<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Dhaka City has been suffering from many environmental problems including
flooding, water logging and other related problems. Urbanization, which is occurring very fast
and with larger magnitude in Dhaka, is the intrinsic reason behind these problems. High rate of
urbanization causes extensive urban area expansion and as a result canals, wetland and other
water bodies are quickly vanishing from the landscape. This study shows the present physical
condition of the canals; identifies the processes of canal encroachment; represents the
consequences of canal encroachment. 13 canals of 50 were surveyed; local people were
surveyed to identify the impact and processes of encroachment. According to this study, canals
of Dhaka city are under serious threat of extinction and require immediate recovery actions.
Canals are being encroached in various styles and this study identifies five: unauthorized land
filling, illegal construction over canal, expansion of slum, solid waste dumping, taking
advantage of lack of awareness of local people as well as government agencies. However, this
study also discusses the grave consequences of canal encroachment: increasing flood
vulnerability, wane of ground water recharge area and ground water level, collapse of natural
drainage system, loss of local ecology and biodiversity.</p></abstract>

Dhaka City has been suffering from many environmental problems including
flooding, water logging and other related problems. Urbanization, which is occurring very fast
and with larger magnitude in Dhaka, is the intrinsic reason behind these problems. High rate of
urbanization causes extensive urban area expansion and as a result canals, wetland and other
water bodies are quickly vanishing from the landscape. This study shows the present physical
condition of the canals; identifies the processes of canal encroachment; represents the
consequences of canal encroachment. 13 canals of 50 were surveyed; local people were
surveyed to identify the impact and processes of encroachment. According to this study, canals
of Dhaka city are under serious threat of extinction and require immediate recovery actions.
Canals are being encroached in various styles and this study identifies five: unauthorized land
filling, illegal construction over canal, expansion of slum, solid waste dumping, taking
advantage of lack of awareness of local people as well as government agencies. However, this
study also discusses the grave consequences of canal encroachment: increasing flood
vulnerability, wane of ground water recharge area and ground water level, collapse of natural
drainage system, loss of local ecology and biodiversity.

Encroachment of Canals of Dhaka City,
Bangladesh: An Investigative Approach

Department of Geography & Environment, University of
Dhaka, Bangladesh

Department of Geography, University of Calgary, Canada.

GeoScape

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Encroachment of Canals of Dhaka City,\nBangladesh: An Investigative Approach"}

Dhaka City has been suffering from many environmental problems including
flooding, water logging and other related problems. Urbanization, which is occurring...

Encroachment of Canals of Dhaka City, Bangladesh: An Investigative Approach

Published Online: Dec 30, 2014

Page range: 48 - 64

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/geosc-2014-0006

Keywords
Canals, Wetlands, Encroachment, Dhaka, Bangladesh

© 2014 Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Encroachment of Canals of Dhaka City, Bangladesh: An Investigative Approach

Published Online: Dec 30, 2014

Page range: 48 - 64

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/geosc-2014-0006

KeywordsCanals, Wetlands, Encroachment, Dhaka, Bangladesh

© 2014 Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Canals, Wetlands, Encroachment, Dhaka, Bangladesh