Members’ Publication

Regional GDP framework analysis is the fundamental concern of regional planning. Regional GDP evaluates the regional economic structure. Regional economic structures can be conducted through short-run and long-run approaches. The study aimed to analyze the Mymensingh and Jamalpur districts' economic structure in the short run and long run. The study interpreted the region's overall economic structure through basic and non-basic activities, and also showed the contribution of the current regional GDP to the national GDP, and simulated the scenario. Traditional methods, e.g. Location Quotient and Shift-share analysis were blended to form a hybrid methodological structure to assess a local economic structure. National and regional aggregated data of GDP at constant prices between two fiscal years, 1995-96 and 1999-2000 was equipped as the basis for analyzing the economic structure. The study found the national share was positive (+29407.30349) for all the sectors and industries (+1005.901448) in those regions that were nationally fast-growing. As the magnitude of regional shift means the region was negative (-1658.204939), industries in this region were considered regionally lagging industries. The overall trend line analysis of the multiplier showed that the region's basic activity is increased from its base to terminal year but with the change of year, the scenario fluctuates. The article finally explained the scenario through sector theory. The paper will be helpful to take any initiatives nationally and also helpful for the policy maker, urban planner, economist, other scholars, and researchers to make any decision over the area.

Supporting youth wellbeing in low carbon ways is a crucial challenge in cities. Seventy percent of youth will live in urban areas by 2050 and urban sites account for 67–72% of the global share of carbon emissions. Young people’s consumption behaviour including energy use is increasingly identified as a key driver of urban emissions. This paper expands beyond dominant individualised approaches to examining urban youth wellbeing and consumption to interrogate the relational contexts in which young people live, their wellbeing aspirations, and the conditions that enable or lock-in lifestyle emissions. Applying a relational lens and thematic analysis to focus group data collected from 332 youth aged 12–24 years in seven cities of the global South and North, the paper examines experiences shaping youth wellbeing in the context of urban consumption activities. Findings emphasised the complexities of “linked lives”, foregrounding family, peer and community relationships as critical in shaping youth wellbeing and consumption. Home was highlighted as a significant relational context, where family relationships impact wellbeing and energy use, through connection, comfort, conflict and compromise. Public space was also valued, but findings highlighted issues of identity and inequality that impact access. Findings also underscored the significance of beyond-human relationships. This cross-cultural research highlights underacknowledged complexities in youth wellbeing and consumption activities. Discussion proposes ways local government can adopt relational perspectives to advance climate resilient urban development, including cultivating meaningful relationships with youth and prioritising secure housing, access to green space, and care and integration of nature within urban landscapes.

The "area of a town near an area of water, such as a river or the sea" and "the interface between land and water" were two ways to define the urban waterfront. This study aimed to shed light on the pressing issue of management service deficits within canal environments, emphasizing the detrimental consequences of canal encroachment, such as heightened flood vulnerability, dwindling groundwater recharge, and the loss of ecosystems and biodiversity. Based on these issues, the study identified suitable sites for sustainable waterfront development by conducting an in-depth analysis and employing geospatial mapping techniques. The criteria included proximity to water bodies, flora and fauna, urban green space, urban built-up areas, urban fellow land, and road access, and utilized GIS, KII, and community people consultations. The study addressed the practical challenges that the capital cities of Bangladesh and similar cities worldwide face in reconciling the demands of urban development with ecological conservation. The study’s aims, new findings, and contributions to the current literature are integral to advancing the discourse on sustainable urban development. Among the 4,316 evaluated locations, 50% were deemed entirely suitable, 37% predominantly suitable, and the remaining locations had lower suitability levels, including 10% slightly acceptable and none moderately suitable. This research provides actionable insights to inform urban planners, policymakers, and researchers on the creation of resilient and competitive urban regions by addressing the urgent need for holistic solutions that balance environmental preservation, social equity, and economic viability.

This study assesses the pattern of socio-economic disparities and compares facility distribution among 64 districts of Bangladesh. The regional disparities were measured in terms of indicators like poverty, income, literacy rate, access to utilities, number of industries, etc. as social and economic dimensions for each district. Among various techniques of disparity analysis natural breaks, weighted overlay, and Location Quotient methods have been used for this study. The data were collected from the statistics of World Bank, BBS (Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics), and Global Data Lab and categorized into two categories under some indicators. Several maps have been prepared to show the regional disparity. The findings reveal significant differences in socioeconomic dimension levels within and across districts in Bangladesh. Some regions are always found to be less privileged than others. Highly urbanized regions (Chittagong, Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj, and Khulna) have more facilities than any other region. In the Eastern and Southern regions of Bangladesh, the level of socioeconomic development is not significant. The spatial disparity is very high in Eastern districts (Sunamganj, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Jamalpur, Netrokona). In the Southern region, Satkhira could not have much socio-economic development much because of its remoteness characteristics and the presence of the Sunderban forest area. On the other side, Rangamati and Cox's Bazar have grown as a result of the development of urbanization in the Chittagong area. According to the study, low-developed districts require improvement in the majority of indicators in order to enhance their overall socioeconomic development, allowing for future sustainable development of regions.