Factors affecting the internal migration to Dhaka city

Abstract

Population of the country is increasing over the years. Rural-urban migration plays a key role in the rapid urbanization process of Bangladesh. Increasing urbanization is not caused by the natural population growth in the urban areas in Bangladesh; rather it is an outcome of the push - pull factors of migration. The objective of this study was to estimate the internal migration rate and to find the factors of migration to Dhaka City. The study was based upon the analysis of secondary information as well as the findings of the fieldwork. Census survival ratio method estimated that net intercensal migration rate in Dhaka City were 13.8 per thousand and 18.8 per thousand duting 1981-1991 and 1991- 2001 respectively. It was estimated from the survey that there was 17.5% urban migrants and 13.5% rural migrants in Dhaka City in 2003. Most of the migrants had come from Comilla, Faridpur, Noakhali and Jessore distticts of Bangladesh. It was found that migrants were young, male, mamed and moderately educated. Majority of the migrants had got information from their ftiends, taken their own decision and moved to Dhaka City individually. This study revealed that job searching, river erosion and poor housing condition were the main push factors while better job opportunity and buy own land or housing were the main pull factors of migration in Dhaka City. It was found that man'ied male members aged between 25-35 years belonging to middle income group with large family size were more likely to migrate than those belonging to lower and upper income groups. Logistic regression method was used to find the factors of migration and it was fQund that any members living outside the family, education, job satisfaction, income satisfaction, family type, family size, income groups, age and house ownership status of household heads were significant predictors of migration in Dhaka City. Ptiotity Ranking Matrix suggested that job problem was the most important problem in both rural and urban areas of Bangladesh. Lack of good housing was second in importance in rural areas as a factor of migration while in urban areas it was lack of education. It was evident from the migrant's satisfaction index that maximum migrants expressed a higher degree of satisfaction at improvement in nature of work, income, public transport, healthcare, and education and expressed lower degree of satisfaction in physical environment, recreation and communication. These findings imply that rural urban migration in Dhaka City is likely to increase in future. By decentralizing infrastructure, industrial activities, public services, and administrative functions, as well as divelting investment from Dhaka City towards small towns and villages, rural urban migration in Dhaka City can be reduced. It is hoped that the results of this survey will assist national and local-level planners to take into account demographic and social changes in prepating plans for social services' and urban infrastructure in Dhaka City as well as implementing and extending the rural development programs of Bangladesh.