Dhaka Compact City: Can It Become Liveable?

The Dhaka compact city model has emerged almost by accident. Despite its reputation for traffic congestion, most Dhaka residents make short daily journeys, with walking and rickshaws playing a major role in how the capital moves.

The latest household survey linked to the government’s Updating and Revised Strategic Transport Plan found around 38 million daily trips across Greater Dhaka. About six in 10 trips are shorter than two kilometres, while roughly eight in 10 remain within five kilometres.

Walking accounts for nearly 38 percent of trips, while rickshaws carry more than a quarter. Private cars account for less than one trip in 20.

These figures reveal a city where homes, markets, schools, workplaces and essential services often remain close together.

Dhaka Compact City Already Fits the 15-Minute Idea

Urban planners increasingly discuss the 15-minute city, where residents can reach essential services such as food, education, healthcare and recreation within a short walk or cycle.

Dhaka already has some of these characteristics.

Markets, pharmacies, schools, mosques and small businesses are often located within walking distance of residential areas. Mixed-use neighbourhoods have also developed naturally, even when planners originally intended certain areas to remain largely residential.

Dhanmondi, Gulshan and Banani are examples of neighbourhoods where commercial activity gradually expanded alongside housing.

The problem is not proximity. The problem is whether people can safely and comfortably reach those nearby destinations.

Why Metro Rail Cannot Solve Everything

Metro rail has become an important part of Dhaka’s transport network, but it cannot solve the city’s mobility problems alone.

The system carries hundreds of thousands of passengers each day, while Greater Dhaka generates around 38 million trips daily. That means most journeys will continue to depend on walking, rickshaws, buses and other forms of local transport.

Government transport planning also expects public transport to remain only one part of Dhaka’s wider mobility system in the coming decades.

Therefore, Dhaka needs to improve its streets and neighbourhoods alongside expanding mass transit.

Dhaka Is Losing Its Biggest Advantage

Dhaka’s proximity gives it an important advantage, but that advantage is under pressure.

The city’s bus system has lost a significant share of daily trips, while motorcycle use has increased. At the same time, green spaces are shrinking and average road speeds have fallen dramatically.

These changes could push Dhaka toward a more motorised and congested future.

If people can no longer walk safely to nearby destinations, they may increasingly depend on motorcycles, cars and other vehicles. That would increase pressure on already limited road space.

The Biggest Problem Is Not Density

Dhaka’s density itself is not necessarily the problem.

The bigger challenge is the lack of infrastructure needed to make dense urban living comfortable.

Many footpaths are narrow, damaged or occupied by parked vehicles and street businesses. Waterlogging, poor drainage, inadequate sewage systems and limited green space add to the pressure.

Heat also makes walking more difficult. A short journey that looks manageable on a map can become exhausting when streets lack trees and shade.

For Dhaka to become genuinely liveable, density must come with better public spaces and basic services.

What Dhaka Should Do Now

Dhaka does not necessarily need to copy Paris, Tokyo or Hong Kong. Instead, planners can build on the city’s existing strengths.

Several changes could make an immediate difference:

• Reclaim footpaths for pedestrians while creating regulated spaces for street vendors.
• Build safer crossings at locations where people actually cross roads.
• Protect cycling and rickshaw movement from fast-moving traffic.
• Create pocket parks on available public land.
• Increase trees and shade along walking routes.
• Allow sensible mixed-use development while enforcing rules on noise, waste and other disturbances.
• Treat rickshaws as part of the transport network, especially for short and last-mile journeys.
• Improve coordination among Dhaka’s different urban agencies.

These measures would support the way Dhaka residents already travel instead of forcing the city into a completely different transport model.

Can Dhaka Become a Truly Liveable City?

The answer depends on whether Dhaka can protect its remaining advantage: proximity.

The city already has many elements of a compact urban model. People live close to shops, schools, markets and workplaces, while walking and rickshaws remain essential for daily mobility.

However, proximity alone does not create a liveable city.

Residents need safe footpaths, reliable drainage, cleaner streets, accessible public spaces, shade and efficient public transport.

The challenge is therefore not to completely redesign Dhaka. It is to make the city’s existing compact structure work better.

If authorities act now, Dhaka could turn an accidental advantage into a deliberate urban strategy. If they wait too long, increasing motorisation, shrinking green space and worsening congestion could make that opportunity much harder and more expensive to recover.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dhaka a compact city?

Yes. Dhaka has many characteristics of a compact city, including high density, mixed-use neighbourhoods and a large number of short daily journeys.

How many daily trips take place in Dhaka?

The latest household survey cited in the transport planning discussion puts the figure at around 38 million trips per day across Greater Dhaka.

Do most Dhaka residents travel long distances?

No. Around six in 10 daily trips are shorter than two kilometres, while roughly eight in 10 are under five kilometres.

Why is walking important in Dhaka?

Walking accounts for nearly 38 percent of daily trips, making it the city’s largest individual travel mode.

Can metro rail solve Dhaka’s traffic problem?

Metro rail can reduce pressure on some major travel corridors, but it cannot handle all of Dhaka’s daily trips. Walking, rickshaws, buses and other local transport will remain essential.

What would make Dhaka more liveable?

Better footpaths, safer crossings, improved drainage, more trees and parks, regulated mixed-use development and stronger public transport could significantly improve everyday life.

Conclusion

Dhaka does not need to become another global city to become liveable.

The capital already has a valuable foundation: short trips, mixed neighbourhoods and a strong culture of walking and rickshaw travel.

The priority now should be protecting those strengths while improving the infrastructure around them.

A better Dhaka may not require a completely new city. It may simply require making the city that already exists safer, greener and easier to live in.