Members’ Publication

In this article, we build our theoretical arguments on an empirical account of a state-implemented housing project in the periphery of Dhaka. Thus, we elaborate on a set of bureaucratic acts, the existing power relations, and group interests that influence planning practices and condition people’s access to public resources. Analyzing the process of project implementation, we explain the various resources and strategies that those in relatively powerful positions activate in order to considerably influence planning practice and public resource distribution. We specifically analyze how the strategies and discourses employed to bring the project forward influence the emerging spatialities and issues of socio-spatial justice and inequality at Dhaka’s urban fringe. This article thus provides empirical evidence explaining the impossibility of rigid statutory planning. Finally, we reflect on what urban planning needs to acknowledge in order for positive change.

The global spatial accuracy of ortho-mosaics based on images from consumer-grade unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is relatively low. The use of ground control points (GCPs) improves the accuracy but it requires RTK-GNSS (global navigation satellite system) measurements in the field. The objective of this study was to evaluate manual geo-rectification after ortho-mosaicking as a cost-effective alternative to GCPs or UAVs equipped with RTK-GNSS. Google Earth images and A-B lines used for tractor auto-steering were used for manual geo-rectification with a free geographic information system (GIS) and remote-sensing (RS) software (QGIS). Two different photogrammetry software (Agisoft Photoscan and Pix4DMapper) were used for ortho-mosaicking. Images were captured in three fields at two altitudes (40 and 80 m) with a multi-rotor camera drone equipped with a GNSS without ground reference (Phantom 4). The results showed that flight altitude and photogrammetry software had no impact on the spatial accuracy and that manual geo-rectification significantly improved the spatial accuracy. Root mean squares (RMSEs) for ortho-mosaics without geo-rectification was in the range of 4 to 28 m and the range was 0.6 to 2.5 m and 0.5 to 1.1 m for geo-rectification based on Google Earth images and A-B-lines, respectively. RTK-GNSS tagged UAV images and the use of GCPs gave average RMSEs of less than 0.1 m. It was concluded that manual geo-rectification offers a feasible alternative to GCPs and UAVs with RTK-GNSS when spatial accuracy of about 1 m is acceptable.

Urban green spaces are the indispensable component in city landscaping for realising a healthy living environment (HLE). The environmental quality was assessed in the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) area, Bangladesh, by means of the existing green spaces, population density and air-quality mapping. This study revealed that Uttara, Mirpur 10, Kazipara, Darussalam, Shukrabad, Razabazar and the old city of Dhaka are the most significant environmentally critical areas. Also, it revealed that only six wards out of 92 wards of the DCC area (within the administrative boundary) met the per capita green spaces as per the standards of the World Health Organization (9 m2 per person) and the rest of the 86 wards required improvement of green areas. A green space plan map was also generated, which will be able to direct strategic options of the city's land-use planning to ensure an HLE. Information technology will provide valuable information about the management and implementation of new greenery development projects by DCC, Rajdhani Unnayan Karthipakaha and other voluntary organisation.