RURAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH URBANIZATION

This innovative analysis examines the concept of rural development through urbanization as a strategic approach for addressing development challenges in Bangladesh during the early 1980s. The article explores how planned urbanization and the development of growth centers can stimulate rural economic transformation and reduce regional disparities. The research investigates the theoretical foundations of the urbanization-led development approach and analyzes its application in the Bangladeshi context. The study examines case studies of growth center development, rural town expansion, and peri-urban transformation processes. The article assesses the impact of urbanization on agricultural modernization, rural industrialization, and service sector development. The research also evaluates the social and environmental implications of urbanization strategies and proposes measures to maximize benefits while minimizing negative consequences.

The relationship between urbanization and rural development represents a crucial dimension of spatial planning in Bangladesh, with this article providing a comprehensive examination of urbanization as a strategy for rural transformation during the early 1980s. The research begins by examining the theoretical foundations of urbanization-led development, analyzing how growth pole theory, central place theory, and spatial development models inform strategic planning. The analysis explores the historical context of urbanization in Bangladesh, tracing patterns of urban growth from colonial administrative centers to contemporary industrial and commercial hubs. The article investigates growth center development initiatives, examining how planned urban centers at district headquarters, upazila towns, and other strategic locations were designed to stimulate regional development. The study examines the economic linkages between urban centers and rural hinterlands, analyzing how market towns facilitate agricultural commercialization, rural industrialization, and service provision. The research assesses infrastructure development in growth centers, including transportation networks, communication facilities, energy supply, and social infrastructure that connect rural areas to urban opportunities. The article analyzes the impact of urbanization on agricultural transformation, examining how proximity to urban markets influences cropping patterns, input use, and marketing strategies. Based on the comprehensive assessment, the article develops a framework for balanced urbanization that promotes rural development while managing urban growth challenges. The findings provide valuable insights into the potential of strategic urbanization for addressing rural development challenges and contribute to understanding the spatial dimensions of development in densely populated agrarian economies.