Urban Regeneration for Sustainable Economic Growth: the study of Boro Bazaar in Khulna, Bangladesh

Abstract

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 kilometer 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 “Boror 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.