Exploring Livability in Bangladesh

PhD student Istiakh Ahmed presented his paper, Livability for Whom: An Interdisciplinary Exploration of Livability in Regional Cities in Bangladesh” at the AAG Annual Meeting in Detroit in March 2025.. His research critically engages with the concept of livability within urban and geographical studies by shifting the focus from standardized, quantitative measures to contextually grounded, qualitative understandings. Drawing on fieldwork from two coastal cities—Mongla and Noapara—in southwestern Bangladesh, the study explores how different social groups perceive and experience urban livability. The findings reveal the complex, place-specific nature of livability, showing that indicators deemed essential for some may, in fact, exclude or marginalize others. By highlighting the contested meanings and uneven experiences tied to livability, the paper calls for a more critical urban geographical framework—one that centers the everyday realities and situated knowledges of residents in shaping inclusive urban futures. 

Istiakh also received the American Institute of Bangladesh Studies (AIBS) Fellowship, which will support the initial phase of his fieldwork in Bangladesh in summer 2025. This esteemed and extremely competitive fellowship, funded by the Government of Bangladesh, is awarded to Bangladeshi students pursuing PhDs in the United States and is designed to support research that holds potential significance for Bangladesh’s development.