For millions of residents, stepping out of home in Dhaka begins with uncertainty. Will they reach their destination on time? Will they find relief from the suffocating traffic? Will the air they breathe, the noise they endure and the services they depend on allow them to live a healthy life?
For many, the answer is increasingly frustrating.
The capital’s daily struggles — endless traffic jams, rising pollution, overcrowded hospitals, limited opportunities for quality education and shrinking public spaces — have once again placed Dhaka among the world’s least liveable cities.
The Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Global Liveability Index has ranked Dhaka 171st among 173 cities for the second consecutive year, making it one of the lowest-ranked cities globally.
Only Damascus in Syria and Tripoli in Libya, both affected by prolonged conflicts, scored lower than Dhaka.
Dhaka received an overall score of 41.7 out of 100 in the index, which measures five key areas: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.
Urban experts say the ranking reflects long-standing failures in planning, governance and coordination rather than a lack of development alone.
“Whenever a city accommodates more people than its capacity allows, pressure on all civic services becomes inevitable,” architect Iqbal Habib told TIMES of Bangladesh.
He said around 55 per cent of Dhaka’s area has effectively become unsuitable for comfortable living, stressing the need for neighbourhood-based urban planning.
Urban planner Adil Muhammad Khan said improving Dhaka’s liveability would remain difficult without stronger governance, coordination among agencies, accountability and citizen participation.
A city where every journey is a challenge
Traffic has become one of Dhaka’s defining problems, turning daily travel into a source of stress and uncertainty.
“I no longer feel safe going out in the evening. If my daughter returns home late, I remain worried,” said 56-year-old Mirpur resident Rukayah Begum.
For young professionals, the problem is not only congestion but the unpredictability it creates.
“I never know when I will reach the office or when I will return home. Accidents, sudden road closures and traffic jams have become part of everyday life,” said 24-year-old office worker Sadman Islam.
Experts say transportation problems are closely linked to weak urban planning, excessive reliance on private vehicles and poor coordination among city authorities.
Healthcare under pressure
A liveable city requires accessible and affordable healthcare. But in Dhaka, residents say getting medical treatment has become increasingly difficult.
“Dhaka is not very liveable right now,” said urban expert Professor Nazrul Islam.
He said pressure on healthcare services was continuously increasing as the city’s population expanded.
Retired bank official Abdul Kader, 65, said healthcare had become a major concern.
“Government hospitals are overcrowded, while private hospitals are too expensive for many people. Receiving proper treatment has become a serious worry,” he said.
A city losing its green and cultural spaces
Experts say liveability is not determined only by roads and buildings. A healthy city also needs open spaces, greenery and cultural opportunities.
But Dhaka’s public spaces are rapidly disappearing.
“There are very few parks where we can spend time with friends. Most of the time, we have to go to shopping malls or cafés,” said university student Sumaiya Rahman.
Schoolteacher Nasrin Sultana said children were also paying the price.
“There are hardly any clean and open places for children. Air pollution and noise pollution have become part of our everyday lives,” she said.
Education: The reason many come, yet another struggle
Dhaka attracts thousands of families from across the country because of its educational opportunities. But even education has become a challenge due to congestion and limited access to quality institutions.
The Institute for Planning and Development (IPD) has said the government has failed to take effective measures to build a liveable, equitable and sustainable city.
Small businessman Mehedi Hasan said getting children admitted to good schools was only the beginning of the struggle.
“After admission, parents still have to spend hours every day taking children through traffic-clogged roads,” he said.
Development without integration
Dhaka has witnessed major infrastructure projects, including the metro rail. However, experts argue that isolated projects cannot solve the city’s deeper problems.
“The metro rail is a positive development, but there are no safe pavements from stations to workplaces. Different services of the city do not appear to have been planned together,” said IT professional Zahidul Islam.
Architect Iqbal Habib said improved public transport, better traffic management and coordinated planning were essential for Dhaka’s future.
App-based driver Md Rafiqul Islam described the daily reality of commuters.
“Every day, we spend hours stuck in traffic. Even a little rain leaves many roads flooded. Passengers and drivers both suffer,” he said.
For elderly residents, even walking has become difficult.
“Footpaths are occupied in many places, and in some areas it is impossible to walk. This city is not friendly for older people,” said retired teacher Shahida Khatun.
Dhaka’s repeated poor ranking is therefore not just a number on an international index. It is a reflection of the daily experiences of millions who continue to live, work and struggle in one of the world’s fastest-growing megacities.
