A MICRO-LEVEL VIEW OF LOW-INCOME RURAL HOUSING IN BANGLADESH

Although the majority of the population of the developing world is rural, compared to urban housing there is less emphasis on rural housing in current literature. Bangladesh is a case in point, with its nearly 80% rural population with a low-income majority. Various agencies there attempt to address rural housing problems; in addition to government programmes, there is now an expanding network of NGO-based rural development programmes, including housing. This presents low-income households with a changing scenario within which their efforts to build housing operate. Agency-based housing efforts lack the benefit of rigorous research, especially one that reflects perceptions at the micro-level, primarily of low-income rural communities. This study addresses the need for in-depth and investigative research of strategies for dealing with housing problems of low-income rural communities, both by agencies and low-income households. The principal thrust of the research is empirical. Agency projects representing a wide range of strategies and programme types were selected as case studies to study beneficiaries and other households in each project location. In-depth information was gathered from diverse low-income households in different geographical locations in Bangladesh, as well as from operational staff of agencies and other related persons. Literature review and background experience indicates that the housing process has three main aspects: financing, implementation and housing design. Data collection and analysis were conducted according to these aspects. Despite various agency efforts to finance low-income rural housing, it was found that the poorest households generally tend to be excluded; among households funding their own housing, the rural majority, the poor face severe financial constraints. Implementation of housing programmes was studied mainly according to the level of household participation. Corruption was found a typical feature in many agency projects, often because of the limited nature of household participation; self-built housing usually proves advantageous to households, but is also affected by the permeation of the cash-economy. Agency-planned settlements are often not well-designed, but self-organised sites, despite meeting many local needs, face problems of infrastructure, tenure security and building material supply. Some durable types of construction, using manufactured materials, promoted by some agencies, have become popular, but most are unaffordable to the poor and face contextual problems. One the other hand, supply of less expensive natural materials is becoming tenuous because of increasing depletion of the natural resource base. Analysis of empirical findings indicates some advantageous concepts, but in general the findings imply scope for improved policy and practice. 1b.is study allows for drawing out such implications for the financing, implementation and housing design of future low-income rural housing programmes.

Grantor dc:publisher

Oxford Brookes University

Author dc:creator

• Ahmed, Khondkar Iftekhar

Contributors dc:contributor

• Jenks, Mike

Statement dc:rights

• All rights reserved

Language dc:language

en

DOI dc:identifier

https://doi.org/10.24384/55z9-8456

OAI identifier oai:identifier

tle:62ebc4ff-df38-4e44-8cbe-65e3ccf0236a:d6bd9758-527a-46cd-bfe2-c433766e8fca:1