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This professional report investigates the drivers, processes, and consequences of sand-filling in developing housing real estate in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It examines its implications for the city's environmental sustainability and urban governance. Through a qualitative research approach relying on documentary analysis and case study methods, the study reveals a complex interplay of colonial legacies, political-economic interests, and institutional weaknesses shaping Dhaka's unsustainable and inequitable sand-filling and housing development patterns. The report highlights these practices' significant environmental and socio-economic impacts on the city's hydrology, ecology, and marginalized communities. It analyzes the gaps and challenges in the existing institutional and regulatory frameworks governing these processes. The report identifies potential strategies for addressing the challenges of sand-filling and promoting sustainable housing development in Dhaka, emphasizing the need for officially delineating watershed boundaries, developing government databases, providing accessible information through geo-portals, and adopting innovative planning approaches such as the "Dhaka Nexus" and "terraqueous planning." It also underscores the importance of considering the broader context of Dhaka's rapid population growth and geographical constraints in addressing these issues, discussing the need for increased housing density, polycentric regional development, and context-specific strategies that prioritize hydrological infrastructure and social equity. The study contributes to advancing the knowledge of urban transformation, environmental sustainability, and social justice in the context of rapid urbanization and colonial legacies in the Global South.

Focusing on the context of Bangladesh, this discussion paper explores the potential of agrivoltaics for unlocking co-benefits of clean energy, GHG reduction and better livelihood potentials in rural areas of Bangladesh. In alignment to the Government of Bangladesh’s vision for net-zero transition and established policies, the paper underlines the current efforts on low carbon development. Highlighting the challenges being faced in realizing the desired results, the symbiotic use of agricultural lands to simultaneously yield food and solar energy, commonly referred to as ‘agrivoltaics’, has been recommended for realizing local/national clean energy transition. In reference to the irrigation landscape of Bangladesh and the system requirement for agrivoltaics, the agrivoltaic potentials in Bangladesh has also been estimated under two scenarios: 40% Target vs Net-Zero Target. Towards the end, the co-benefits for different stakeholders are highlighted alongside the way forward.

The urbanization pace in Bangladesh has surged, resulting in rapid population growth,infrastructure strains, and heightened environmental degradation, exacerbated by vulnerabilityto natural disasters and climate change. Urban resilience, vital for cities to withstand, adapt,and recover from shocks while maintaining essential functions, is crucial amid thesechallenges. This paper explores urban resilience in Bangladesh, merging urban planning anddevelopment studies perspectives. Drawing from diverse disciplines such as disaster riskreduction and sustainability, a comprehensive theoretical framework is constructed. Challengeslike inadequate infrastructure and poverty offer opportunities for innovative resilience-buildingapproaches, including community-based adaptation initiatives. Case studies like the KhulnaCity Waterlogging Project and the Urban Community Resilience Assessment in Dhakademonstrate the transformative potential of interdisciplinary collaboration. Policy implicationsencompass integrating disaster risk reduction into urban planning, strengthening localgovernance, promoting sustainable infrastructure, and fostering stakeholder collaboration.Implementing these strategies can enhance urban resilience in Bangladesh, mitigating risksposed by urbanization, environmental hazards, and climate change impacts.

Urbanization is a defining feature of the 21st century, with Bangladesh experiencing rapidurban growth, particularly in its capital city, Dhaka. As urban areas expand, effective urbanplanning becomes crucial for ensuring sustainable development and addressing challengesrelated to infrastructure, housing, transportation, and environmental degradation. Monitoringand Evaluation (M&E) are essential tools in urban planning processes, providing feedback onproject implementation, assessing impact, and guiding decision-making. However, inBangladesh, the integration of M&E in urban planning faces challenges such as limitedinstitutional capacity, data deficiencies, and inadequate stakeholder engagement. This articleexplores the current state of M&E integration in urban planning in Bangladesh, identifieschallenges and gaps, and proposes strategies for improvement. By enhancing M&E integration,Bangladesh can maximize the impact and sustainability of urban development initiatives,ultimately building inclusive, resilient, and sustainable cities for future generations.

The economic circumstance of Bangladesh is crucial for the attainment of its development objectives, as globalization has prompted apprehensions regarding regional development. Bangladesh, the second-largest economy in South Asia, is currently ranked 35th in nominal GDP and 25th in nominal GDP based on purchasing power parity. The country's GDP increased by 5.82 percent in 2023-24, compared to 5.78 percent in 2022-23. The purpose of this investigation is to determine the formal regions of Bangladesh concerning their economic circumstances and to identify the factors that either promote or hinder economic development in different districts. The research was analysed across 64 districts using the Composite Weighted Index Method, which considered both economic and non-economic factors such as remittance inflow, literacy rate, solvency head count ratio (HCR), bank deposit, and employment rate. The study analysed key economic indicators such as employment, income, revenue, budget allocation, infrastructural development, educational opportunities, and healthcare facilities. It found a loop connectivity between government revenue, budget allocation, employment, and income across different districts, which is crucial for overall economic growth. This allows policymakers to more effectively allocate resources and to personalize interventions, thereby facilitating targeted efforts to stimulate economic growth. The findings can be a source of help for future policy decisions and contribute to the nation's development objectives.

In response to Bangladesh's severe water shortages, this research delves into the intricate dynamics of groundwater vulnerability. Integrating often-overlooked factors such as topography, meteorology, socio-economic conditions, and land use & geology, the study employs advanced Random Forest (RF) modeling. Rigorously analyzing 200 strategically chosen sample points, the research uncovers critical areas like Rajshahi, Nawabganj, Naogaon, and Dhaka, constituting 21% of the land, as highly vulnerable. In contrast, regions like Rangpur, Mymensingh, and Barisal, encompassing 31% of the area, exhibit lower vulnerability. Topographic factors, accounting for 45% of the vulnerability, including aspect, drainage density, and slope, significantly influence susceptibility. Socio-economic elements contribute 22%, particularly population density and industrial activities. The RF model achieves exceptional accuracy (over 90%), emphasizing the complexity of groundwater dynamics. By integrating geological, social, and economic aspects, the study provides actionable insights for nuanced and sustainable management strategies. This research not only unveils a highly accurate groundwater vulnerability map, enriching scientific understanding, but also offers a unique approach by incorporating often-overlooked variables and leveraging machine learning. These insights empower policymakers and urban planners to craft targeted and sustainable groundwater management strategies, ensuring a resilient water supply system for Bangladesh's growing population. Through this work, the aim is to significantly contribute to the scientific community while providing data-driven solutions for the nation's pressing water challenges.