Homelessness and poverty are an international crisis. Bangladesh, with a population of 147.4 million is one of the poorest countries in the world; with an estimated 3.4 million people live in some 5000 slums of its capital city, Dhaka. In 2010, the population of the city of Dhaka has been projected at 17.6 million people, with up to 60% in the slums. Slums, which are heavily populated urban areas characterized by poverty and substandard housing, are not well described in the literature despite their prevalence and the pervasiveness of poverty worldwide. Urban planning to accommodate increasingly large slum areas requires study to determine demographics and determinants of improved quality of life, such as health status, health services, financial stability, education and security
A Railroad Slum in Dhaka City