Mega-led urbanization and the transformation of peri-urban tissue: the case of Khulna, Bangladesh

Abstract

The recent push for urbanization in Bangladesh has placed a strong emphasis on accelerating economic growth through mega-scale infrastructure projects. However, there has been a lack of research conducted on how this trend of urbanization impacts the local morphology and socio-economic structure of cities, particularly in Bangladesh. This study delves into the effects of mega-led urbanization on the transformation of peri-urban tissue in Khulna, a significant coastal city in Bangladesh. Using a qualitative research approach, the study argues that the peri-urban tissues of Khulna possessed an inherent pro-migrant morphological character that supported the lives and livelihoods of migrants from nearby coastal regions. Nevertheless, the recent urban transformations led by mega-infrastructure, while promising development, are changing the peri-urban morphology into more rigid and standardized spatial forms. This shift poses potential challenges for the future of the marginalized rural population dependent on Khulna City to survive the crises of climate change.