Generally, it is assumed that the poor in cities cannot afford to own a house. Thus, real estate developers hardly consider them as potential buyers. Despite the fact that the government has framed favourable policies towards housing the poor, the poor cannot own houses due to the inadequacy of institutional supports. This study examines the affordability of owned or rental accommodation for the poor, taking ready-made garment (RMG) workers in Dhaka as a case in point. Data from across 138 households have been gathered for this study. The study shows that if the rent increases further than the minimum standard for a dwelling unit, then about half of the RMG households become unable to afford their rental houses. An analysis of home ownership shows that only 28 per cent of families can buy a house of 300 sq. ft. on the basis of existing loan structures, and only if the loan covers the total property value, particularly at the periphery of the city area. If the loan structure for housing finance is changed by lowering the interest rate and increasing the loan repayment period, then more workers would be able to afford to own a small house of moderate standard.

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This paper illustrates the spatial distribution pattern of the basic services infrastructures in the Greater Dhaka Region (GDR), Bangladesh that favour a quality life to live. The study employed the modified Human Development Index (here we termed as Service Infrastructure Index) to assess the spatial inequalities of service infrastructures at the sub-district level. Total 13 indicators from three major dimensions, such as housing and related services, education and health were used to estimate the service infrastructure index. Spatial autocorrelation based on the Global Moran's I was used to assess the statistical significance of the observed distribution pattern and Local Moran's I (cluster and outlier analysis) was employed to map the locations of infrastructure concentrations. The study found that the basic service infrastructures are unevenly distributed across the sub-districts. The index score ranges from 0.12 in Daulatpur of Manikganj district to 0.80 in Dhaka Metropolitan Area (DMA) while the regional mean is 0.29. The core city (DMA) and the areas near the core city (especially the Gazipur district) with a higher level of urbanisation and inter-regional connectivity enjoy better services. This study identified where the infrastructures are clustered and which type of infrastructure lack in different areas. Thus, it is expected that demand-based infrastructure development should get priority in the development agenda of the region.

PurposeThis research aims to determine to what degree registered and nonregistered Rohingyas differ in their difficulties and coping strategies.Design/methodology/approachKutupalong registered and one nonregistered camp (Camp 2E) were selected as the study area, and a mixed-methods approach was followed to collect the data. Six in-depth interviews and two focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted first, and then the questionnaire survey was conducted on 315 Rohingyas, comprising 116 registered and 199 non-registered refugees.FindingsThe results indicate a substantial difference in the difficulties and coping techniques of registered and nonregistered refugees in food, residence, health and security. Except for the health and security issue, the registered Rohingyas (RRs) have a relatively better life than the nonregistered Rohingyas (NRRs). The main problem registered refugees undergo is economic, followed by health service, food, residence, social and security issue. For nonregistered refugees, economic and social issues receive maximum attention, while security is their last concern. The coping strategies show that all strategies against difficulties significantly differ between registered and nonregistered Rohingyas.Practical implicationsBased on their registration status, this research may assist humanitarian workers and policymakers in better understanding of Rohingya refugees' livelihood strategies and challenges in Bangladesh. The findings may also help practitioners and policymakers build new programs and services to assist complex and difficult refugee groups in improving their livelihoods and access to essential amenities.Originality/valuePrevious research shows little attention to the variations between registered and unregistered refugees. However, almost no studies have compared the challenges and coping methods of registered and unregistered Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and other regions. This research was meant to define and offer an in-depth analysis of the Rohingya refugees' livelihood strategies in the Kutupalong registered and nonregistered camp in Bangladesh to fill the knowledge gap.

This study investigated the effects of the nature of urban development on land surface temperature (LST) and the strengths of different biophysical and anthropogenic factors in explaining the spatial variation of LST at the neighbourhood scale in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) images were used to retrieve LST. The study found that the mean LST in Dhaka increased at a rate of 1.26°C per decade between 1991 and 2014. LST is found to be higher in the built-up areas, particularly in informally developed areas (i.e., slum settlements) and unplanned mixed-use areas. The OLS analysis indicates that along with bio-physical factors population density, building density and slum concentrations also have a significant effect on the spatial variation of LST at neighbourhood scales. The study findings suggest a planned development with the provision of vegetation cover and water bodies can significantly reduce the LST in Dhaka.