Throwntogetherness in Dhaka: rethinking urban planning

Abstract

Rapid spatial growth and rural-urban migration in Dhaka have influenced the dynamic evolution of the city’s unplanned and old neighbourhoods. Despite development control and planning regulations, following the diverse needs of the residents, most neighbourhoods evolve through organic transformation and restructuring of space. This photo essay argues that the ‘throwntogetherness’ of the citizens in these neighbourhoods results from cohesion, mutual support, and affordability priorities. In contrast, the pursuit of ordered and regimented urban space in the city denies the fluid transformation that has led to high value planned residential areas and condominiums, predominantly to provide exclusive urban services to those who can afford them. However, such placemaking creates fragmentation and encourages hostility and ‘thrownapartness’. This essay contends that the planned production of space in this city should recognise the value of diversity, fluidity and openness and move away from exclusive and rigid space making.

Keywords:

• ‘throwntogetherness’
• ‘thrownapartness’
• hostility
• fluidity
• organic transformation

Acknowledgement

We like to thank Dr Anna Gawlewicz from the University of Glasgow and Professor Oren Yiftachel from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev for their comments and suggestions on the earlier drafts. We are also thankful to the City editorial team and the reviewers for their feedback and comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was conducted as part of the GCRF Centre for Sustainable, Healthy and Learning Cities and Neighbourhoods (SHLC) activities. SHLC is funded via UK Research and Innovation as part of the UK Government’s Global Challenges Research Fund (Ref: ES/P011020/1).

Notes on contributors

Tanjil Sowgat

Tanjil Sowgat is a Professor of Urban and Rural Planning at Khulna University, Bangladesh. Email: [email protected]

Shilpi Roy

Shilpi Roy is an Associate Professor of Urban and Rural Planning at Khulna University, Bangladesh. Email: [email protected]