Between Ideals and Inequality: Spatial Justice in Dhaka’s Redeveloped Public Spaces

Abstract

Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, has witnessed rapid urban growth under neoliberal policies, leading to severe social inequalities and the erosion of public open spaces. In this context, the local authority initiated several appreciable development projects to reclaim and renovate existing public open spaces. This paper investigates whether these redesigned spaces ensure spatial justice for all social groups and support inclusivity and diversity. Drawing on a comprehensive literature review, it also explores whether normative theories of Spatial Justice can be meaningfully applied in Dhaka’s unique socio-political environment. Previous studies highlight how public open space use in Dhaka is shaped by residents’ informal practices and traditional adaptive tactics, elite-driven planning, and socio-economic disparities. Drawing on Setha Low’s five-dimensional framework for Spatial Justice, this study employs a qualitative, ethnographic methodology that includes spatial mapping, behavioral observations, in-depth interviews, and policy analysis. Three case study parks, Justice Shahabuddin Park, Banani Chairman Bari Field, and Fazle Rabbi Park, are selected and analyzed. Findings reveal that while renovations are highly welcomed by citizens for improved amenities, sensitive landscape, and public visibility, issues of distributive injustice, subtle forms of exclusion, and class-based access control persist. Certain parks are effectively gated, monitored, and subtly privatized, favoring affluent users. The study concludes that in the absence of equitable economic policies, broader structural reforms, and context-sensitive planning, Spatial Justice theories may have limited applicability in existing socio-political realities. Consequently, short-term, small-scale interventions risk reinforcing rather than challenging urban inequalities.