Contrasting adaptation responses by squatters and low-income tenants in Khulna, Bangladesh.
Abstract
This paper examines patterns of adaptive behaviour in low-income settlements in Khulna, Bangladesh鈥檚 third largest city. It contrasts the adaptive behaviours of 鈥渟quatter鈥� households who 鈥渙wn鈥� their land with those of tenants who rent dwellings from private landlords. It finds significant differences between the adaptive behaviours of owners and renters. This is important, as most knowledge about low-income settlements in Bangladesh originates from 鈥渙wned鈥� settlements 鈥� often called 鈥減ublic settlements鈥�, as the land is officially public land. But the future growth of low-income settlements in the country is likely to be increasingly on private land, with rented dwellings. Policy lessons generated from settlements with 鈥渟quatters鈥� may be inappropriate for the next generation of 鈥渟lums鈥� that will house millions of rural migrants and people displaced by climate change. The conclusions argue that agencies seeking to assist low-income households in Bangladesh will need to craft different strategies for settlements according to different types of land tenure.
Citation
Roy, M.; Hulme, D.; Jahan, F. Contrasting adaptation responses by squatters and low-income tenants in Khulna, Bangladesh. Environment and Urbanization (2013) 25 (1) 157-176. [DOI: 10.1177/0956247813477362]