Khulna City Corporation Research Articles

Exploring gender-specific mental health status and socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on slum dwellers in Khulna City corporation, Bangladesh

BackgroundCOVID-19 has devastated every aspect of life worldwide, where slum dwellers are particularly vulnerable due to persistent inequities. This study aims to explore the socioeconomic and gender-specific mental health impacts of COVID-19 on slum dwellers.MethodologyGeneralized ordered logistic regression with auto-fit was performed to identify predictors of socioeconomic and mental health conditions among the participants. Data analysis was conducted using Stata software, with a 95% confidence interval and p-value less than 0.05.ResultsThe study found that males who were smokers and lost their jobs during the pandemic were more prone to experience severe mental health problems. Over 60% of females experienced moderate mental health issues due to the use of unimproved sanitation facilities. Moreover, females who received support during the pandemic and lived in areas with fixed garbage disposal had less probability of experiencing severe mental health issues.ConclusionImplementing community-based initiatives that promote social integration, providing skill-building opportunities, and addressing economic vulnerabilities may significantly improve the mental well-being of this vulnerable community. Collaboration between the Government and stakeholders is essential to address critical needs, such as proper garbage disposal and gender-segregated sanitation facilities, to build a sustainable community.

Exploring Stormwater Best Management Practices for Urban Flood Reduction in Khulna City of Bangladesh Using PCSWMM

Khulna City Corporation (KCC), located in a low-lying area in southwestern Bangladesh, has been suffering from frequent water logging in the rainy season almost every year. This situation is intensified due to rapid urbanization and the impact of climate change, which have consequently created numerous problems in KCC related to stormwater management issues that require immediate consideration. Therefore, the current study aims to explore stormwater management problems in KCC and find possible countermeasures through different best management practices. Stormwater management must be incorporated into urban design and development, particularly in densely populated urban areas like KCC. In Ward No. 30 of KCC, controlling stormwater is a vital concern due to heavy rainfall, a lack of proper drainage infrastructure, unplanned growth, extensive land cover areas, etc. In the current study, the most widely used Personnel Computer Storm Water Management Model (PCSWMM) software was adopted to evaluate the city's current stormwater management practices and develop a long-term stormwater management strategy. A reconnaissance investigation of the existing states of the soil, drainage, and outlet infrastructures was conducted. The study area (KCC Ward No. 30) was then divided into many small catchments in the ArcGIS platform, and areas of each sub-catchment were identified. To determine the percentage of impervious area and the elevation of the study area, the land use and land cover (LULC) map and the digital elevation model (DEM) were generated using the ArcGIS software. All the aforementioned parameters were then entered into the PCSWMM software, and simulations were performed for various rainfall durations using different best management practices. The PCSWMM simulation provided the results of runoff, infiltration, peak runoff, floods, or surcharges at every drainage node or discharge point in the existing and altered drainage system of the study area due to the occurrence of extreme rainfall. The results indicate that various best management practices, increasing the slope, reducing the roughness of the drainage systems, reducing imperviousness, permitting more infiltrations, and promoting green infrastructure, are highly effective in controlling urban flooding or surcharges in the study area caused by the occurrence of extreme rainfall in the future. The findings of this study are expected to be supportive to policymakers, urban planners, and water managers in implementing and promoting sustainable and climate-resilient urban drainage infrastructures to tackle stormwater management problems in the KCC area. Journal of Engineering Science 15(1), 2024, 107-118

Trace elements accumulation in vegetables and soils of waste dumping sites in southwestern Bangladesh and implication on human health

The untreated municipal solid wastes (MSWs) dumping and improper management causes major concerns of environmental degradation and human health risks. In this study, we collected soil and vegetable from the MSWs dumpsites of Khulna City Corporation (KCC) in southwestern Bangladesh. Trace metals (Pb, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn, Fe, Mn) were measured to explore the health risk of cultivated vegetables from dumpsites. Soil contamination was evaluated by geoaccumulation index (Igeo), enrichment factor (EF), contamination factor (CF), and pollution load index (PLI), while health risk was evaluated by transfer factor (TF), estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ). Results exhibited that the average trace metals in soil and vegetables followed in the order of Fe > Pb > Mn > Zn > Cu > Cr > Ni > Cd > Co. The Igeo, EF, CF, and PLI values revealed that the soil contamination was dominated by Pd, Cd, Mn, and Zn. The EDI of metals in vegetables were exceed the maximum daily intake only for Fe, Pb, and Cr. The total THQ was > 1, implying potential health hazards for the local people due to the long-term consumption of the cultivated vegetables. The multivariate analysis reveled that the sources of trace metals in the soils and vegetables of dumpsites were natural and anthropogenic. Overall, the findings suggest that growing vegetables in dumpsite is unsafe for long-term consumption by local inhabitants. Immediate action should be taken to protect the environment and human health from trace metal hazards.

Building resilience: Insights into ecosystem-based integrated environmental risk reduction approaches for urban environments in coastal Bangladesh

The intricate relationship between environmental quality, ecosystem services, and human well-being underscores the importance of understanding and addressing environmental complexities. Considering these issues, this research aims to propose ecosystem-based approaches for mitigating environmental risks within the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) area, while also elucidating the connection between ecosystem services and these risks. By doing so, it indirectly addresses disaster risk reduction approaches, acknowledging the relationship between environmental degradation and increased disaster occurrences. Leveraging multi-spectral Landsat images from 2001 (Landsat-5), 2011 (Landsat-5), and 2021 (Landsat-8), the study evaluates LULC dynamics and quantifies ecosystem service values (ESVs) using the Benefit Transfer Method. Additionally, seven key indicators, including land use-based carbon emissions, elevation, LST, NDVI, NDWI, NDSI, and NDBI, were analyzed to monitor spatiotemporal changes. The weighted overlay method was employed to integrate raster data and delineate environmental risk zones driven by deteriorating ESVs in KCC. Notably, the study reveals a significant increase in highly environmental risk areas from 7 % to 34 % and a decrease in medium-risk areas from 92 % to 60 % of the total area between 2001 and 2021 due to the decline in ecosystem services resulting from unplanned rapid urbanization. Furthermore, a moderate negative correlation (R2 values of 0.56, 0.67, and 0.69) between ESVs and the environmental risk index underscores the linkage between deteriorating ecosystem services and the expansion of high-risk zones. Furthermore, this study advocates policies such as drought-resistant tree plantations, community involvement, post-disaster resource provision, funding allocation, and stakeholder knowledge dissemination to enhance the resilience of KCC.

Qualitative assessment of regular and premium gasoline available in Bangladesh markets

Assessing the quality of fuel is essential to comprehend its impact on the environment and human health. In this study, the evaluation of fuel quality standards at the consumer level was conducted by analyzing the motor fuels in Khulna, Bangladesh. A total of 32 samples of petrol (regular gasoline), and octane (premium gasoline) were collected from the fuel stations in the Khulna City Corporation area and analyzed with an FTIR-Fuel Analyzer. Fuel properties, such as research octane number (RON), motor octane number (MON), ethanol content, olefins content, and oxygen content were analyzed. For petrol, the average RON, MON, olefins, and oxygen content were 95.34, 85.70, 8.23 %v/v, and 0.78 %m/m, respectively, and for octane, they were 96.96, 85.39, 1.25 %v/v, and 0.09 %m/m, respectively. Almost all of these parameters complied with both Bangladesh standard and Euro 5 fuel specifications, and those that did not comply were very close to their standard values. However, benzene concentration, which was not specified in Bangladesh Standard, was the most alarming metric for octane since none of the samples matched the Euro 5 fuel specifications of the maximum concentration of 1 %v/v benzene; on average it was 3.70 %v/v. Although petrol benzene content (average 1.50 %v/v) was not as bad as it was for octane, it was still nowhere near good enough, with only 25% of the samples within the recommended level among the studied sample. This information holds significance in establishing the fuel profile and facilitating the identification of distinct samples linked to adulteration. Therefore, the analysis of motor fuel qualities is essential for maintaining the environment, human health, and the economy of a country.

The Status Quo of Fecal Sludge Treatment Plant at Khulna and Its Future Prospec-tive About Biomass Energy (Briquette)

As many developing countries are moving towards increased sanitation coverage, Bangladesh has been striding successfully towards full sanitation coverage with the proper management of fecal sludge city-wide. Following the situation, Khulna City Corporation built a Fecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP) with six units of CW (constructed wetlands) and six units of drying beds in 2017. The main objective of this study is to discuss the current situation of Khulna FSTP based on treatment efficiency and its future perspective on biomass energy (briquette). In Khulna FSTP, the collected fecal sludge from septic tanks and pits is treated, and finally, its effluent is discharged into the environment, satisfying the disposal standards. The removal efficiency of final effluent for Biochemical Oxygen Demands (BOD5) and Total Solids was found to vary between 97.8% - 97% and 98% - 93% in the previous year to the present, respectively. Total Suspended Solis and Fecal Coliform never exceeded the allowable limit 100gm/L and 1000 N/100ml in final effluent. Furthermore, dried sludge is used as handmade processing biomass energy (briquette) without further treatment, which has some procedural problems such as loose compaction and pathogenic contamination.

Assessment of municipal solid waste from households in Khulna city of Bangladesh

Waste management is a major concern for both developed and developing countries, with a particular focus on household waste because it makes up a significant proportion of municipal waste. The aim of this study is to assess the state of solid waste management practice in Khulna, as well as to characterize and quantify municipal solid waste as a step toward effective management. To collect information on the existing waste management methods, structured questionnaires were used to conduct surveys of household residents. In this study, whole wards (31 wards) of Khulna City Corporation (KCC) were clustered in 9 groups and selected one ward from each group. To analyze household waste, 75 households from each ward were selected and collected waste for 7 days. The selected household was categorized into five different socioeconomic strata such as low-income, lower-middle-income, middle-income, higher-middle-income and higher-income families. Besides, the assessment was carried out on the production and characterization of household waste that was produced in KCC. The waste samples were quantified, separated and characterized in the laboratory. Results reveal that biodegradable waste is the most prominent type and its percentage is about 81 %. The amount of waste production is positively correlated with income level. The waste generation rate of households for high-income families was 0.652 kg/cap/day while this rate got almost half for a low-income family and its value is o.312 kg/cap/day. Source separation of waste plays a vital role to reduce plastic leakage to the SDP. The result shows the proportion of plastic in mixed waste and source-separated waste after sorting by the waste collector was 4.04 % and 2.99 %, respectively. Survey results show that 42.96 % of respondents think that the source-separated waste should be collected during the period of 12pm to 02pm. A proposed management process was developed for household waste based on the output of this study.

Unraveling the effects of a rehabilitation program on the socioeconomic wellbeing of beggars and begging motivation: evidence from an urban area of Bangladesh

Beggars have largely been leading miserable lives in the lower stratum of society since time immemorial. Government or private-led policies are rarely undertaken to improve the lives of this unfortunate societal segment. The local governments in divisional cities of Bangladesh have adopted a series of interventions aimed at improving the socioeconomic wellbeing of beggars and equipping them with alternative livelihood management options. We evaluated the effectiveness of this intervention (the rehabilitation of beggars) in the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) area, Bangladesh; we gathered a sample of 385 beggars by employing the non-equivalent group design and instrumental variable regression method. The results provide an interesting inference, showing that the rehabilitation program seemingly has no far-reaching significant impact on the socioeconomic wellbeing of the beggars. To be precise, the program provides evidence of no significant differences in earnings, expenditure, food security, or personal wellbeing between the beneficiary and the non-beneficiary group of beggars. In addition, the program fails to deter beggars from continuing to beg, as the result shows no significant association between taking part in the program and begging demotivation. Consequently, the beggars are continuing begging, which indicates a critical policy failure on the part of both government and implementation bodies. Therefore, the study implicitly recommends on-track monitoring and timely evaluation of such interventions so that immediate action can be taken beforehand to empower beggars and move them up the social ladder both socially and economically.

Rural-urban Disparities in Prenatal Care Utilization: A Study from Khulna District of Bangladesh

This study attempts to identify the nature of prenatal care through a comparative study between urban and rural mothers living in Khulna district of Bangladesh. Two wards in Khulna City Corporation (KCC) and three villages under Rupsha upazila were purposely selected as the study area of this research. The data were collected from 148 mothers selected through simple random sampling method. Findings reveal that medical check-ups during pregnancy were common among most of the respondents (95.9%) in urban areas while it was much less observed among the rural ones (60.8%). Findings also suggest that respondents’ residence was associated with frequency of visiting clinics, taking extra foods during pregnancy and preferred place for medical check-ups during their last pregnancy. Besides, access to reproductive health care services, availability of medical facilities and doctors differed significantly from rural to urban area.

Socio-economic conditions of Rishi community in Khulna City Corporation (KCC)

Rishi is an untouchable community in society victims of various socio-economic disparities as well as inequalities. This study aimed at identifying the socio-economic conditions of the Rishi community in Khulna City, Bangladesh. The purpose of the study is to observe how to maintain their social life along with economic activities. Following the survey and case study (Mixed method) research design, a sample of 150 people was selected clustery from ‘Rishipalli’ (Ward No 24) as well as data were collected by administering a semi-structured questionnaire. Findings reveal that the majority of the respondent (98%) are Sanatan believers and accomplished primary level (32%) of education. Moreover, the maximum of respondents is cobbler (70%) as well as evolved dual income (44%). Furthermore, the higher percentage (43%) belong to monthly food expenditures ranging between BDT 3001 to BDT 5000, and the majority (56%) of the households have to bear medical costs of BDT 100 to BDT 500 per month during illness, 36 percent of the households seeking treatment from MBBS doctor. It is, therefore, strongly recommended that policymakers should develop effective measures to improve the conditions of Rishi people, emphasizing building awareness of their socio-economic issues.

COVID-19 in city and municipal area: socio-economic analysis in Khulna, Bangladesh

PurposeIn Bangladesh (a middle-income and densely populated country) where socio-economic factors act badly on human activities during COVID-19. This research mainly focused on observing the socio-economic aspects of the Pandemic on human life between city and municipal areas.Design/methodology/approachThis research relied on Khulna City Corporation (KCC) and Paikgacha Municipality of Bangladesh. A random sampling technique was adopted for choosing 622 stakeholders (318 in the city and 304 in the municipal area). Here, the socio-economic factors have been fixed based on the literature review and expert opinion. This study explored two mainstream social and economic issues affected by the Pandemic. Several statistical tests were performed to find the relationship among Socio-economic factors.FindingsThe study shows that the Pandemic caused great harm to city areas rather than municipal areas. The city is faced with tremendous pressure on the economic aspect as well. Besides, the pandemic affects savings, education sectors, food habits and other factors in both areas. The trip distribution also differs between the study areas and the mobility pattern shows that people migrated to rural areas from city space during the Pandemic.Originality/valueThis research will assist in focusing on a micro-level perspective in the future to analyze socio-economic changes. Moreover, it can help to point out the administrative prospects in the future.

Measuring urban expansion pattern using spatial matrices in Khulna City, Bangladesh

Khulna, the third-largest metropolitan area in Bangladesh, has become a potential site for the polycentric urbanization for multiple mega-projects. Measurement of urban expansion is essential for regulating haphazard growth and achieving effective management. This study aims to quantify and compare the urban expansion pattern of Khulna City Corporation (KCC) and surrounding areas’ development hotspots. Landsat remote sensing images of 1990, 2000, 2010 and 2020 were used to perform supervised classification using Geographic Information System (GIS). To quantify urban expansion, we compute Annual Urban Expansion Rate, Urban Expansion Intensity Index, and Urban Expansion Differentiation Index. Although annual urban expansion in the study area was slow during the first two decades, it accelerated to 6.76% during the last decade. 48% of the total built-up areas have grown during 2010–2020 alone. Even though KCC experienced continuous urban growth over a thirty-year period, after 2010, the rate of urban expansion in peripheral areas exceeded that of KCC. Transboundary and intra-regional transportation and economic corridor development, establishment of economically potential zones (EPZ), urban to rural migration, availability of rich agriculture hinterland, low land price and several direct transportation links between the core and periphery are the major influencing factors of peri-urbanization.

SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF PARKS AS URBAN GREEN SPACE IN KHULNA CITY: AN ANALYSIS IN CONTEXT OF EQUITY PLANNING

Equitable distribution of parks as urban green space over a city can provide recreational, health and environmental services to city people. This research aims to assess the spatial distribution of parks as urban green space of Khulna City in equity planning. Primary data on existing condition of parks with facilities, user satisfaction level, improvement of existing parks, and proposals for new parks etc. are collected from questionnaire survey of 384 park users and key informants of urban planners, civil engineers and architects from Khulna Development Authority (KDA) and Khulna City Corporation (KCC), the city planning and urban service delivery government organizations. Implementation status of park proposals in 1961 and 2001 City Master Plans, and proposals in the 2018 Detailed Area Development Plan (DAP) along with relevant published research articles, reports etc. are reviewed as secondary data sources. Demand for parks is assessed through Buffer and Network analysis using GIS and also from Threshold Population analysis. Khulna, the 3rd largest industrial city of Bangladesh has about 0.7 million people in its 45.65 sq. km area. There are only 8 parks in Khulna City, most of which are small and cover only 0.15% of total KCC area. Among the 31 KCC Wards, only 7 (23%) Wards, where 27% city people live have parks. The remaining 24 (77%) Wards having 73% city people are deprived of parks. Increased urban population due to rapid urbanization is causing tremendous pressure on the existing limited number of parks. KCC and KDA have not followed equity principles while planning and implementation of park proposals. The parks are mostly found in the Wards having planned and old built-up areas. The existing parks are unable to fulfill the demand of city people. Considering the served, over served and underserved area of existing parks in a more conservative manner, a total of 14 new parks are proposed to ensure equity in planning and development of parks in Khulna City.

Healthcare-seeking behaviour of marginalised older people in urban slums: a cross-sectional survey study in Khulna City, Bangladesh

ObjectivesThis study aimed to measure healthcare-seeking behaviour and determine its associated factors among older people in the slums of the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) areas of Bangladesh.DesignCross-sectional survey.SettingsFour slums in...

Assessment of spatiotemporal distribution pattern of land surface temperature with incessant urban sprawl over Khulna and Rajshahi City Corporations

Urban sprawl and urban forest fragmentation are the dominating driving factors of land use land cover changes in city areas and changes in land surface temperature subsequently. Khulna and Rajshahi City Corporations, the major divisional city corporations of Bangladesh, were purposively selected in this study because of their difference in geography and demographic pattern. Khulna is the southwestern city of the country and is near to the Sundarbans, whereas Rajshahi is situated at the northwestern side. The population trend of Khulna has been decreasing day by day after 2001, but an increasing trend is observed in Rajshahi. The present study investigates the urban sprawl, change in urban greenspace, and spatiotemporal pattern of land surface temperature over these two cities from 1989 to 2021 at an interval of 16 years. Based on season, having the least cloud cover and shade-free images of Landsat 4–5 Thematic Mapper (TM), and 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) were collected from USGS Earth Explorer. Images of November and April, which had closer dates along with the required criteria, were downloaded for analysis. Land use land cover change was detected by using images from November, and land surface temperatures were retrieved from images of November and April to compare the temperature variation in winter and summer. The result of the study revealed that in 1989, urban green coverage was 21.07% in Khulna City Corporation (KCC) and 21.29% in Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC). The percentage was more than the threshold level of green coverage (20% of total land) required by plain lands. But these proportions reduced severely by 2021, to 11.86% and 8.56%, respectively. Urban sprawl was found as the major driver for destroying greenspace, which increased land surface temperature in both cities, but in Rajshahi City Corporation, it is comparatively more rapid than in Khulna City Corporation. The urban land cover increased by 32.40% in Khulna and by 71.92% in Rajshahi City Corporations during 1989–2021. The Kappa coefficients were found satisfactory for the years 1989, 2005, and 2021 in both cities – 93.03%, 86.3%, 93.15% for KCC, and 92.48%, 78.87%, 92.83% for RCC, respectively. In the time between 1989 and 2021, the overall land surface temperature increased by 2.72 °C in Khulna and 4.76 °C in Rajshahi City Corporations. In KCC and RCC, the total temperature decreased in winter season by 2.14 °C and 0.90 °C, correspondingly. The year 2005 was the warmest year in both cities among all the studied years. The summer season is getting warmer, and the winter is getting colder with the passing of decades. This significant change in temperature must be a sign of global warming. The results of the study will be scientific evidence to the policymakers, planners, city developers, city dwellers, as well as researchers.

INSTITUTIONAL IMPROVEMENT FOR BETTER URBAN MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT: A CRITICAL REVIEW OF KHULNA CITY

This paper concerns the issues about institutional improvement through rearrangement for better functioning of urban services by public sector bodies. It studies the conflict and arrangements of urban development and management institutions focusing on Khulna Development Authority (KDA) and Khulna City Corporation (KCC), in particular. It contains discussion on issues and problems that are encountered by KCC and KDA with respect to their functions and responsibilities followed by possible areas of intervention for management improvement to enable better urban management and development with special attention to the sprit of democracy, social mobilization, delegation of power leading to good governance.

ASSESSMENT OF SUPPLY WATER QUALITY OF KHULNA CITY CORPORATION, KHULNA, BANGLADESH

In order to determine the water quality of Khulna City Corporation, the ground (198-323 m depth; at Nirala, Sonadanga, Khalishpur, Mujgunni, Tutpara, Ferighat and Rupsa) and surface water (at Hadispark) from production well and from the tap of corresponding household (500 meter away from production well) were collected from different locations of Khulna City Corporation and their different physico-chemical properties viz., color, odor, temperature, turbidity, pH, Electrical Conductivity, Total Dissolved Solids, Dissolved Oxygen, total hardness, Chloride and Iron content and coliform count (number/100 ml; both from faecal and nonfaecal origin) were measured. Most of the water samples were found alkaline (pH>7). in most cases from production well to households the pH, Turbidity and total hardness increases whereas EC value, TDS, chloride and iron content decreases. all the observed values are within the permissible limits of Bangladesh and WHO standards for potable purpose but two exceptional cases were found for turbidity 7 JTU at Sonadanga and chloride content 351 ppm at Ferighat. it was observed that production well water at Nirala, Sonadanga and Hadispark contaminated with coliform were 23, 23, and >4800 respectively both from faecal and nonfaecal origin, but at Khalishpur, Mujgunni and Rupsa were free from coliform. water of corresponding households at Nirala, Rupsa and Hadispark had the coliform 09/100 ml, all from faecal origin and the total coliform at Nirala, Sonadanga, Rupsa and Hadispark were 23, 93, 23 and 460 respectively. So it is evident that the supply water at Nirala, Sonadanga, Rupsa and Hadispark does not meet the potable standard.

AN EVALUATION OF WATER SUPPLY SCENARIO IN KHULNA CITY CORPORATION AREA

In the urban areas of Bangladesh, service standard of community facilities lacks far behind of any recognized planning standard. Khulna City is an instance of having typical urban problems particularly the crisis of safe water. Approximately 45% population in this area is covered under piped water supply network. In this study an attempt has been made to evaluate the existing water supply system in the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) area regarding water supply installations and their capacity, water consumption pattern, satisfaction level of water supply and water demand-supply analysis. Structured and open-ended interview schedule were used as primary data collection tool. A two stage stratified random sampling was adopted and some statistical conventional techniques were used to analyze the data. The study reveals a wide gap between water supply and demand in KCC area. Again, the study shows that above 90% people use tube well (shallow and deep) water for drinking instead of supplied pipe water. It is shown that most people are not satisfied with quality and quantity of the supplied water for their daily usages. This study suggests to adopt the appropriate policy measures in order to safeguard the interest of the people for water supply, which would eventually improves the living and socio-economic conditions of the people in the study area.

PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF KITCHEN GARDENING IN WARD 24 OF KHULNA CITY: A CASE STUDY

The demand of vegetables and fruits are increasing along with the increasing population. But due to expansion of settlements, the cultivable land is decreasing, especially the fellow land beside the house which is suitable for kitchen gardening. The paper covers the discussion related with kitchen gardening and different socio-economic indicators such as- income, occupation, education, knowledge about kitchen gardening, tendency of gardeners, attitudes of land owners regarding kitchen gardening. In the study area, almost all of the houses have 1/6 to 3+ decimal vacant lands in and around their houses. This land is remaining fallow all over the year. However, the present study tries to focus on the problems and prospects of kitchen gardening on these fallow lands located in ward 24 of Khulna City Corporation Area. Some suggestions have been outlined from the study, which will be useful for further studies and to take pilot/action oriented programmes on kitchen gardening in the study area as well as in other areas of Khulna City Corporation.

SITUATION ANALYSIS OF CHILD LABOR IN KHULNA CITY OF BANGLADESH

The main focus of this study is to find out the socio-economic conditions of the child labor in Khulna city of Bangladesh. Following survey research design, the data were collected from 120 working children, selected randomly from four wards of Khulna City Corporation of Bangladesh. Findings reveal that large family size and poverty forced the children to get involved in laborious work, with inappropriate wage, at the very early age to support their family, financially. In addition, heavy and hard manual works, together with frequent physical tortures, made these young children very vulnerable, physically and mentally; hence demand special attention for remedies.