Environmental Management Scenario

Bangladesh has a population of approximately 152 million and has experienced increasedrapid urbanization with the growth of many secondary towns over the last three decades.About 27 per cent of the total population now lives in urban areas where the populationgrowth rate is much higher than the overall national growth rate. Varied economic activities,availability of social services, greater employment opportunities, and geographic expansionof towns are the main reasons for rural-urban migration and the increase in urban population.The current size and structure of urban population in secondary towns has increased thedemand for infrastructure and services beyond the existing physical and institutional capacity,reducing the effectiveness of poverty reduction strategies and public confidence in localgovernment.