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The paper contains primary data based analysis on the energy consumption aspect of battery operated auto-rickshaws which is one of the crucial issues in the transportation system of a developing country like Bangladesh. Several aspects associated with the mode such as its energy consumption rate, effects of recharging of the mode on local town’s energy provision capacity, and the mode’s contribution in attenuating transport related emissions are explored in the paper. The paper with scientific research outcomes would provide guidelines to the policy makers of a country regarding whether and how to incorporate the mode in the local town’s transportation system. Battery operated auto-rickshaw offers lower travel cost than rickshaw and greater travel comfort than other urban para-transits like auto tempo, nosimon and public transport like minibus, and therefore attracts urban passengers significantly from those modes. Around 88% of people living in a city where battery operated auto-rickshaws are available, use the mode now to meet their daily travel demand. Through attracting passengers from fuel operated vehicles, thus the mode replaces them at great extent. A considerable percentage of daily electricity demand of local towns is consumed by the mode which creates pressure on local electricity supply in turn. However, considering the duration and period of load shedding caused due to recharging the mode, energy consumption by the mode can be negotiated as the mode is liable only for 1.53 hours of load shedding a day which takes place at off-peak period (between 11:00 PM and 7:00 AM) at night.

The paper contains primary data based analysis on the role played by Battery Operated Auto-rickshaws in urban transportation system. Different aspects of battery operated auto-rickshaw, such as energy consumption rate, transport related emission attenuation rate, potentials of generating income and employment, trip characteristics, problems associated etc have been explored with a view to providing a generalized idea on the mode. The paper would provide guidelines to the policy makers of a country regarding whether and how to incorporate the mode in the local town’s transportation system. Battery operated auto-rickshaw offers lower travel cost than rickshaw, greater travel comfort than other urban para-transits like auto tempo, nosimon and public transport like minibus, and therefore attracts passengers significantly from those modes. Around 88% of people living in a city where battery operated auto-rickshaws are available, avail the mode now to meet their travel demand. Through attracting passengers from fuel operated vehicles, the mode has replaced them at great extent. A considerable percentage of daily electricity demand of local towns is being consumed by this mode which is creating pressure on local electricity supply in turn. However, considering the duration and period of load shedding caused due to recharging this mode, energy consumption by the mode can be negotiated as it is liable for only 1.53 hours of load shedding a day which takes place at off-peak period at night. The mode is economically beneficial in case of investment too as it involves an income-cost ratio of 1.85. From operator’s point of view, driving of the mode as an occupation involves lower investment cost, greater earning, more comfort and occupational freedom than other occupations available in local towns for low income people.

ABSTRACT Housing is the birth right of every human being. According to population statistics, Bangladesh stands 8th in the world and secured 9th position in respect of density. Housing demand is increasing in Bangladesh; especially at capital city and its surroundings. Dhaka being one of the ancient and dynamic city attracts approx. 300,000-400,000 migrants every year (World Bank -2007). As such, Dhaka is expanding towards Gazipur to the north, Munshigonj towards south, Narayngonj to the east and Manikgong district in the north–west. Dhaka dwellers are now more interested to live at the outskirt of metropolitan city to avoid traffic jam, air pollution, sound hazards etc. Dhaka – Maowa highway connects capital city Dhaka with 23 districts of southern Bangladesh. The proposed Padma Bridge will be a significant KPI in the area. Government is also encouraging private sectors to establish planned cities towards sub - urban areas. Many entrepreneurs are now interested to develop housing projects towards Munshigonj and its surroundings. Moreover, these lands are used only once in a year for cultivation. As such the paper will have feasibility study to establish land project besides Dhaka – Maowa highway and offer few recommendations.

In this paper, we investigate the effects of submergence due to heavy rainfall and river over-flow on rice production in the coastal Barisal region of Bangladesh. Our study uses plot level data to compare rice yields of cultivars in high and low submergence prone areas and to analyze variation in yield when high-yielding varieties (HYVs) versus local seeds are used. Results suggest that rice yields are, on average, some 10% lower in ‘high submergence areas’ relative to ‘low submergence areas’. Both depth of submergence and duration have a negative effect on yield, with local varieties of rice seemingly better adapted to submergence. The widely grown Aman variety of rice faced an average of nine days of submergence in 2010, with 31% plots under 1-3 meters of water for 3-7 days. We forecast that an additional 13,564 hectares or 61% of total cropped Aman area in Barisal is likely to be inundated for 3-7 days in 2050 due to sea level rise and increased storm surge events. Correspondingly, given current levels of technology, we can expect a production loss of 10,856 tons of Aman in the future. The study recommends the introduction of submergence tolerant rice cultivars and low-cost water control technologies as adaptation options against climate change.

Urban renewal is a broad subject, because it encompasses different aspects of intervention, namely physical, social, economic, political, cultural and environmental to redress a complex of urban problems. The problems include unsanitary living condition, deficient or obsolete housing, inadequate transportation, lack of utility services and community facilities; haphazard land use, traffic congestion and others (Britannica, 1994: 201). The need for urban renewal arises from congestion, constriction and obsolescence of an urban area. Congestion occurs in towns which have natural growth and ultimately cannot cope up with the present day condition that is present day requirement of roads for traffic. The physical determination of structures and properties, lack of standard of facilities and amenities, the outdated and outworked buildings and obsolete street system combine together to make certain areas in towns and cities obsolete to the present day standard and use. When any one and all together occur in any area of a town, then the area requires immediate renewal (Sikdar, 1977:1). Urban Renewal in terms of Old Dhaka is the need of today. The Old Dhaka is suffering from the loss of its function and losing its vitality thereby accepting and encouraging the changes in employment pattern. The presence of blighted structures, inadequate transport facilities and utility services together with uncontrolled and unguided development creates congestion, environmental pollution and insecure tenure living. All of these together hamper the overall living condition of the area. In the light of the above revealed situation, it has been felt that a renewal program is essentially needed for Old Dhaka in order to create a better living atmosphere of the present day standard. Dhaka, the capital of independent Bangladesh since 1971 has a historical background of nearly 400 years (Islam, 2001). Shankhari Bazar is considered as a deteriorating area in Old Dhaka.. Shankhari Bazar was born in Mughal period (1608-1764) that occupied an important economic activity, the cottage industries. In most cases, the same house was used for the factory and the residence. Within the industrial area, different localities were specialized in different crafts. Sankhari Bazar (shell cutter’s locality) is one of these localities (Chowdhury and Faruqui, 1996). Although the goal of urban renewal at neighborhood scale tends to improve inhabitants’ living condition in all aspects, the emphasis in this study is to develop a mechanism for structural improvement consistent with the cultural value of the area. At the same time, the short analyses about the social, economic and legal problems of Shankhari Bazar can be helpful to understand this kind of localities more thoroughly to renew them more effectively.

Despite research that has been conducted elsewhere, little is known, to-date, about land cover dynamics and their impacts on land surface temperature (LST) in fast growing mega cities of developing countries. Landsat satellite images of 1989, 1999, and 2009 of Dhaka Metropolitan (DMP) area were used for analysis. This study first identified patterns of land cover changes between the periods and investigated their impacts on LST; second, applied artificial neural network to simulate land cover changes for 2019 and 2029; and finally, estimated their impacts on LST in respective periods. Simulation results show that if the current trend continues, 56% and 87% of the DMP area will likely to experience temperatures in the range of greater than or equal to 30 °C in 2019 and 2029, respectively. The findings possess a major challenge for urban planners working in similar contexts. However, the technique presented in this paper would help them to quantify the impacts of different scenarios (e.g., vegetation loss to accommodate urban growth) on LST and consequently to devise appropriate policy measures.