While Dhaka, Bangladesh, is the fastest growing city in the world, being a home to around 15 million of people, it is also one of the least developed cities in the world with regard to sanitation and water facilities, population settlement, employment conditions, and healthcare provision (Mizanur 2). Based on the two primary sources on Dhaka, McPherson’s 2018 article “The Dysfunctional Megacity: Why Dhaka is Bursting at the Sewers” and Martinez et al.’s 2016 research publication “Differential and enhanced response to climate forcing in diarrheal disease due to rotavirus across a megacity of the developing world,” one can infer that water problems in Dhaka are related to the issues of poor management and funding by the nation’s authorities and by the specifics of the environment and climate as well as population density. In particular, McPherson tends to relate the problems of flooding and sewage dysfunction in Dhaka to local government’s neglectful attitude and lack of funding whereas Martinez et al. focus on the population density and environmental factors as key in spurring the development of life-threatening rotavirus infection. MAIN CLAIM: Even though climate and environment are significant factors that impact the spread of rotavirus and the city’s flooding, Dhaka’s water problems should be understood in the context of an interplay of factors, with most important factors affecting the problem being the country’s overall economic plight and the government’s dysfunctionality.
On the one hand, Dhaka’s water problems result from adverse environmental and climatic conditions. Martinez et al. point out that climate perturbations, including monsoon seasons with heavy rains and floodings (summer or fall), are associated with increased levels of water contamination and the spread of cholera and rotavirus infection in Dhaka (4092). They explain that water-borne, diarrheal infections during this time affect greater numbers of people since people’s exposure to filthy water increases as does their exposure to personal contact.
Likewise, McPherson mentions that the problem with the sewers results from heavy flooding of Dhaka’s streets in the monsoon season and the city’s inconvenient low-lying location, which leads to its being filled like a bathtub (McPherson par. 3). In addition, McPherson traces the problem with the city’s poor sewage and drainage systems to the overpopulation. The latter, he explains, came as a result of people’s migration from coastal and rural areas, which were devastated by “climate-induced disasters” (McPherson par.18).
On the other hand, the problems with water and sanitation in Dhaka come as a result of the government’s inactivity. Even though Dhaka’s water quality, sanitation, and drainage management is closely associated with the seasonal changes, a lack of preventive measures taken by the Bangladeshi authorities is evident. In particular, the authorities do not control the influx of the impoverished populations into the capital, most of whom live in slums, use open defecation or unhygienic waste maintenance, and drink contaminated water (Mizanur 4). They could have done it by using the help of the international non-governmental organizations, for example, with regard to decentralizing the city and improving its drainage. Moreover, the authorities could have resorted to immunization that would prevent newborns getting infected with rotavirus and cholera, fund studies/or find sponsorship for studies that would help implement the vaccination initiatives across the city (Mizanur 35). Since the greatest problem is the density of the capital’s population, most of whom live in illegal settlements, the government could have worked on improving the quality of its infrastructure and implementing new technology relevant for the climate specific conditions of Dhaka.
If the government focuses on facilitating the economic growth and gets foreign investment, they could find more solutions (Salman 138). For instance, another way out could be building another capital that would have lots of social housing with relevant infrastructure and use adequate technologies (pits, septic tanks). Investing money into creating work opportunities in other regions of the country and preventing the erosion of river banks or cyclones’ destructive impacts could be another solution in the long-term. Indeed, if many remote areas in Bangladesh had not suffered so greatly from floods, cyclones, droughts, and erosions of river banks and if people had had enough work opportunities to live in rural areas, the Bangladeshi would have stayed there and would have found its senseless to travel to the capital and live in shantytowns there. The high level of bureaucracy and a lack of governmental initiative are evident from both articles. If Martinez et al. (2016) do not even mention the role of the government or the need to develop new policies with regard to their issue, McPherson (2018) clearly demonstrates that the bureaucracy is very strong and it does not even want to accept the slightest changes in managing sewers (for example, the authorities disregard the need to first use the pump machines and then send men to clear up manholes) or, as in other example, shift their responsibility for the problem on each other and the climate/weather/ lack of knowledge (“Someone tell me what is a solution?”). In fact, a complex approach to resolving the issue is required (Mizanur 35).
Overall, I’d first replaced the highly bureaucratic system with a more functional one. Then, I’d resolve the issue with employment in rural sectors, so that many disadvantaged people could get back to where they lived. Then, I’d invited foreign engineers and NGOs to develop and build a better drainage system. I’d also implement some short-time strategies for improving the quality of water and sanitation in the slums, based on available research and using available empirically tested technology, as well as educate people about hygiene and sanitation (Mizanur 35). I’d start depopulating the capital by building another capital and filling with social housing. I’d also control the influx of migrants to Dhaka. Besides, I’d implement vaccination initiatives to prevent babies’ death from rotavirus.
- Martinez, Pamela, King, Aaron… & Mercedes Pascual. “Differential and enhanced response to climate forcing in diarrheal disease due to rotavirus across a megacity of the developing world.” PNAS, 2016, pp. 4092-4097.
- McPherson, Poppy. “The Dysfunctional Megacity: Why Dhaka is Bursting at the Sewers.” The Guardian, March 2028, https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/mar/21/people-pouring-dhaka-bursting-sewers-overpopulation-bangladesh.
- Mizanur, Rahman. “Sanitation Interventions in the Urban Informal Settlements of Bangladesh: The Role of Government, NGOs, and Grassroots.” Durham E-Theses, 2012, http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3923/1/PhD_Final_Thesis_July_2012.pdf?DDD14+. Accessed 7 Feb 2019.
- Salman, Ahmed. “Bangladesh’s Economy: Surrounded by Deadly Threats.” IJSE, vol. 36, no.1-2 (2009), 138-180.
