Home / Archive / Vol.1 No.1 (2025)/Article

Understanding Causes and Consequences of Rural Urban Migration in Developing Countries: Bangladesh Perspective

DOI: .
Md Rokibul Islam
Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh
Keywords
Migration; Rural-urban Migration; Internal Migration; Causes; Consequences; Bangladesh
Abstract

This paper examines the migration patterns of Bangladeshi rural residents to various cities throughout the country, with a particular focus on Dhaka. Despite easy access to slums, several factors contribute to rural people commuting to towns, including poor economic conditions, inadequate education, and a lack of opportunities in the agricultural sector to absorb a large labour force. This research identifies the key underlying factors, including natural disasters and calamities, poverty, socio-political and geographical issues, and the search for better jobs and incomes, among others. This study also found consequences of people's movement to the capital city, including urbanisation, environmental degradation in the city, difficulties with basic amenities and housing, and the burden of a huge population. Which impacts the livelihood of both migrants and non-migrants positively or negatively? This paper employs a qualitative method of social research, with a purely descriptive analysis.

References
  • Al Amin, M. M. (2010). Factors behind internal migration and migrant’s livelihood aspects: Dhaka City, Bangladesh. Institute of Migration.
  • Al-Amin, M. (2010). Factors behind internal migration and migrant’s livelihood aspects: Dhaka City, Bangladesh. Institute of Migration, University of Turku, Finland.
  • Biswas, R. K., Kabir, E., & Khan, H. T. A. (2019). Causes of urban migration in Bangladesh: Evidence from the urban health survey. Population Research and Policy Review, 38(4), 593–614.
  • Black, R., Kniveton, D., & Schmidt-Verkerk, K. (2013). Migration and climate change: Toward an integrated assessment of sensitivity. In T. Faist & J. Schade (Eds.), Disentangling migration and climate change (pp. 29–53). Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6208-4_2
  • Cameron, S. (2012, December). Education, urban poverty and migration: Evidence from Bangladesh and Vietnam. UNICEF Office of Research Working Paper.
  • Climate Change Cell (CCC). (2016). Assessment of sea level rise on Bangladesh coast through trend analysis. Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of Bangladesh. http://gobeshona.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SLR-Report_final_July-2016.pdf
  • de Haan, A. (1999). Livelihoods and poverty: The role of migration—a critical review of the migration literature. Journal of Development Studies, 36(2), 1–47.
  • Ghelli, N. (2018). Reducing poverty through migration in Bangladesh. Borgen Magazinehttps://www.borgenmagazine.com/reducing-poverty-through-migration-bangladesh/
  • Haider, S. K. U. (2010). Factors of migration on urban Bangladesh: An empirical study of poor migrants in Rajshahi City. Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences, 30(2), 307–323.
  • Heath, R., & Mobarak, M. (2015). Manufacturing growth and the lives of Bangladeshi women. Journal of Development Economics, 115, 1–15.
  • Hossain, M. Z., & Mahmood, M. (2016). Rural-urban migration in Bangladesh and its nexus with some socioeconomic indicators at origin and destination. International Journal of Social Relevance & Concern, 4(12), 1–14.
  • Hossain, S. (2008). Rapid urban growth and poverty in Dhaka city. Bangladesh e-Journal of Sociology, 5(1), 1–24.
  • International Organization for Migration (IOM). (2020). Who is a migrant. https://www.iom.int/who-is-a-migrant
  • Ishtiaque, A., & Ullah, M. S. (2013). The influence of factors of migration on the migration status of rural-urban migrants in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Human Geographies, 7(2), 45–58.
  • Islam, N. (2012). Towards an urbanized Bangladesh: Looking beyond 2050.
  • Jahan, M. (2012). Impact of rural-urban migration on physical and social environment: The case of Dhaka city. International Journal of Development and Sustainability, 1(2), 186–194.
  • Kabir, U. (2010). Factors of migration on urban Bangladesh: An empirical study of poor migrants in Dhaka city. Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences, 30(2), 307–323.
  • Khan, M. J., Iqbal, M. T., & Mahboob, S. (2004). A wind map of Bangladesh. Renewable Energy, 29(5), 643–660. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2003.10.002
  • Kothari, U. (2002). Migration and chronic poverty. Chronic Poverty Research Centre Working Paper 16. University of Manchester.
  • Mahmood, R. (1992). Bangladesh returned migrants from the Middle East: Process, achievement.
  • Mahmood, S. A. I. (2012). Impact of climate change in Bangladesh: The role of public administration and government integrity. Journal of Ecology and the Natural Environment, 4(8), 223–240.
  • Mayer, H. M., & Clyde, K. (1967). Reading urban geography. Allahabad: Central Book Depot.
  • McAdam, J. (2011). Swimming against the tide: Why a climate change displacement treaty is not the answer.
  • Meerza, I. (2010, December). Rural-urban migration and its consequences on rural children: An empirical study. Asian Social Science, 6(12).
  • Nahar, M. A. (2020, January 17). Gravity of rural-urban migration and its impact on Bangladesh. The Financial Express. https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/views/gravity-of-rural-urban-migration-and-its-impact-on-bangladesh-1579272481
  • Rahman, M. (2012). Poverty and rural-urban migration. In R. Al Mahmud (Ed.), Decelerated decline: State of poverty in Bangladesh 2012. Shrabon Prokashani.
  • Shikdar, M. (2012). Impact of rural-urban migration on urban Bangladesh. SSRN. https://ssrn.com/abstract=2217764
  • Siddiqui, T. (2012). Impact of migration on poverty and development. Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit, Working Paper No. 2.
  • Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI). (2010). Saline soils of Bangladesh. Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
  • Uddin, N., & Firoj, M. (2013, December). Causes and consequences of rural-urban migration in Bangladesh: An empirical study. International Journal of Ethics in Social Sciences, 1(1).
  • Ullah, A. K. M. A. (2004). Bright city lights and slums of Dhaka city: Determinants of rural-urban migration in Bangladesh. Migration Letters, 1(1), 26–41. https://doi.org/10.33182/ml.v1i1.24
  • World Bank, & GFDRR. (2018). Climate risk and adaptation country profile: Bangladeshhttps://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/sites/default/files/2018-10/wb_gfdrr_climate_change_country_profile_for_BGD.pdf
  • World Bank. (2000). Bangladesh: Climate change and sustainable development. Washington, DC: World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/15706
  • World Bank. (2015, February 17). Salinity intrusion in a changing climate scenario will hit coastal Bangladesh hard. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2015/02/17/salinity-intrusion-in-changing-climate-scenario-will-hit-coastal-bangladesh-hard
Search
PDF Download
How To Cite

Islam, M. R. (2025). Understanding Causes and Consequences of Rural Urban Migration in Developing Countries: Bangladesh Perspective. Dynamic Journal of Arts and Social Science Research. 1(1), pp-17-30.

Latest News
Publisher
A H Development Publishing House