slums in the Dhaka City

Slumdogs can become millionnaire in the movies, but in real world the scenario is totally different. Indeed, they lead a very miserable life and suffer thousands of problems in their everyday life. But who are the slum dwellers? According to the UN, …”their residents are missing at least some of the following: durable walls, a secure lease or title, adequate living space and access to safe drinking waters and toilets.” The slums of Dhaka city are no exception. The future of the city is vast third world slum. Western security experts rightly fear failed states; in the future they will have to worry about failed cities. Megacities of ten millions or more, are on the rise across Asia, while cities like Dhaka, Jakarta, Lagos and Delhi will cross twenty million thershold by 2020.

In 2010, the population of the city of Dhaka has been projected at 17.6 million people, with upto 60% in the slums. Everyday we observe the influx of hundreds of new people to the city of Dhaka. But why do people come to Dhaka and other cities in Bangladesh? There are two factors behind it: a) pull factor and b) push factor. Bangladesh is urbanizing fast. People are moving to places where there are or perceived to have jobs and opprotunities. The cities are the new centers of jobs and opportunities. The bigger the center, the stronger is the pool. Dhaka is the primate city in Bangladesh according for over 30% of the total GDP. It is pulling rural migrants faster and larger than any other cities in Bangladesh. Findings showed that, 56% people migrated to Dhaka city for economic reasons. There are also some push factors working in the process of migration to the cities, specially to Dhaka city. Now-a-days maximum slumdwellers are one kind of environmental migrants. The often natural disasters: flood, drought, cyclones, riverbank erosion destroys the agricultural outcomes every year. While Bangladesh is an agro-based country these disasters are much painful for the farmers and they are obliged to go to the cities. The job sector of rural areas are not much strong so people are pushed to the cities. And for many other people demonstration effect is big enough to push them to the cities.

Until the early nineteen nineties, majority of the slums were located on public lands. The percentages of slums on private lands were less. Things began to change in the nineties. The government started to evict many slums from public properties. Open private lands were still available. Private land owners started to rent out the lands to slumdwellers as the return on these lands were handsome because of high densities. Thus in 2006, 77% of slums were on private lands.

The Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey(BDHS) is a periodic study of the population and urban areas are surveyed including the slum areas. Some findings of the survey can be mentioned here. Slum land was owned by a land owner or Bosti(slum) owner for 83%, and rent collected for permission to build a bamboo shelter to use as a home. Land owners and Bosti owners are not thought to pay government taxes and are not accountable for the conditions or safety of the slums. All families lived in one-room dwellings, with construction usually of bamboo frame, fencing and roof. An average of five people lived in each room, and some families had over eight individuals in one room. Female, adults and children tended to work as housekeepers, labourers or in the garment piecework, while male adults and children tended to work as rickshaw pullers, laborers, brick breakers, drivers or carpentars. The average income per family was 3725 Taka per month and the average expenditure was 3218 Taka per month. However many families reported that expenses greater than income and dependence on loans for survival. Expenditures included rent, food, education, cloths, electricity, water, wood and health care.

The situation of these slums is not very satisfactory. Most respondents(89%) did not feel that they lived in a hyzenic environment, and 93% felt that the slum had lead to disease or ill health in their families. The most desirable place to live was felt to be in their village of origin(57%), while others dreamed of living in higher-class places in the city(14%), a place more quiet(14%) or free of mosquitoes(5%). Only 6% were happy in their current location. Evils described were unclean latrine facilities(30%), harassment by slum owners and need to pay bribes(10%), lack of employment(32%), mosquitoes(86%), extremes of heat(5%), lacking roof(11%), harassment of women(7%), lack of available fuel/gas(17%) and lack of food(3%). Barriers preventing to a move to a more desirable location were stated as a lack of funds(91%), lack of land(11%), inability to find work(10%), lack of government assistance(14%), illiteracy(2%) and large family size(1%).

A fifth of slum households are missing missing at least 3 of their basic needs. According to an UNESCO report, education figures for slums in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka are among the worst in the South-Asian county. The report entitled, “Education for All Global Momitoring Report 2010, Reaching And Marginalized”, which was launched in January from the UN Headquarters in New York, revealed schools run by non-governmental organizations play and important function in slums in Dhaka. Childhood immunization in Dhaka slum households has been reported at (51-76)%. In the survey 89% reported childhood immunization, though records for each child were not polled. The rate of substance use and gambling is very alarming.

There are also some positive factors. A 2005 study on migration and poverty in Asia by the International Organization for Migration notes that ‘’even if migrant jobs are in the risky informal sector, the gains to be made can be several times higher than wages in rain-fed agriculture.’’ Many slum dwellers are infact enterpreneurs, albeit writ very small. At the individual level, the woman were benifitted in terms of mobility and skill, self confidence, widening of interests, access to financial services, build own savings, competence in public affairs and status at home and in the community that lead a better awareness for enhancing women’s empowerment. However there is a need for proper training for sustainable development in the long run.

Although there are some positive aspects, the negative aspects overshadows these positive factors. So some reforms can be done for the betterment of the lives of the slum dwellers.

• Thoughtful open space planning and environmental management and sustainable development of the city area.
• Urban land management of the city will be much more feasible for all.
• Rehabilitation of slumdwellers in new settlements in which the allocated slumdwellers will have legal tenure of land and thereby benefit from future development programs.
• The current land occupied by the slums will be cleared and returned to the private and public owners in phases.
• NGOs and other donors and assisting agencies can provide financial and other help knowing that the residents have security of tenure.
• Provisions for various slums either by the public sectors or NGOs would be eminently feasible.
• The government should ensure healthcare and reproductive training and facilities.
• Educational and Vocational training should be served.

Community building will become feasible while currently there is no community in the slums. People live in fear of eviction, of criminals, rent seekers and other miscarants. It will be possible for them to live in the knowledge of security and protection of the law of the land.

Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of the urban population growth rate of about 1.67%(4th decennial population census 2001, Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh, 2004). The number of the urban poor has also increased from 7 million in 1985 to 11.9 million in 2005(CUS Slum Report, 2005). Moreover an estimated 3-4 lakhs new migrants arrive each year and create new problems in urban areas. By 2030, an estimated 5 billion of the worlds 8.1 billion people will live in cities. About 2 billion of them will live in slums, primarily in Africa and Asia, lacking access to clean drinking water and working toilets, surrounded by desperations and crimes. So it is very hard to predict that how the reform packages will work. But at first combined effort is necessary from the policy makers level with the coordination of grassroot level is necessary to solve the slum problems to make a better future for the citizens of Dhaka Megacity.

Banani

Homelessness and poverty are an international crisis. Bangladesh, with a population of 147.4 million is one of the poorest countries in the world; with an estimated 3.4 million people live in some 5000 slums of its capital city, Dhaka. In 2010, the population of the city of Dhaka has been projected at 17.6 million people, with up to 60% in the slums. Slums, which are heavily populated urban areas characterized by poverty and substandard housing, are not well described in the literature despite their prevalence and the pervasiveness of poverty worldwide. Urban planning to accommodate increasingly large slum areas requires study to determine demographics and determinants of improved quality of life, such as health status, health services, financial stability, education and security

A Railroad Slum in Dhaka City

Many places in the third world millions of people have settled along railroad tracks on railroad or government property. In my guide's terminology, this qualified as a "temporary slum." Thousand of people crowded into shanties along the tracks.

Another view of the stifling hot packed shanties with the buildings of downtown Dhaka in the background. I have visited railroad slums very much like this one in Kolkata, Chittagong, and Mumbai.

Here we look from the railroad tracks off to one side. Slum dwellers had expanded the slum into the air by putting their homes on top of bamboo poles.

A close-up of the walkway to the bamboo houses on bamboo poles. Children and adults walk in or out twenty feet above the ground and water below. The corrugated metal boxlike structure in the center of the photo appears to be an outhouse. The excrement drops into the water below.

Meanwhile on the bank leading up from the water to the railroad, are the "hanging latrines" for the entire slum of thousands of people. Excrement drops onto the steep bank and makes its way to the waterway which leads to the river that runs through Dhaka.

Life is fearful for a slum-dweller. When will she face the next eviction?

A Semi-Permanent Slum in Dhaka City

My guide, a wonderful man who worked in many different slums of Dhaka, explained that there are three kinds of slums: permanent, semi-permanent, and temporary. Here we walk on one of the many narrow streets of a semi-permanent slum built on telephone company property. Tens of thousands of people live crowd into this relatively small area.

Most homes are one room. This young woman may live in the house on the left in front of her. Everywhere the dirt, mud, and trash create unsanitary conditions in addition to the shortage of clean water and proper sewage disposal. Note the paper thin bamboo walls of the house behind. These walls stop neither sounds nor smells.

This woman shows us the "front yard" shared by several families in the surrounding homes. Laundry, cooking, and washing are all done here.

Everywhere waste water runs through the streets since there are no proper sewers. Children play in these same narrow dirt and mud streets risking disease and early death.

One of the open sewers of the slum in which waste water and rain water are channeled into the nearest river. Trash and garbage fill this nearly dry sewer lined on both sides by dozens of homes.

Drugs fuelling AIDS crisis in Dhaka slums

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A man injects himself with drugs on a Dhaka street. Reuters file photo.
Rafiqur Rahman

In the slums of Bangladesh�s capital, drug use and prostitution are fuelling an HIV/AIDS emergency that threatens to become a full-blown epidemic, reports Sophie Kummer of CARE International. Mohammad Khokonon has been on drugs for three years, smoking heroin and injecting a popular tranquiliser called bupranorphine bought in the narrow alleyways of City Colony, one of Dhaka�s biggest slums. �The influence of friends is strong here,� he says, speaking in the windowless gloom of the two-room home he shares with 12 others, including his mother and wife. �It�s very hard not to get into taking drugs.� Even in the dark, it�s obvious his mother is biting back disapproval as her 27-year-old son tells his story: how the money she makes cleaning streets goes to fund his addiction, how his wife�s earnings also go to buy drugs. Outside in one of City Colony's "drug hotspots", where drugs are bought and sold on street corners, dealers estimate conservatively that about 200 local slum-dwellers are regular heroin smokers. But the real number may be much higher. Down the dark, warren-like alleys of the Colony, many admit they are on drugs, putting themselves at risk of HIV/AIDS every time they share a needle. The HIV prevalence rate across Bangladesh is less than one percent, but it soars to around five percent among injecting drug users. Research done among 5,000 users by humanitarian and development agency CARE International showed that more than 90 percent of them shared needles. "When the HIV prevalence rate reaches 10 percent, we call it an epidemic," said Taslim Uddin, CARE�s HIV programme co-ordinator in Dhaka. "Right now, we are pretty close to a concentrated epidemic with around five per cent prevalence among injecting drug users, and it is rising.

"It is very alarming � a growing emergency. This could be very dangerous. The predictions for the future are that by 2030, Bangladesh will have an eight percent prevalence rate among all adults, which is enormous.

"Dhaka is likely to see the first outbreak and the first spike will be with injecting drug users, and the second � in 2010 � will be client-driven, through sex work, especially as many sex workers� clients are drug users. These groups are at risk not just of contracting HIV themselves, but of passing it on to others." Needle exchange CARE International runs 52 drop-in centres in Dhaka � some of them through local non-governmental organisations. The centres are used by about 10,000 injecting drug users, 50,000 heroin smokers and other drug users - who are at risk of starting to inject - and 20,000 sex workers. Recent figures show these programmes reach 75 percent of Dhaka�s drug users and more than 85 percent of its sex workers. Each centre has a trained nurse, HIV support and education, opportunities to detox, free condoms and a needle exchange programme. People can also wash, eat, watch television or learn a vocational skill. Former drug user Faruk Hossain, 25, who lives in the Colony, is an outreach worker for CARE, visiting hotspots to tell users about the dangers of HIV and explain how they can change risky behaviour. He also exchanges used syringes for clean ones and hands out condoms.

"There was a heroin spot around my house, with people taking drugs all the time," he said. "From my childhood, I saw them, and when I got older I started taking heroin too.

"But now, in my work, when I see people stop sharing needles or come off drugs it is so inspiring � I feel so glad." Some of Dhaka�s prostitutes have also set up their own support group which is helping tackle the threat of AIDS. Shanaj Begum is the elected president of a sex workers� collective, called Durjoy Nari Shangha � which, translated loosely from the Bengali, means an "organisation of women who are hard to repress". Set up in Dhaka in the late 1990s, it is now a partner organisation of CARE�s and offers support to thousands of sex workers through its drop-in centres. Shanaj Begum says Durjoy is a vital safety net against the growing threat of HIV. "All of us who are members of Durjoy are �floating� sex workers - we work on the street," she said. �Many of us have no shelter, food or anywhere to wash. Some sleep on the streets and the police beat them. "But the biggest thing we face is the risk of HIV and sexually transmitted infections. So we have set up drop-in centres where women can rest and wash and eat � as well as learn another job, like sewing � before going to work between 6pm and 10pm. "We also have schools, where they can leave their children safely. And we have 10,000 outreach workers among our number who are responsible for going on to the streets to teach sex workers about proper condom use. "We started off with 20 women in February 1998, but now have around 2,500 in different areas of the country. We are a social network, we support each other, and our numbers are increasing as the number of brothel evictions � and the demand for sex � increases. "HIV is growing in Bangladesh. The spread of the disease is not stopping, so we need to prevent it. It is a real and growing emergency and no one else supports sex workers in this way, so we need more funding to continue our work."

Location of the Slum’s.

Most of Slum’s of Bangladesh is situated in Government land and land of railway department is one of the most common location of Slum’s. Slum’s are growing rapidly, now 19.4% of total population of Dhaka City lives in the Slum’s and lack of government officials presence and activeness are main reason working behind the growing Slum’s of Dhaka City in the Government Property. This photo was taken from sides of Khilgaon Flyover, where many slum’s are taken place as there are no one to prevent them from such illegal action.

No Specific Place for Washing and Cleaning Dishes.

Slum’s situating near the Komolapur Rail Station donot have any specific place for cooking, washing, cleaning. So it is found that the Slum people are doing their washing and cleaning along with cooking under the open sky which is pretty bad for their health. Reagdling of this fact most Slum’s do not have a proper access to safe water which is the main reason for water diseases which is occuring to the children mostly.

Absence of Gender Discrimination.

People like us love to maintain particular time table for having our breakfast, lunch or dinner. But people living in Slum’s donot have any time table for having breakfast, lunch or dinner. Slum people only have their meal when ever they are able to cook that and cooking of meal depends on generating income or on earning money. So unless they are able to earn money they can not hope for having meal. So after knowing some facts like this I feel very lucky and very sad at the same time. I feel lucky because i donot have to waite to earn to have my meal and I feel sorry and sad after knowing childrens who are younger than me have to earn first every day to ensure meal every day.

One Room Palace

I was quite surprise to know six people live in this room. A man name Hossain Mia and his wife Suraiya came to Dhaka from Dinajpur with their four children and rented this Slum. Hossain Mia works as a rickshaw puller and his wife works as a part time servant. His Eldest son is a newspaper vendor in the bus stop. So, to me this slum is like a palace which contain only one room and people like them is quite happy to have a shade over head.

Organized Slum’s

Although most of the Slum’s have grown in a very unorganized way but few slum’s have grown in a decent way. As for many people Slum’s are the only one shelter they have so they build slum’s in a organized manner which might reminds many of us about the houses of villages. So it is very good sign because we can not ignore the presence of Slum people and Slum’s in our Daily life so living a decent life in a organized manner will make them more comfortable for the city dwellers.

Cooking Under the Open Sky

Most of the Slum’ s consists of only one room. So it is quite difficult for the Slum people to live and prepare meal in the same room. So people living in the slum’s prepared their meal under the open sky as cooking generates hits and smokes and huge number of people have to live with in one room so there is hardly any empty space for cooking inside the slum.

Slum’s made of Poly Bags

People Like us might just laugh while seeing a house made of various of thighs staring from ploy bags to bamboo stick. But just imagine how much pieces of struggling efforts they are giving for making a small and sweet home just like the birds which collects leaves and varieties of things to have a shade over their head.

Sanitation System of Slum’s

It is really unfortunate to see that Slum’s situating inside the Capital city do not have a healthy and permanent sanitation system. Most of the slum’s have hanging latrines on the water bodies which is making the water bodies polluted. All of these unconsciousness and lack of positive steps from the Government are making the environment polluted.

Slum’s having a Polluted Environment

I find most Slum’s people are not aware and interested to know about the negative consequences of living in a Unhealthy environment. Because of unconsciousness and lack of awareness they do not pay any attention about making the the surrounding area of their Slum clean. Now-a-days many well known NGO’s are working for rising awareness in the rural areas of Bangladesh. but they are forgetting or ignoring about the Slum people who came here from the rural areas. So NGO’s and other Government Organization should pay an attention to make them aware of the situation before it gets worst.

Unhygienic Environment of Slum’s

I feel very sorry for the people who are living in those Slum’s and breathing under the unhygienic environment. In this picture the photographer tries to represent the most common present scenario of the Slum’s along with the fact that most of the Slum children are breathing in an unhygienic environment which is the main reason for all the diseases happening to the children living in those Slum’s.

Risky Life of Slum Poeple

Many of us might have an idea that people living in those Slum’s are not aware of the fact that it is too much risky. Any kind of natural disaster can make a lots of damages and losses of life. But most of the Slum people are living there after knowing all the possibilities of occurring accidents. For the Slum people “Living today is more important than tomorrow.

Slum’s made of Poly Paper.

In the Dhaka city there are mainly three types of Slum’s are found. One is made of Tine, another is made of Bamboos and last one is made of Poly bags. Among all the three types the most common types that is seen frequently while moving in the Dhaka city is the Slum’s made of Poly bags. Slum’s, which are made of Poly bags, are mostly temporal and most of them contain one room only. Although we might feel that it is very easy to build a tiny house like it but for the Slum people it is like a dream comes true. Numerous efforts are given to have a financial position, which make situation suitable for the Slum people so that they can build this kind of tiny house.

Cooking in the open Place

I find people preparing their meal outside the slum under the open sky as there is not enough place or any extra room for them to Cook. When I asked them what you are going to cook now they just smiled and said “Murgir Pa” that means the discarded portion of Chicken like the feet which city dweller through away. Most of the time the Slum people buy this kind of discarded portion from the bazaar.

Slum’s situated near the Komlapur Railstation

I found most of slum’s of Dhaka City are situated near to the railway tracks as Railway ministry have enormous amount of Government land besides the rail lines. So it is pretty easy for the Slum people to have a small amount of land where they can easily built slums’s as there are no law enforcement forces to prevent them from doing so.

Any age limite for being a Sales Girl.

No matter What is our age and what your gender is , if you have opened your eyes in a slum than you have to fight and struggle with poverty just to ensure your survival a little bit longer.

“Rickshaw Pulling” Most common Occupation of the Slum People

Maximum number of male members of the families living in Slums work’s as a Rickshaw puller. But it is unfortunate that mojority of them do not have their own Vehicles, so that they rent Rickshaw from “Rickshaw Renting Garages” at 10 taka for every one hour.

Congested Slum’s

Most Slum’s are situating very close to each other. People like us might find it pretty Congested and Uncomfortable for living. But for the people living in those slum’s it is the place for which they sold out every thing back in their village and from here they have to make their dreams come true.

Riverside slum’s

I know it looks good from the Photographer point of view, but if we look on the point of view of the slum’s people than only we can understand how much difficulties they are having living in those tiny slum’s without good sanitation system, supply of drinking water, proper cooking place and good health care facilities.

Tea and Cigarettes Selling most common Sole Proprietorship Business

Tea Vendor and selling of cigarettes are the most common sole proprietorship business of Bangladeshi people. People of all age are engaged in this type of small business where there are no need of any registration, experience or any educational background. The main advantage of sole proprietorship is the limited capital and limited risk and these two advantages made sole proprietorship business more popular. Although it is a positive sign that people are trying hard to be employed and earn. But absence of proper policies and rules are turning these positive wheel into a negative force as open selling of CIGARATTES are encouraging more people especially the children to do smoking openly.
I have taken this photo while I was taking a Video Interview of this person in the month of April, 2009 where he talked about his life, income level, family background and problems and difficulties he is having while maintaining a large family with a limited income.