Patterns of Urbanization of Rajshahi Town - A Socio-Economic Study

Abstract

The uncontrolled crescendo of urbanization in Bangladesh is becoming an important and urgent issue because the organiza­tional method for coping with the on- rush to cities, the squatting and slums, the housing and transport problems are not at all satisfactorily dealt with or proven. Urbanization problems are widely documented, though they still lack the wide range of required investigations. The present study, through normative approach, attempts to focus the interrelationship between the socio-economic growth and the patterns of urbanization. The study is based on a com­prehensive socio-economic survey on the different aspects of urbanization using two sets of questionnaires. 800 samples through stratified sampling method have been used. Analysis is made using statistical techniques. It has been found that agriculture, trade and commerce, and service are the most important sectors of employment. The location of industries are scattered and inefficient. Ratio of non-working population to the total population is higher. The average family size is 5.86 and per capita income is Tk. 3606 per year. The sex ratio, dependency ratio and child-woman ratio is 975, 68.03 and 360 respectively. The density of population per acre is only 6.59 persons and literacy is 52.95 per cent.

The rate of population growth is high and it will reach 98 hundred thousands i.e., four times larger than what it is today in next 20 years. Considering the consequences of rapid urbanization in a country like Bangladesh, recommendations for a national policy on urbanization is made. It has also been suggested to make further researches on the problems and prospects of urbanization in developing countries like Bangladesh.