different picture. 74.94% of slum dwellers live in slums built on own land whereas 19.66% of slum dwellers live in slums constructed on government lands.
Vast portion of rent money ended into the pockets of people whose income may not contribute to national economy and wellbeing of the mass.
This is where City Corporations can step in and play a bigger role to assuage the housing problem of people perched on the lower ladder of income. City Corporations hold the authority to collect holding taxes, to set up bazars, to demolish illegal structures under its area and to issue rickshaw licenses.
So it is unbelievable that a certain quarter making huge bucks every month by setting up illegal facilities and exploiting the village folks while keeping the City Corporations in the dark.
The upcoming mayors can take cue from private sector housing initiative. Foreign investors with their local partners are unfolding accommodation packages for bachelors and students at an affordable price. Charitable organizations are also setting up affordable hostels for working women all across Bangladesh. These are examples that need to be replicated.
City Corporations can liaise with government and private organizations that have empty lands scattered across the city to make good use of the lands , fending off the influence of bad quarters that collect unabated rents. City Corporations can then build arrays of housing facilitates, maybe makeshift, targeting the informal sector laborers, with the assistance from donors and other housing companies.
Benefits are two-pronged: cash-strapped City Corporations will have a steady stream of revenue and have a close tab on the informal sector labor force; for an informal worker, a significant reduction of housing expenses and a safe accommodation during his stint in the city.
Reducing the housing cost for lower income group has tremendous impact on improving their economic conditions. If a rickshaw puller's housing expenditures at Dhaka is lowered to 10% or 15% of his monthly earnings, then it will contribute to augment his monthly income. This retained / increased earnings will be spared for more income generating activities like rearing cows or share cropping.
Another group that will be benefitted from this initiative is the utility companies. As the City Corporations will take the onus of providing housing to lower income group, there will be a curb in system loss due to misuse of electricity, gas and water. City Corporations may offer these utilities or provide alternatives.
For various political reasons, previous city administrators overlooked this important group of the urban economy. It only pushed them towards the clutches of sharks and exploiters. New city administrators should spare no time to take notice of roles this group of workers plays in urban economy and take drastic steps to unpack an array of policies to address their housing woes.
Meanwhile, descamidos occupying numerous shanties across the city lack all basic amenities for a city dweller in spite of the fact that they also participate in economic activity to keep the wheel of urban economy moving. However, many of these village folks fall victim of intense exploitation as the city is infested with numerous thugs of all hues to swallow a part of the fruit of their hard labor. To insulate them from exploitation, to provide them a secure livelihood are no less important task for City Corporations. Ignoring a decent place to stay and a decent work place for these fortune seekers could be proven too costly for both the City Corporations when it comes to the matter of making a livable Dhaka. Dhaka cannot become livable overnight by letting homeless people, the 85% of city dwellers, live a miserable life.
There will be no gainsaying that there is a slum dwelling population bulge in the last five years due to the lack of seasonal employment in rural areas, climatic conditions and urban pull factors. Numerous floating street markets and overwhelming number of rickshaws buttressed the evidence. Bangladesh's other major cities emulate the picture of rural-urban migration that can be found in Dhaka.
However, I am appalled to see that the floating people and their woes have never been made entry into the urban development programs of the two City Corporations.
According to census of slums in 2014, 64.87% of slum dwellers live in rented houses whereas 48.45% of them lived in rented accommodation back in 1997. In Dhaka North City Corporation only 48.89% of the slum dwellers dependent on rented houses. In 2014, that percentage rose to 72.83%. Meanwhile, 87.42% of slum dwellers live in rented accommodation in Dhaka South City Corporation.
In the meantime, house rent indices also increased. For Dhaka city, it was 4843.69 in 2013-14. In 2017-18, it stood at 6718.23.
Despite the fact it took into account the private residential house across the country, rent in slum dwelling also goes up when utility fares and rent of private houses increase. So House Rent Indices could be seen as a measure of changes in prices of housing in slums also.
Certainly, for slum dwellers the rent of accommodation has also gone up. I have recently done a little survey on rickshaw pullers about their daily earnings and expenses. I found that a rickshaw puller pays between Tk3000-5000 as house rent to reside in this city. That means a rickshaw puller has to pay between 25% and 41.67% of his monthly earnings on house rent.
The census of slums 2014 also tells that 61.4% of slum dwellers live in slums popped up in govt lands whereas 32.32% of slum dwellers live in slums erected on own lands in Dhaka North City Corporation. In contrast, Dhaka South City Corporation offers a completely different picture. 74.94% of slum dwellers live in slums built on own land whereas 19.66% of slum dwellers live in slums constructed on government lands.
Vast portion of rent money ended into the pockets of people whose income may not contribute to national economy and wellbeing of the mass.
This is where City Corporations can step in and play a bigger role to assuage the housing problem of people perched on the lower ladder of income. City Corporations hold the authority to collect holding taxes, to set up bazars, to demolish illegal structures under its area and to issue rickshaw licenses.
So it is unbelievable that a certain quarter making huge bucks every month by setting up illegal facilities and exploiting the village folks while keeping the City Corporations in the dark.
The upcoming mayors can take cue from private sector housing initiative. Foreign investors with their local partners are unfolding accommodation packages for bachelors and students at an affordable price. Charitable organizations are also setting up affordable hostels for working women all across Bangladesh. These are examples that need to be replicated.
City Corporations can liaise with government and private organizations that have empty lands scattered across the city to make good use of the lands , fending off the influence of bad quarters that collect unabated rents. City Corporations can then build arrays of housing facilitates, maybe makeshift, targeting the informal sector laborers, with the assistance from donors and other housing companies.
Benefits are two-pronged: cash-strapped City Corporations will have a steady stream of revenue and have a close tab on the informal sector labor force; for an informal worker, a significant reduction of housing expenses and a safe accommodation during his stint in the city.
Reducing the housing cost for lower income group has tremendous impact on improving their economic conditions. If a rickshaw puller's housing expenditures at Dhaka is lowered to 10% or 15% of his monthly earnings, then it will contribute to augment his monthly income. This retained / increased earnings will be spared for more income generating activities like rearing cows or share cropping.
Another group that will be benefitted from this initiative is the utility companies. As the City Corporations will take the onus of providing housing to lower income group, there will be a curb in system loss due to misuse of electricity, gas and water. City Corporations may offer these utilities or provide alternatives.
For various political reasons, previous city administrators overlooked this important group of the urban economy. It only pushed them towards the clutches of sharks and exploiters. New city administrators should spare no time to take notice of roles this group of workers plays in urban economy and take drastic steps to unpack an array of policies to address their housing woes.
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