Title: Peripheral land conversion for land and housing development projects and its impacts upon the affected people: a study in Greater Dhaka

Authors: Md. Jahangir Alam

Addresses: Department of Sociology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

Abstract: This article explores the process of the land conversion for land and housing development projects and its impact upon the affected people of Greater Dhaka. A primary survey was conducted on plot buyers and on the people affected for land conversion. Findings of the study show that most of the projects do not have any kind of plan approval and in many instances they forcefully transformed the high-value agricultural lands, wetlands/lowlands and retention ponds into housing projects through massive land conversion resulting in wide range of socio-economic and habitat quality change. The paper emphasises the need for the formulation of a comprehensive compensation package for the affected rural people of Greater Dhaka.

Keywords: Greater Dhaka; high-value agricultural land; peripheral land conversion; housing development projects; impacts; case study; Bangladesh; land development; planning approval; wetlands; lowlands; retention ponds; socio-economic changes; habitat quality; compensation packages; rural communities.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSOC.2016.074950

International Journal of Sustainable Society, 2016 Vol.8 No.1, pp.73 - 89

Received: 07 Oct 2014
Accepted: 20 Oct 2015
Published online: 25 Feb 2016 *

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