Socio Economic Impact of Boro Bazar in Khulna, Bangladesh

Background:

The major dynamic driving forces of cities in developing countries are economic and social forces to change the urban system with the growing demand of population and urbanization. Of course, the problems are different and unique to a particular city based on the city growth pattern, economic and social character. Khulna, the third largest metropolitan city in Bangladesh with 1.2 million populations within 45.6 square kilometres was developed as a medium scale industrial city since 1950s. Previously the city economy was completely established on river-based trade and the city developed around the river port locally named “Boro Bazaar” means big market place. The changing city form gave Boro Bazaar the shape of mixed-use zone rather solely commercial or business zone. Now, as a central economic hub in the city centre, Boro Bazaar needs to be more dynamic to response to the city economy and its growth pattern. For last one decade, Boro Bazaar has faced compact unplanned haphazard development even along the riverside just to meet the demand of rapid urbanization process. Therefore, it has become an urban challenge to revitalize the Boro Bazaar area to make more effective response to the rapid economic growth and to ensure better urban environment for the residents, businesspersons and the employers.

Being the main economic hub in the city, Boro Bazaar needs to be more dynamic in responding to the city economy and its growth pattern. Therefore, it has been a major concern for the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) to reorganize the whole Boro Bazaar area under urban regeneration process to make it a better place for the residents and therefore it may be able to handle the commercial activities more efficiently to cope with the city’s economic need and future growth.

Boro Bazar Area:

Since the British colonial period, the Boro...