71pc Dhaka population suffers from depression

As high as 71 per cent of Dhaka city dwellers suffer from depression while 68 per cent have various physical problems.

Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies’ (BIDS) chief researcher SM Zulfiqar Ali revealed these facts on Monday at the concluding ceremony of its annual research gathering.

Another study at the programme reads air pollution tops the list of causes behind the death of Dhaka dwellers.

Asked about the matter, Zulfiqar Ali told Prothom Alo that no institution is working properly here. The city corporations are failing to provide minimum civil amenities. The traffic system has broken down.

He also said the authorities have failed to stop the sources of air pollution. The influx of people from different parts of the country to Dhaka is on the rise.

“If we want to save Dhaka, we must act now to make Dhaka’s institutions efficient. Services should be ensured for rich and poor equally.”
Another research report says in the last 10 years, most of the people came from Barishal division. As high as 21 per cent of Dhaka dwellers hailed from Barishal. In the last five years, the number of people from Kishoreganj tops the list, followed by Barishal, Mymensingh and Bhola.

People mainly come from the areas affected by the natural calamities, said Zulfiqar addiding that the Barishal and Kishoreganj regions are prone to natural disasters.

In 2019’s June and July, a study was conducted on 12,468 people in the city. It shows the income of Dhaka’s 10 per cent people echoes that of 44 per cent of the total city population. On the other hand, 10 per cent of the poorest chunk earns 1 per cent of the total income while three per cent of the city dwellers cannot afford three meals a day.