Dhaka Mega City Post #11: Bashundhura vs. Mohakalli

On Aug. 05, 2010, In the Mohakalli area of central Dhaka, the homes of some 50,000 people were demolished after only being given a warning of eviction that would occur within 30 min. Hundreds of families who had been living here in brick built homes for years, lost everything. An MP responsible for the area and who had promised, in exchange for votes, that this would not happen is only to be found abroad and unable to return due to government pressures. Land is up for grabs all over Dhaka City as the urbanization continues at an unprecedented and unplanned speed.

In the newest development areas of Dhaka, Bashundhura, extravagant apartment complexes, tightly packed together haven been and are under development for the upper middle classes. This tightly urbanized area is the complete opposite of the rest of the city. Clean, organized, traffic controlled and with no sidewalk occupations allowed. It contains, in development, the third largest mall in Asia and is a direct urban model of self contained urban capitalist models where everything you do is done in a car.

Some win and many loose in this Mega City.