Study Report

Coping with Problems:

A Case of Korile Slum in Dhaka City

MDMP ProgramBRAC University, Dhaka

Prepared by:

Nadim Rahman

ID: 13169002

Subrata Chowdhury

ID: 13169016

Rupam Chakma

ID: 13169015

Mehnaz Alam

ID: 11262015

Sulaiman Bayo Ojikutu

ID: 13169014

Prepared for

Professor Amirul IslamChowdhury

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Table of Contents

ACRONYMS............................................................................................................................................................3

1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 4

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY ..........................................................................................................................4

1.2 LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................................................................ 4

1.3 WHAT IS A SLUM? ............................................................................................................................................ 7

1.4 WHAT IS SQUATTER? ....................................................................................................................................... 7

1.5 DIFFERENT NAMES OF SLUM IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES ..................................................................................8

1.6 SLUMS IN DHAKA ............................................................................................................................................. 8

1.7 RELEVANT LAWS IN FAVOR OF SLUM DWELLERS ........................................................................................... 10

2. METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................................................................... 10

2.1 SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY ......................................................................................................... 10

2.2 STUDY LOCATION........................................................................................................................................... 11

2.3 COLLECTION OF PRIMARY DATA .................................................................................................................... 12

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION .......................................................................................................................... 12

3.1 ACTUAL OWNER OF THE SLUM AND AVERAGE FAMILY SIZE IN THE SLUM ..................................................... 12

3.2 RESIDENCY OF THE SLUM ............................................................................................................................... 12

3.3 OCCUPATION & MONTHLY INCOME OF PEOPLE............................................................................................. 13

3.4 SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER AND OTHER PURPOSES .................................................................................. 13

3.5 PROBLEM IN FETCHING WATER...................................................................................................................... 13

3.6 MODE OF DEFECATION .................................................................................................................................. 13

3.7 LATRINE FACILITIES ........................................................................................................................................ 14

3.8 PAYING FOR USING LATRINE FACILITIES ......................................................................................................... 14

3.9 WASTE DISPOSAL AND SEWERAGE SYSTEM ................................................................................................... 14

3.10 WATER LOGGING ......................................................................................................................................... 15

3.11 WATER BORNE DISEASES........................................................................................................................... 15

4. OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATION .................................................................................................. 16

5. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................... 16

REFERENCES......................................................................................................................................................... 17

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ACRONYMS

BBS Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics

BDHS Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey

BTCL Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited

CUS Centre for Urban Studies

DAP Detailed Area Plan

DCC Dhaka City Corporation

DFID Department for International Development

DMA Dhaka Metropolitan Area

DWASA Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority

LGRD Local Government and Rural Development

MDG Millennium Development Goal

UN United Nations

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1. Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Slum-dogs can become millionaire 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 whoare 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 andtoilets.” The slums of Dhaka city are no exception. In Dhaka most of the urban slum settlements tend tobe located in low-lying, flood-prone, poorly-drained areas, having limited formal garbage disposal andminimal access to safe water and sanitation. These areas are severely crowded, with four–five peopleliving in houses of just over 100 sq feet. These conditions of high density of population and poorsanitation exacerbate the spread of diseases. People living in these areas experience social, economicand political exclusion, which bars them from society's basic resources. According to a research done byDFID, at least 60,000 people were displaced due to the evictions from 27 slums in Dhaka between 2006and 2008. Despite some strategies adopted to ensure better access to water and health, overall, thecountry does not have a comprehensive policy for urban slum residents, and the situation remainsbleak.

The slums are subjected to indifferent and hostile treatment both from the government and citizens ofthe country. Their standard of living is the lowest with minimum access to the fundamental rights of thestate. Bulldozing and setting fires evict slums. Every year large quantities of slums are evicted resultingin a big loss both in terms of monitory and social. It is reported that 21 slums were evicted by only inJanuary 2007 and from 2000-2003, 122 slums evicted by setting fire causing damages of Tk. 10 crore 50lakhs. Slum dwellers living are directly related to their life. So it is breaking the fundamental right of thestate.

The situations of slums in Dhaka are very worse. The slum dwellers are very important for the Dhaka citysince they are keeping the economy going through their hard toil and providing most of the necessaryservices to the city dwellers. There are a variety of problems in the slums and people are struggling withthose problems to survive. To solve the problems of slum and to ensure sustainable development,affirmative actions should be taken. The patterns of problem and how the people are coping with themshould be studied first to solve the problems of slum. This study tries to identify the real problems andcoping strategy of the inhabitants of Korile slum in Dhaka city.

1.2 Literature Review

Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of the urban population growth rate of about 1.67% (5thdecennial population census 2001, Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh, 2004). The number of the urbanpoor 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 migrant arrive each year and create new problems in urban areas.The percentage of urban dwellers living in slums decreased from 47 percent to 37 percent in thedeveloping world between 1990 and 2005 (UN, 2007). 863 million people are estimated to be living inslums in 2012 compared to 650 million in 1990 and 760 million in 2000. One billion people worldwidelive in slums (Davis, Planet of Slums 2004) and the figure is projected to grow to 2 billion by 2030 (UN-HABITAT, 2007).

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With an urban growth rate of more than 4% annually, Dhaka is one of the largest cities in SoutheastAsia. In fact, Dhaka is reportedly the 9th largest urban center in the world and also the most denselypopulated city in the world. Among the megacities, the World Bank says that Dhaka, the capital city ofBangladesh with its current population of some 14 million, bears the distinction of being the fastest-growing in the world. In 2010, the population of the city of Dhaka has been projected at 17.6 millionpeople, with up to 60% in the slums. The UNs predictions revealed that between 1990 and 2005, the citypopulation doubled in size from 6 to 12 million. By 2025, the United Nations forecasts that Dhaka willreach 23 million — larger than Mexico City, Beijing or Shanghai. Dhaka’s 14.6 million people live in just360 square kilometres (140 sq mi). At more than 45,000 people per square kilometer or 115,000 peopleper square mile (Figure 1), the capital of Bangladesh is nearly 75 percent more dense than Hong Kong.

Not only does Dhaka have the highest average urban density, but it also has some of the highestneighborhood densities: some slum (shantytown) population densities reach 4,200 per acre, whichconverts to more than 1,000,000 per square kilometer (2,500,000 per sq mi). Estimates of the slumpopulation vary, ranging from a quarter to 60 percent of the area population.

Dhaka’s growth has been spectacular. In 1970, just before East Pakistan separated from Pakistan tobecome Bangladesh, the urban area had a population of 1.3 million. Its population grew by more than10 times, Dhaka growth over four decades trails only Shenzhen among the megacities, which expandedby 30 times over the same period.

Dhaka’s metropolitan area (which includes the urban area and economically integrated rural environs)added approximately 5,000,000 new residents between 2001 and 2011. Dhaka added at least a 50percent to its population, rising from just less than 10 million populations to just over 15 million duringthe decade. Few, if any of the world’s largest metropolitan areas or urban areas have achieved such alarge percentage population increase in a period of 10 years. Even so, Dhaka’s population added fewerpeople than some larger metropolitan areas over a similar period, such as Karachi, Jakarta and Shanghai(Figure 2).

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Until the early nineteen nineties, majority of the slums were located on public lands. The percentages ofslums on private lands were less. Things began to change in the nineties. The government started toevict many slums from public properties. Open private lands were still available. Private land ownersstarted to rent out the lands to slum dwellers as the return on these lands were handsome because ofhigh densities. Thus in 2006, 77% of slums were on private lands. Slum people invariably live below thepoverty line and have little access to employment in formal sectors. They have failed to secure asustainable livelihood in the city despite living for a long period of time. The poor communities arevulnerable in terms of their physical and social capital. They have little access to the city's social andpolitical structure, which also shows their vulnerable situation. Urban government has little initiative tocreate opportunities for the poor sections of city’s population. The poor communities cope with urbanlife through 'household strategies' such as: putting more family members into the work force, throughpetty trading, avoiding many basic goods, which represent luxuries to them, increasing their householdsize by inducting more relatives, withdrawing their children from education, constructing their ownshelter, using kinship as social capital, and establishing patron-client relationships with local leaders(Hossain, 2005).

The Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) is a periodic study of the population and urbanareas are surveyed including the slum areas. Some findings of the survey shows that slum land wasowned by a land owner or Bosti (slum) owner for 83% and rent collected for permission to build abamboo shelter to use as a home. Land owners and Bosti owners are not thought to pay governmenttaxes and are not accountable for the conditions or safety of the slums. All families lived in one-roomdwellings, with construction usually of bamboo frame, fencing and roof. An average of five people livedin each room, and some families had over eight individuals in one room. Female, adults and childrentended to work as housekeepers, laborers or in the garment piecework, while male adults and childrentended to work as rickshaw pullers, laborers, brick breakers, drivers or carpenters. The average incomeper family was 3725 Taka per month and the average expenditure was 3218 Taka per month. Howevermany 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.

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1.3 What is a slum?

Encyclopedia Britannica defines a slum as “…residential areas that are physically and sociallydeteriorated and in which satisfactory family life is impossible. Bad housing is a major index of slumconditions. By bad housing is meant dwellings that have inadequate light, air, toilet, and bathingfacilities; that are in bad repair and improperly heated; that do not afford opportunity for family privacy;that are subject to fire hazard and that overcrowd the land, leaving no space for recreational use…..”

A slum, as defined by the United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, is a run-down area of a city characterizedby substandard housing, squalor, and lacking in tenure security. The term has traditionally referred tohousing areas that were once relatively affluent but which deteriorated as the original dwellers movedon to newer and better parts of the city, but has come to include the vast informal settlements found incities in the developing world (UN-Habitat, 2003). The United Nations characterizes slums by one ormore of the following:

Poor structural quality and durability of housing Insufficient living areas (more than three people sharing a room) Lack of secure tenure Poor access to water Lack of sanitation facilities

The World Bank, in a survey report that was conducted in collaboration with the Housing andSettlement Directorate, Government of Bangladesh and Centre for Urban Studies, defined a slum as aresidential area where more than three hundred people live in one acre (0.405 hectors) of land. Anaverage of more than three adults lives in a single room. 46 percent of these houses are one-roomedand the average size is 120 square feet.

Ventilation, drinking water, electricity and sewerage facilities are absent in these houses A slumhousehold, as defined by the United Nations, is a group of individuals living under the same roof andlacking one or more of the following conditions: access to improved water, access to improvedsanitation, sufficient living area, structural quality and durability of housing and security of tenure (UN-Habitat, 2009).

1.4 What is Squatter?

A squatter (in The Concise Oxford Dictionary) is a person who settles on public land or occupies propertywithout title, right or payment of rent. In many of the world's poorer countries, there areextensive slums or shanty towns, typically built on the edges of major cities and consisting almostentirely of self-constructed housing built without the landowner's permission. While these settlementsmay, in time, grow to become both legalized and indistinguishable from normal residentialneighborhoods, they start off as squats with minimal basic infrastructure. Thus, there is no system,drinking must be bought from vendors or carried from a nearby tap, and if there is electricity, it is stolenfrom a passing cable. Squatting by necessity is in itself a political issue, therefore also a "statement" orrather a 'response' to the political systems causing it. In this period of global recession and increasedhousing foreclosures, squatting has become far more prevalent in Western, developed nations.

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1.5 Different Names of Slum in Different Countries

Different countries call slums with different names. Following are some selected names -

1. Bastee - Bangladesh2. Wasti/Jhupri/ Dhamri – India3. katchi abadi – Pakistan4. Muddukku – Sri Lanka5. Chumchon Aai-aat – Thailand6. Nhaa tam bo – Vietnam7. Chapro - Nepal8. Ghetto (part of a city where minority groups live, but can also be called a slum) – Panama, USA9. Shanty/ Shacks – USA10. Hooverville – USA (1930s)11. Rookery - London, United Kingdom12. Favela – Brazil13. uMjondolo – South Africa14. Baraccopoli – Italy15. Paraggoupoli – Greece16. huho sengkyo – Japan17. Muhoga Chongchakji/ Taldongne/ Sandongne – Korea18. Kampong kumuh – Malaysia & Indonesia19. Vecindades/ Jacales/ Zona marginal - Mexico20. Villas Miseria - Argentina21. Barrios de invasión - Colombia22. Barriadas - Peru23. Asentamientos - Guatemala24. Campamentos/ poblaciones callampa – Chile25. Asentamientos – Uruguay26. Putri – Hungary27. Al Sakan Al Ashawayie – Syria28. Aashwa’I - Egypt29. Bidonvilles – France30. Poblados chabolistas - Spain31. Invasiones - Puerto Rico32. Elendsviertel – Germany33. Trushchobi - Russia

1.6 Slums in Dhaka

In 1960s government acquired many lands in rural areas through acquisition as part of decisions toprovide opportunity to the people of Dhaka city for housing that resulted in rendering many landownershomeless and was forced to take shelter in the vacant land of the government. Moreover, due to rivererosion, flood, draught and natural calamities in Bangladesh, the unfortunate people who becamehomeless and having no profession, and no provisions for food and shelter, migrated to urban area and

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started living in the government vacant lands. The economic growth, development and industrializationin Dhaka city along with natural disasters are also reason for migration that further creates slums. Theconditions of Bangladeshi slums are the worst in the world. The 2005 survey identified some 4,966 slumclusters in DMA with a total population of 3.4 million, a 65% increase in the number of clusters andmore than doubling of the slum population over the 1996 levels. Of the 4,966 slum clusters of thepresent survey, 4,342 were within DCC limits. The slum population in the DCC was 2.5 million with anadditional 0.9 million in the DMA areas outside of the DCC (CUS, 2005). The slums in Dhaka have beenshown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 Study area and slums in Dhaka city Source: CUS, 2005

As per the Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD), a total of 3.5 million people are living in4,000 slums in the Dhaka metropolitan area (up to February 2013). Everyday we observe the influx ofhundreds of new people to the city of Dhaka. But why do people come to Dhaka and other cities inBangladesh? There are two factors behind it: a) pull factor and b) push factor.

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Bangladesh is urbanizing fast. People are moving to places where there are or perceived to have jobsand opportunities. The cities are the new centers of jobs and opportunities. The bigger the center, thestronger is the pool. Dhaka is the primate city in Bangladesh according for over 30% of the total GDP. Itis 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, especially to Dhakacity. Now-a-days maximum slum dwellers are one kind of environmental migrants. The often naturaldisasters: 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 theyare obliged to go to the cities. The job sector of rural areas is not much strong so people are pushed tothe cities. And for many other people demonstration effect is big enough to push them to the cities.

1.7 Relevant Laws in Favor of Slum Dwellers

1. Article 15 of the constitution of People’s Republic of Bangladesh states that state will providebasic necessities of life including shelter for all.

2. Article 32 emphasizes protection of right to life and personal liberty.3. National Housing Policy 1993 clause 5.7.1 strongly states that no eviction from any slum would

be under taken without providing for full and adequate rehabilitation of the slum dwellers.4. As per the Government and Local Authority Lands and buildings (recovery and possession)

Ordinance 1970 section-5 provides that a prior notice has to be served before 7 days of the slumeviction.

2. Methodology

2.1 Scope and Objectives of the StudyThe study has been carried out based on two types of methods for data collection. Primary data hasbeen collected by focus group discussion and semi-structured interview of randomly selected individual.Secondary data has been collected from different articles, journals and website. The major criteria forslums is considered here - predominantly very poor housing; very high population density and roomcrowding; low income; and very poor environmental services, especially water and sanitation.

The reason for choosing urban dwellers of Dhaka are that they are keeping the economy going throughtheir hard toil and providing most of the necessary services to the city dwellers. The economy runssmoothly because the poor are producing the necessary goods and services. A major export-earningsector of Bangladesh-garments-most of those are in Dhaka- is run by poor young women. There arenumber of parameters involved in the urban livelihood. Among those only shelter or housing, water,sanitation, health and income are considered. The impact on social dimensions like network trust etc. isnot analyzed in details. For this study, men, women and children have been equally treated.

The study objectives include identification of major problems in Korile slum, discover the constraintsthat exacerbate vulnerability, and identify survival strategies to cope up with the problems in Korileslum. The study identifies the vulnerability due to lack of accountability, capacity of urban institutions aswell as lack of implementation of related policies, rules and regulations.

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2.2 Study LocationThe study covers only one slum area due to lack of resources, though there are almost 5,000 slums inDhaka. In Dhaka city Karail is the largest and longest-standing single slum located in Mohakhali nearGulshan and Banani areas, where some of the country's wealthiest families live. It sits on governmentland owned by the state-owned BTCL, the Public Works Department and the Ministry of Information andCommunication. The informal settlements at Karail started to develop during late 80’s on the vacanthigher grounds. At present Karail covers an area of approximate 90 acres with an estimated populationof over 100,000 (CUS, 2005). Details of Korail slum area is as follows in table:

Location Korail slum, Gulshan Thana, near BTCL

Permanency 50 years

Area 85 Acres

Number of Households 1100

Population 90,000

Water Facility 2 water points (1 DCC and 1 DWASA)

Drainage Facility Discontinuous semi-pucca drain

Solid waste Facility Open place

DCC 19 no. ward.

Because of its location near the high-end residential and commercial (Gulshan, Banani and Mohakhali)areas of Dhaka it attracts low income people engaged mostly in service jobs like cleaners, householdhelpers, rickshaw pullers as well as worker of ready made garments industries.

Figure 4 - Study area – Karail, Mohakhali

The inhabitants have set up full formal transportation networks of boats to ferry people to and fromtheir jobs. The boats scrape the water pipes floating in the water. The pipes tap into the main lines inBanani. Someone is controlling it. Electricity is strung over the water, again tapped into the main line.More than 30 percent of the dwellers of Korail Slum are day laborers, 20 percent rickshaw and van-pullers, 18 percent garments workers and 12 percent small traders. An average family earns only Taka2,500-Tk 4,500 ($30-$52) a month and they have to pay local influential Taka 800 – 1200 ($10-$14) forrent of an 80 square foot illegal shanty house.

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2.3 Collection of Primary Data

Primary data on impact were collected by using household interviews in April 2013. The interviewwas conducted on 10 households, al l of them from mid lands. Since the objective of the study is toget a more comprehensive overview about the study, households were randomly selected. To enhancethe chance of meeting the households in their slums, early morning and afternoon time was found tobe an appropriate time. Semi-structured interview was found to be an appropriate strategy for thestudy because questions that were not included in the questionnaire were asked and new questionswere raised as ideas emerge through the process.

The households represented in the study encompass age groups 18 and above; which also encapsulatesthe idea of all age households. Out of total 12 respondents 4 were female; 1 widows, 2 married and 1unmarried respectively. To get as much information as possible the respondents were treated as a‘carriers of information’ while the interviewer acted as an ‘ignorant knower’. The interview took anaverage of 25 to 40 minutes each.

Secondary data is based on existing literature and reports.

3. Results and Discussion

3.1 Actual Owner of the Slum and Average Family Size in the SlumIt is observed that 7% of people say’s personal land, 11% of people say’s the owner is BTCL, 30% ofpeople say’s land belongs to DCC and 52% of people say’s the slum owner is Bangladesh government(Figure 5). People living in the slum seem to be confused about the actual owner of the slum. On theother hand 7% of people have 3-5 member in their family, 24% have more than 8 person on theirand 69% have 5-8 member in their family (Figure 6).

Figure 5: Actual owner of the slum Figure 6: Average family size in slum

3.2 Residency of the SlumIt is observed that 10% of people staying have been in this slum for 0-1 year’s, 47% people say theyhave been staying here 1-3 years, 22% people say that they have been staying in this slum 3-5 yearsand only 21% people say’s that they have been staying here more than 5 years. It is observed thatpeople don’t stay longer period of time in this slum because of the hazardous life.

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2.3 Collection of Primary Data

Primary data on impact were collected by using household interviews in April 2013. The interviewwas conducted on 10 households, al l of them from mid lands. Since the objective of the study is toget a more comprehensive overview about the study, households were randomly selected. To enhancethe chance of meeting the households in their slums, early morning and afternoon time was found tobe an appropriate time. Semi-structured interview was found to be an appropriate strategy for thestudy because questions that were not included in the questionnaire were asked and new questionswere raised as ideas emerge through the process.

The households represented in the study encompass age groups 18 and above; which also encapsulatesthe idea of all age households. Out of total 12 respondents 4 were female; 1 widows, 2 married and 1unmarried respectively. To get as much information as possible the respondents were treated as a‘carriers of information’ while the interviewer acted as an ‘ignorant knower’. The interview took anaverage of 25 to 40 minutes each.

Secondary data is based on existing literature and reports.

3. Results and Discussion

3.1 Actual Owner of the Slum and Average Family Size in the SlumIt is observed that 7% of people say’s personal land, 11% of people say’s the owner is BTCL, 30% ofpeople say’s land belongs to DCC and 52% of people say’s the slum owner is Bangladesh government(Figure 5). People living in the slum seem to be confused about the actual owner of the slum. On theother hand 7% of people have 3-5 member in their family, 24% have more than 8 person on theirand 69% have 5-8 member in their family (Figure 6).

Figure 5: Actual owner of the slum Figure 6: Average family size in slum

3.2 Residency of the SlumIt is observed that 10% of people staying have been in this slum for 0-1 year’s, 47% people say theyhave been staying here 1-3 years, 22% people say that they have been staying in this slum 3-5 yearsand only 21% people say’s that they have been staying here more than 5 years. It is observed thatpeople don’t stay longer period of time in this slum because of the hazardous life.

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2.3 Collection of Primary Data

Primary data on impact were collected by using household interviews in April 2013. The interviewwas conducted on 10 households, al l of them from mid lands. Since the objective of the study is toget a more comprehensive overview about the study, households were randomly selected. To enhancethe chance of meeting the households in their slums, early morning and afternoon time was found tobe an appropriate time. Semi-structured interview was found to be an appropriate strategy for thestudy because questions that were not included in the questionnaire were asked and new questionswere raised as ideas emerge through the process.

The households represented in the study encompass age groups 18 and above; which also encapsulatesthe idea of all age households. Out of total 12 respondents 4 were female; 1 widows, 2 married and 1unmarried respectively. To get as much information as possible the respondents were treated as a‘carriers of information’ while the interviewer acted as an ‘ignorant knower’. The interview took anaverage of 25 to 40 minutes each.

Secondary data is based on existing literature and reports.

3. Results and Discussion

3.1 Actual Owner of the Slum and Average Family Size in the SlumIt is observed that 7% of people say’s personal land, 11% of people say’s the owner is BTCL, 30% ofpeople say’s land belongs to DCC and 52% of people say’s the slum owner is Bangladesh government(Figure 5). People living in the slum seem to be confused about the actual owner of the slum. On theother hand 7% of people have 3-5 member in their family, 24% have more than 8 person on theirand 69% have 5-8 member in their family (Figure 6).

Figure 5: Actual owner of the slum Figure 6: Average family size in slum

3.2 Residency of the SlumIt is observed that 10% of people staying have been in this slum for 0-1 year’s, 47% people say theyhave been staying here 1-3 years, 22% people say that they have been staying in this slum 3-5 yearsand only 21% people say’s that they have been staying here more than 5 years. It is observed thatpeople don’t stay longer period of time in this slum because of the hazardous life.

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3.3 Occupation & Monthly Income of PeopleDoing questionnaire survey it is obtained that 4% of people are working in industry, 17% of peopleare working as street hawker, 32% of people are working in garment and 47% of people are drivingRickshaw (Figure 7 ). Monthly income level of the people living in this slum is very low. As persurvey 49% of people earn around TK. 3000-5000 and 51% of people are getting approximatelyTK.5000-8000 (Figure 8) per month. It is found out that people living this slum are generally poor,their occupation & monthly income can’t fulfill their fundamental needs.

Figure 7: Occupation of the people Figure 8: Monthly income (average)

3.4 Source of Drinking Water and other PurposesIn most cases water supply facility in the slums is provided by the NGOs through water point fromDWASA. Water point is basically water storage facility where water is stored from DWASA mainlines. In the slums where the above facilities are absent or inadequate, the inhabitants usemaximum water sources of DWASA and very few numbers depend on adjacent water bodies likeponds. However, the main source of drinking water is the DWASA supply water. Around 57%respondents use DWASA supply water for their drinking water and other purposes while 43%respondents use shallow tube-well for their dinking and other purposes.

3.5 Problem in Fetching WaterThere are the problems in fetching water from the source we get for DWASA water source which is faraway and crowded 51%. The surrounding environment is unsuitable for fetching water for women49% in the Korail slum area. We observed that collecting water from far away is a major problem.

3.6 Mode of DefecationSanitation situation is worse than water supply in the low cost areas. The commonly availablesanitation facilities include ‘kutcha’ or pit latrines, bucket latrines and water seal latrines in slumarea in DCC and bucket latrines and water seal latrines are low cost area in korail slum. Here resultobtained about mode of defecation for Bucket latrine and water seal latrine are 17% and 0%respectively in the Korail slum area. Moreover, pit latrine of 29% and water hanging latrine of 54%in the slum areas. In Korail slum area has almost 80000 populations but the numbers of water seallatrines are 359, bucket latrines are 250, hanging latrines are 520 and all the latrines are nothygienic and environmental friendly. So it is observed that the sanitation process for this event isfound comparatively unsatisfactory for the korail slum area (Collated Data is shown in the Figure 9).

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3.3 Occupation & Monthly Income of PeopleDoing questionnaire survey it is obtained that 4% of people are working in industry, 17% of peopleare working as street hawker, 32% of people are working in garment and 47% of people are drivingRickshaw (Figure 7 ). Monthly income level of the people living in this slum is very low. As persurvey 49% of people earn around TK. 3000-5000 and 51% of people are getting approximatelyTK.5000-8000 (Figure 8) per month. It is found out that people living this slum are generally poor,their occupation & monthly income can’t fulfill their fundamental needs.

Figure 7: Occupation of the people Figure 8: Monthly income (average)

3.4 Source of Drinking Water and other PurposesIn most cases water supply facility in the slums is provided by the NGOs through water point fromDWASA. Water point is basically water storage facility where water is stored from DWASA mainlines. In the slums where the above facilities are absent or inadequate, the inhabitants usemaximum water sources of DWASA and very few numbers depend on adjacent water bodies likeponds. However, the main source of drinking water is the DWASA supply water. Around 57%respondents use DWASA supply water for their drinking water and other purposes while 43%respondents use shallow tube-well for their dinking and other purposes.

3.5 Problem in Fetching WaterThere are the problems in fetching water from the source we get for DWASA water source which is faraway and crowded 51%. The surrounding environment is unsuitable for fetching water for women49% in the Korail slum area. We observed that collecting water from far away is a major problem.

3.6 Mode of DefecationSanitation situation is worse than water supply in the low cost areas. The commonly availablesanitation facilities include ‘kutcha’ or pit latrines, bucket latrines and water seal latrines in slumarea in DCC and bucket latrines and water seal latrines are low cost area in korail slum. Here resultobtained about mode of defecation for Bucket latrine and water seal latrine are 17% and 0%respectively in the Korail slum area. Moreover, pit latrine of 29% and water hanging latrine of 54%in the slum areas. In Korail slum area has almost 80000 populations but the numbers of water seallatrines are 359, bucket latrines are 250, hanging latrines are 520 and all the latrines are nothygienic and environmental friendly. So it is observed that the sanitation process for this event isfound comparatively unsatisfactory for the korail slum area (Collated Data is shown in the Figure 9).

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3.3 Occupation & Monthly Income of PeopleDoing questionnaire survey it is obtained that 4% of people are working in industry, 17% of peopleare working as street hawker, 32% of people are working in garment and 47% of people are drivingRickshaw (Figure 7 ). Monthly income level of the people living in this slum is very low. As persurvey 49% of people earn around TK. 3000-5000 and 51% of people are getting approximatelyTK.5000-8000 (Figure 8) per month. It is found out that people living this slum are generally poor,their occupation & monthly income can’t fulfill their fundamental needs.

Figure 7: Occupation of the people Figure 8: Monthly income (average)

3.4 Source of Drinking Water and other PurposesIn most cases water supply facility in the slums is provided by the NGOs through water point fromDWASA. Water point is basically water storage facility where water is stored from DWASA mainlines. In the slums where the above facilities are absent or inadequate, the inhabitants usemaximum water sources of DWASA and very few numbers depend on adjacent water bodies likeponds. However, the main source of drinking water is the DWASA supply water. Around 57%respondents use DWASA supply water for their drinking water and other purposes while 43%respondents use shallow tube-well for their dinking and other purposes.

3.5 Problem in Fetching WaterThere are the problems in fetching water from the source we get for DWASA water source which is faraway and crowded 51%. The surrounding environment is unsuitable for fetching water for women49% in the Korail slum area. We observed that collecting water from far away is a major problem.

3.6 Mode of DefecationSanitation situation is worse than water supply in the low cost areas. The commonly availablesanitation facilities include ‘kutcha’ or pit latrines, bucket latrines and water seal latrines in slumarea in DCC and bucket latrines and water seal latrines are low cost area in korail slum. Here resultobtained about mode of defecation for Bucket latrine and water seal latrine are 17% and 0%respectively in the Korail slum area. Moreover, pit latrine of 29% and water hanging latrine of 54%in the slum areas. In Korail slum area has almost 80000 populations but the numbers of water seallatrines are 359, bucket latrines are 250, hanging latrines are 520 and all the latrines are nothygienic and environmental friendly. So it is observed that the sanitation process for this event isfound comparatively unsatisfactory for the korail slum area (Collated Data is shown in the Figure 9).

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It is also observed that children are generally used the yard and the places near the tube-wells fordefecating. However, no proper hygienic latrines such as water sealed latrine exist. Considering thewater use facility at or near the latrines and overall hygienic condition of the latrines, the situationis very disappointing. The situation analysis of slums has pit latrines or sanitation and it block givenby different source. No separate sanitation locks for male and female users.

Figure 10: Idea about Mode of defecation

3.7 Latrine FacilitiesIn case of analyzing existing latrine facilities we get for common 86% and single 14% in the slum area.So it is observed that the type of common latrine is gathering for slums area’s i.e. unhygieniccondition. Health and hygienic facilities of Korail slum area is in the worst condition. Therefore,different diseases frequently occur in that area. Besides safe distance between water point and latrineis not maintained in most cases that are very harmful for human health.

3.8 Paying for Using Latrine FacilitiesThe study also investigated that the mentality of paying for using latrine facilities in Korail slum are.Almost 79% respondents are not interest to pay money to get safe latrine while 21% respondents areinterests to take safe latrine by the paying of money. After all, it is observed that most of the peopleare not interested to pay for using sanitation facilities due to lack of awareness on safe sanitation andtheir health as well as their poor economical status.

3.9 Waste Disposal and Sewerage SystemAccording to the households in study area, there is no fixed place for waste disposal. Generallywastes are disposed wherever they live like on the ground or above the water body. Therefore,scattered wastes are found visible in open place. It indicates that adequate facilities of waste disposalas well as collection are almost non-existent in slum area. River or ditches are used for wastedisposal by 40% of the respondents whereas only 15% respondents use dustbin. The rest 45%throw their waste here and there. These haphazard wastes block the very few drains where available.Exposure to such dirty environment is very risky for children as they spend most of their timeplaying outside. Food waste, paper, rubbish, ashes and residues, special wastes such as streetsweeping, roadside litter and abandoned vehicles are the main solid wastes in the study area.

Some municipal dustbins are found in Korail slum area for solid waste disposal, but not sufficient and

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It is also observed that children are generally used the yard and the places near the tube-wells fordefecating. However, no proper hygienic latrines such as water sealed latrine exist. Considering thewater use facility at or near the latrines and overall hygienic condition of the latrines, the situationis very disappointing. The situation analysis of slums has pit latrines or sanitation and it block givenby different source. No separate sanitation locks for male and female users.

Figure 10: Idea about Mode of defecation

3.7 Latrine FacilitiesIn case of analyzing existing latrine facilities we get for common 86% and single 14% in the slum area.So it is observed that the type of common latrine is gathering for slums area’s i.e. unhygieniccondition. Health and hygienic facilities of Korail slum area is in the worst condition. Therefore,different diseases frequently occur in that area. Besides safe distance between water point and latrineis not maintained in most cases that are very harmful for human health.

3.8 Paying for Using Latrine FacilitiesThe study also investigated that the mentality of paying for using latrine facilities in Korail slum are.Almost 79% respondents are not interest to pay money to get safe latrine while 21% respondents areinterests to take safe latrine by the paying of money. After all, it is observed that most of the peopleare not interested to pay for using sanitation facilities due to lack of awareness on safe sanitation andtheir health as well as their poor economical status.

3.9 Waste Disposal and Sewerage SystemAccording to the households in study area, there is no fixed place for waste disposal. Generallywastes are disposed wherever they live like on the ground or above the water body. Therefore,scattered wastes are found visible in open place. It indicates that adequate facilities of waste disposalas well as collection are almost non-existent in slum area. River or ditches are used for wastedisposal by 40% of the respondents whereas only 15% respondents use dustbin. The rest 45%throw their waste here and there. These haphazard wastes block the very few drains where available.Exposure to such dirty environment is very risky for children as they spend most of their timeplaying outside. Food waste, paper, rubbish, ashes and residues, special wastes such as streetsweeping, roadside litter and abandoned vehicles are the main solid wastes in the study area.

Some municipal dustbins are found in Korail slum area for solid waste disposal, but not sufficient and

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It is also observed that children are generally used the yard and the places near the tube-wells fordefecating. However, no proper hygienic latrines such as water sealed latrine exist. Considering thewater use facility at or near the latrines and overall hygienic condition of the latrines, the situationis very disappointing. The situation analysis of slums has pit latrines or sanitation and it block givenby different source. No separate sanitation locks for male and female users.

Figure 10: Idea about Mode of defecation

3.7 Latrine FacilitiesIn case of analyzing existing latrine facilities we get for common 86% and single 14% in the slum area.So it is observed that the type of common latrine is gathering for slums area’s i.e. unhygieniccondition. Health and hygienic facilities of Korail slum area is in the worst condition. Therefore,different diseases frequently occur in that area. Besides safe distance between water point and latrineis not maintained in most cases that are very harmful for human health.

3.8 Paying for Using Latrine FacilitiesThe study also investigated that the mentality of paying for using latrine facilities in Korail slum are.Almost 79% respondents are not interest to pay money to get safe latrine while 21% respondents areinterests to take safe latrine by the paying of money. After all, it is observed that most of the peopleare not interested to pay for using sanitation facilities due to lack of awareness on safe sanitation andtheir health as well as their poor economical status.

3.9 Waste Disposal and Sewerage SystemAccording to the households in study area, there is no fixed place for waste disposal. Generallywastes are disposed wherever they live like on the ground or above the water body. Therefore,scattered wastes are found visible in open place. It indicates that adequate facilities of waste disposalas well as collection are almost non-existent in slum area. River or ditches are used for wastedisposal by 40% of the respondents whereas only 15% respondents use dustbin. The rest 45%throw their waste here and there. These haphazard wastes block the very few drains where available.Exposure to such dirty environment is very risky for children as they spend most of their timeplaying outside. Food waste, paper, rubbish, ashes and residues, special wastes such as streetsweeping, roadside litter and abandoned vehicles are the main solid wastes in the study area.

Some municipal dustbins are found in Korail slum area for solid waste disposal, but not sufficient and

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the inhabitants have to dispose solid wastes in open spaces and road sides that are very vulnerablefor the deterioration of environment. Almost 99% respondents are not satisfied for the solid wastemanagement in Korail slum area. In this slum, the people can make some extra income by selling thecompost at a lower cost. There is house-to-house waste collection system by which the waste isdisposed off both at DCC communal bins and open spaces (at roadside). In BTCL area, solid wastesare collected by vans and the trucks waiting outside at the main road again collect the wastedisposals from the vans. Some wastes are also put into the garbage bins of DCC. There is almost nosewerage system in the slums. All the kutcha latrines are connected to the nearest ditches and rivers.

3.10 Water LoggingThe drainage system is very poor in the slums and consequently rain caused water logging is acommon problem for the slum as well all urban dwellers. This problem is faced by most of therespondents (88%). Walking becomes very difficult for them by crossing water and clay. Children areaffected more as they suffer from diarrhea playing in the dirty water of waterlogged areas. Somesuffer from skin disease in their foot. The alarming scenario is- the waterlogged water mix with theraw sewage and the solid waste which ultimately produce mosquitoes, flies and bad odour.

3.11 Water Borne DiseasesThere is almost universal knowledge among adult women, adult man and young generation from allcontexts that contaminated water can cause diarrhea or Cholera. However, the Data was collected fromdifferent sources and persons for common water borne diseases in korail slum. The diseases of Diarrhea,Dysentery and cholera were 50%, 24% and 26% respectively (Figure 11). Here we observed that majorpeople affected diarrhea but suffering by cholera.

The respondents seem to have fair knowledge on the mode of transmitting germs from human excreta.Hands and nails, flies were mentioned the most followed by breathe or air. More proportion of theyoung generation failed to respond. However, sickness during past three months from water bornediseases constituted maximum of all diseases reported. Maximum of the total medical expenses werespent on water related diseases. And on an average 10.2 working days were lost in last three monthsdue to those diseases. Most of the households reporting to have at least one sick person in theirhouseholds during last three months were asked about loss of working days.

Figure 11: Idea about Common Water borne

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the inhabitants have to dispose solid wastes in open spaces and road sides that are very vulnerablefor the deterioration of environment. Almost 99% respondents are not satisfied for the solid wastemanagement in Korail slum area. In this slum, the people can make some extra income by selling thecompost at a lower cost. There is house-to-house waste collection system by which the waste isdisposed off both at DCC communal bins and open spaces (at roadside). In BTCL area, solid wastesare collected by vans and the trucks waiting outside at the main road again collect the wastedisposals from the vans. Some wastes are also put into the garbage bins of DCC. There is almost nosewerage system in the slums. All the kutcha latrines are connected to the nearest ditches and rivers.

3.10 Water LoggingThe drainage system is very poor in the slums and consequently rain caused water logging is acommon problem for the slum as well all urban dwellers. This problem is faced by most of therespondents (88%). Walking becomes very difficult for them by crossing water and clay. Children areaffected more as they suffer from diarrhea playing in the dirty water of waterlogged areas. Somesuffer from skin disease in their foot. The alarming scenario is- the waterlogged water mix with theraw sewage and the solid waste which ultimately produce mosquitoes, flies and bad odour.

3.11 Water Borne DiseasesThere is almost universal knowledge among adult women, adult man and young generation from allcontexts that contaminated water can cause diarrhea or Cholera. However, the Data was collected fromdifferent sources and persons for common water borne diseases in korail slum. The diseases of Diarrhea,Dysentery and cholera were 50%, 24% and 26% respectively (Figure 11). Here we observed that majorpeople affected diarrhea but suffering by cholera.

The respondents seem to have fair knowledge on the mode of transmitting germs from human excreta.Hands and nails, flies were mentioned the most followed by breathe or air. More proportion of theyoung generation failed to respond. However, sickness during past three months from water bornediseases constituted maximum of all diseases reported. Maximum of the total medical expenses werespent on water related diseases. And on an average 10.2 working days were lost in last three monthsdue to those diseases. Most of the households reporting to have at least one sick person in theirhouseholds during last three months were asked about loss of working days.

Figure 11: Idea about Common Water borne

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the inhabitants have to dispose solid wastes in open spaces and road sides that are very vulnerablefor the deterioration of environment. Almost 99% respondents are not satisfied for the solid wastemanagement in Korail slum area. In this slum, the people can make some extra income by selling thecompost at a lower cost. There is house-to-house waste collection system by which the waste isdisposed off both at DCC communal bins and open spaces (at roadside). In BTCL area, solid wastesare collected by vans and the trucks waiting outside at the main road again collect the wastedisposals from the vans. Some wastes are also put into the garbage bins of DCC. There is almost nosewerage system in the slums. All the kutcha latrines are connected to the nearest ditches and rivers.

3.10 Water LoggingThe drainage system is very poor in the slums and consequently rain caused water logging is acommon problem for the slum as well all urban dwellers. This problem is faced by most of therespondents (88%). Walking becomes very difficult for them by crossing water and clay. Children areaffected more as they suffer from diarrhea playing in the dirty water of waterlogged areas. Somesuffer from skin disease in their foot. The alarming scenario is- the waterlogged water mix with theraw sewage and the solid waste which ultimately produce mosquitoes, flies and bad odour.

3.11 Water Borne DiseasesThere is almost universal knowledge among adult women, adult man and young generation from allcontexts that contaminated water can cause diarrhea or Cholera. However, the Data was collected fromdifferent sources and persons for common water borne diseases in korail slum. The diseases of Diarrhea,Dysentery and cholera were 50%, 24% and 26% respectively (Figure 11). Here we observed that majorpeople affected diarrhea but suffering by cholera.

The respondents seem to have fair knowledge on the mode of transmitting germs from human excreta.Hands and nails, flies were mentioned the most followed by breathe or air. More proportion of theyoung generation failed to respond. However, sickness during past three months from water bornediseases constituted maximum of all diseases reported. Maximum of the total medical expenses werespent on water related diseases. And on an average 10.2 working days were lost in last three monthsdue to those diseases. Most of the households reporting to have at least one sick person in theirhouseholds during last three months were asked about loss of working days.

Figure 11: Idea about Common Water borne

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4. Observations and Recommendation Sanitary and water supply condition are improving very slowly in Korail slum.

Huge migration in Dhaka city throughout the year is regular phenomenon.

In general, slum dwellers are vulnerable in respect of accessing to urban basic services.

The Government should follow existing legal provisions strictly to address the problems of theslum dwellers.

Safety Net Programs and microcredit programs need to be increased in slums.

The Government must take a timely and appropriate rehabilitation plan for the slum dwellersunder consideration immediately to address that problem.

Developing partner’s assistance for the rehabilitation is a must. The Government should providethem with khas lands if developing partners come for assistance when slum dwellers areevicted.

Law enforcing agencies should ensure the security of the slums so that illegal trading like drugand arms business and other unlawful activities could not run further.

Government actually has very good housing plans and policy since 1992. As they have the policyin the place; all they need is a bit of will from the politicians to deal with the problem.

Civil society and media should come forward to press the concerned authorities to meet thebasic demand of slum dwellers.

NGOS and Donor Agencies should work together to assist the government by providing technicaland financial assistance in this respect.

Decentralization process for the development of the rural and suburban areas should bestrengthened. As a result homeless and jobless people would be able to involve with works.

Both long term and short term planning is required to solve the problem. Some steps havealready been taken to move the garment factories outside Dhaka. Policies take a long time, butit is important to take care of the immediate crisis.

Land use planning mentioned in the DAP should be effectively implemented by the government.

Coordination between DWASA and DCC should be ensured regarding operation andmanagement of drainage system for minimizing water logging.

5. Conclusion

Target 7.D of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) to “achieve, by 2020, a significant improvementin the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers” has been reported to be exceeding. The share of urbanslum residents in the developing world declined from 39 per cent in 2000 to 33 per cent in 2012. Morethan 200 million of these people gained access to improved water sources, improved sanitationfacilities, or durable or less crowded housing. So, the target was met well in advance of the 2020deadline. By 2030, an estimated 5 billion of the worlds 8.1 billion people will live in cities. About 2 billionof them will live in slums, primarily in Africa and Asia, lacking access to clean drinking water and workingtoilets, surrounded by desperations and crimes. So it is very hard to predict that how the reformpackages will work. But at first combined effort is necessary from the policy makers level with thecoordination of grassroots level is necessary to solve the slum problems to make a better future for thecitizens of Dhaka Megacity.

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References

Islam N, Huda N, Narayan FB, Rana PB, 1997. Addressing the Urban Poverty Agenda in Bangladesh.Dhaka: The University Press Limited

CUS, 2005, Slums of Urban Bangladesh: Mapping and Census

Hossain (2005) in ‘Poverty, Household Strategies and Coping with Urban Life: Examining ‘LivelihoodFramework’ in Dhaka City, Bangladesh’

Islam N., 2005. Slums of Bangladesh Mapping and Census Center for Urban Studies

World Bank, 2007. Dhaka: Improving Living Conditions for the Urban Poor, Bangladesh DevelopmentSeries, Paper No. 17

UN-HABITAT, 2009. State of the World Cities 2008/2009: Harmonious Cities

Jamil, I. and Panday, P.K., 2010. Urban Policy in Practice: Inter-organizational Coordination andCorruption – Evidence from One Bangladeshi City, unpublished

Democracywatch report, 2010. Health Problems of Women Living in Slums: A Situation Analysis of ThreeSelected Slums in Dhaka City

http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/environ.shtml

9th Annual Edition, March 2013. Demographia World Urban Areas(http://demographia.com/db-worldua.pdf)

Cox Wendell, 2012. Evolving Urban Form: Dhaka