Dynamics of Urban-Rural Linkage in South-Western Part of Bangladesh A Study of Khulna City and a Selected Village

1.1 Background of the study

Most development theory and practice have only focused on either urban or rural issues without considering the interrelation between them. The relative emphasis placed on rural versus urban areas in the development policies of developing countries has shown considerable variation over time. Generally, these development strategies have addressed either urban or rural areas rather than the interdependencies between the two. This situation is very well known in the literature of rural-urban linkages as the “ruralurban divide (Tacoli, 2006).” Recently, however, there is a growing recognition of the importance of focusing on the mutual interdependencies, rather than the “separateness,” of rural and urban areas because the livelihoods of rural and urban households rely on both “rural-based” and “urban-based” resources as well as the exchanges between the two areas.

However, several studies in different countries like Indonesia, Nepal, Tanzania shows that the linkage between urban centers and countryside play an important role in processes of urban and rural change. On the other hand, macro-economic and pricing policies or sectoral priorities which make no explicit reference to spatial dimensions are often the most powerful influence affecting linkages between urban centers and countryside (Tacoli, 1998).

Very few studies were conducted on urban-rural linkage in this region, even in

Bangladesh. Among these, a study was conducted by Chowdhury, S.; Negass, A.; and Torero, M. on Market institution: Enhancing the value of Rural-Urban links, gave emphasis on improving the market mechanism, identified five major factors that increase the transfer costs that subsequently hinder market integration between rural and urban areas: information asymmetry, transaction costs, transport and communication costs, policy induced barriers, and social and non-economic factors. It did not consider the other issues which are also very important in urban-rural linkage like migration, commuters, transformation of information etc.

In the south-western part of Bangladesh, Khulna city provide important backup for the adjacent areas and the areas are also giving feedback to the city. There is need for comprehensive study to explore the linkage factors between Khulna and adjacent areas imply some policy interventions to make this region more efficient in serving its localities and also in national level. Most the factors are being considered in this study.

1.2 Study Goal

This study has been conducted with a view to increase understanding of the nature, range and scale of rural-urban interactions in southern region to facilitate positive interactions between rural and urban areas which intended as those benefiting sustainable growth and or eliminate negative interactions.

In order to attain the goal, the following objectives are selected:

1.3 Objectives of the study o To identify the major dynamics responsible for urban-rural interaction in southwestern part of Bangladesh.

o   To analyze specific urban-rural linkages in connection with economic structure and sectors in development 

o   To provide recommendations aiming to facilitate the interaction between the urban and rural.

1.4 Key research questions 

To obtain the above objectives some questions were kept in mind so that the study could stay in its pre-determined path. The questions are:

o   What are the dynamics responsible for urban-rural interaction?

o   Among the factors, what are the most influencing in the context of present study?

o   How are they interrelated with each other?  o What impact they have on urban and rural life? o How roads and other infrastructure affect or facilitate the linkage?

1.5 Justification of the study

A new perspective, referred to as the urban- rural linkage development approach, is increasingly becoming the accepted approach. Indeed, there has been a growing interest in the development literature on the linkages between rural and urban development (Thanh, Anh, Tacoli, 2005, quoted from DFID 2003). However, the relationship between urban and rural sectors in many developing countries is still characterized by an economic dualism, in other words, by the coexistence of a modern urban sector and a traditional rural sector. This duality arose because many developing countries pursued a heavy industrialization development strategy based on the transfer of resources and labor surpluses from the traditional (or rural) sector to the modern (or urban) sector. This development strategy largely favored the development and growth of the urban sector at the expense of rural areas. Cities organized rural areas to serve urban interests, resulting in net capital outflow, brain drain and other resource transfers that lowered rather than raised the potential for rural areas to develop.  Cities actively exploited rural areas, with rural poverty and rural-urban migration not emanating from the isolation of rural from urban areas, but rather from the tightening of rural and urban linkages (Douglass, 1998). The challenges for rural regional planning is to overcome the ruralurban divide by incorporating this reality into development framework and, further, identifying policy measures to achieve benefits for both town and village households.

In the context of south-western part of Bangladesh, Khulna city acts as a central place for its adjacent rural areas as well as upazilla and district towns. Most of the economic activities are concentrated to the city. For the people living in the hinterlands and rural areas situated at a minimal distances keep frequent relations with the city in terms of daily activities, business, services and other social activities. Farmers from the rural areas sold their products to the urban wholesale or retail markets. The People of the study village Sachibunia under Batiaghata upazilla have a good access to Khulna city. There are a good number of people connected to city-both commuters and migrated people. Considerable households, thus obtain income from the city economy. Wholesale dealers of agricultural products buy from the villagers. In these respects, is a two-way interaction exists as the village people also get updated information and manufactured products from the city for their every day use. It is now important to identify the scale of the relation as economic interaction between them can not be neglected. To put the latent potentialities into work, divergence in development activities of urban and rural should have to be minimized. The present study can be a way the find out the sectors that need integrated approaches. The comparative picture of the present statues of different major factors the combined the urban and rural can be putted into development policies.

1.6 Scope of the study

Exploring the urban-rural linkage involves a vast thinking and depth knowledge. The present study has limited in scope within exploring the major factors that are responsible for the urban-rural relation by examining the international, national experiences with the personal observation and respondent’s interview. Then the study tried to found out the economic and social relations and relative influence of the factors in the day-to-day life of both the urban residents and village people. The study can be used as source book for status of relation between the Khulna city and its adjacent rural areas which depicts the overall scenario in south-western part with little variations. In general, relation decreases with cities with the increase distance. The methodology adopted in the study can be putted in similar studies in other parts in Bangladesh and the analysis done here can be used as parameters to fix up the policies and strategies within the context of regional development. The following departments and personnel can get useful lessons about the urban and rural in a common platform.

Policy
makers and local authority	Information about commuting people and their secondary sources of income, not present in formal census
Planners and local authorities	Accessibility index of different urban services of rural people to construct a framework
Planning and Marketing officers in Agri. Dep.	Promoting activities in production areas and developing appropriate production, post-harvest and marketing extension packages
Planners and Engineers in Ministries	Concerned with making decisions on improving rural roads and other transport systems

1.7 Expected Output

From this study, the following outputs can be obtained:

o   Nature and range of urban-rural linkage in the study area are identified o Factors responsible for positive or negative urban-rural linkage are identified o Interrelations among major variables causing the interaction are identified o It can be identified that populations and activities seemed either as urban or rural are more closely linked both across space and across sectors than is usually thought.

o   Consequences of linkages on transformations of rural and urban areas and its economy can be identified.

 2.1 Selection of the study area

In order to identify critical factors determining opportunities and constraints, an urban centre-for this study, Khulna city and a village in its surrounding region has been selected for this study.

A remote village was selected according to some criteria. These included:  o Demographic and infrastructural aspects o Social aspects 

-       Availability and quality of services

-       Gender and generational norms

-       Migration and  o Commercial criteria  o Production characteristics 

-       Land availability and fertility

-       Food versus cash production

-       Industrial development

-       Large and small scale farming o Administrative criteria 

-       Land tenure systems

-       Administrative status

Sachibunia village, adjacent to Khulna and Khulna city has been selected as study area for this research. Sachibunia village is located at Batiaghata Upazila in Khulna district. The study area can be represented by Sachibunia Mouza (sheet no. 3) of Jalma union.

This chapter describes the above mentioned points in brief.

2.2 Location of the Study Area      

Batiaghata Upazila consisting seven unions, wherein Jalma union is located in the North part of the Upazila. The Jalma union is located at the last north part of the Batiaghata Upazila surrounded by Khulna sadar Upazila on the north, Dumuria Upazila on west, Batiaghata union (Batiaghata Upazila) on south-west, Baliadanga union on south-east. The Sachibunia village is one of the prominent Villages of the Jalma union. The village 

Sachibunia village is at an approximate distance of about 5 km from Khulna district headquarter. Transportation cost of van from study area to Moylapota of Khulna city is taka 4 to 6 per person and takes about 10 to 15 minutes. It also located within polder no 28/2. So the area is protected from saline water and flood.  

2.3 Transportation and Communication

Sachibunia is well connected with the Khulna district headquarter and Upazila headquarter by Gallamari-Batiaghata road. The basic modes of transport available in the study area are non-motorized vehicles, tempo and bus. Van^[1] plays a vital role in local transportation. There is about 1 km paved and about 0.5 km HBB roads in the study area. 

2.4 Important Features 

A list of important features and infrastructure of the study area is given below:

Table 2.1: Important establishments of the study area

Establishments	Number
Primary school (Until Class-V)	1
High school (From VI to X)	1
Health Center	2
Hat/Bazar	2
Mosque	3
Temple	2
Rice mill	3

Source: Field survey, 2007

2.5 Demographic Scenario       

In the study area majority male people i.e. 24.3 % belong to the 0-14 age group. And the average of 14-49 age population is 48%. The male female ratio in the study area is 100:97. In this study more than 13% people are aged above 50 years 

2.6 Occupation and Income Pattern  

Among the people who settled before 1981, farming was the principal occupation. Since 1991 the occupational and income pattern were being changing because the impact of Khulna city. Most of the families’ income level is between TK.4000-8000. Most of the people are involved non-farm occupations like construction, transportation and communication, business, services and others. There are also reasons behind the rapid expansion of settlement by the people who are involved in non-farm occupation. 

2.7 Educational Status

In the following table the educational level of the household head are described

Table 2.2: Educational status of the household heads 

Educational Status	Frequency	Percent
Illiterate	12	20.0
Can read and write only	8	13.3
Primary	16	26.7
Secondary	13	21.7
HSC	6	10.0
Bachelor	5	8.3
Total	60	100.0

Source: Field survey, 2007

In this study, apart from academic qualification, those who able to sign were also considered as literate. Here it is found that about 29% of household head are taken only up to secondary education. The higher educated people are not very significant.

3.1 Research Design

To gain a detail overview about the nature of urban-rural linkage, comprehensive literature review is needed. Rural-urban linkage generally refers to the growing flow of public and private capital, people (migration and commuting) and goods (trade) between urban and rural areas. It is important to add to these the flow of ideas, the flow of information and the flow of diffusion of innovation. Adequate infrastructure such as transportation, communication, energy and basic services is the backbone of the urbanrural development linkage approach (Okpala, 2001.). 

On the basis of literatures, it needs to identify the dynamics of interactions between urban centers and proximate rural areas and the salient causes of it. It is also important to identify bottlenecks which prevent the positive linkages. With a view to do this, it is necessary to adopt a methodology well suited for the combination of descriptive analysis and causal explanation. This includes a combination of qualitative and quantitative tools. Although it is common practice in research design to start with quantitative data collection (in order to answer ‘what’ questions) and follow this with quantitative techniques (to answer ‘why’ questions).

To take the research in front, systematic step-by-step actions are taken. These can be classified as following three stages.

•      Concept development and problem review

•      Collection of information

•      Data analysis and model development

These three broad categories have sub-categories. The methodological procedure are described in the later sections

3.2 Concept Development and Problem Review

3.2.1 Concept development and review

In the south-western part of Bangladesh, Khulna city provide important backup for the adjacent areas and the areas are also giving feedback to the city. There need a comprehensive study to explore the linkage factors between Khulna and adjacent areas imply some policy interventions to make this region more efficient in serving its localities and also in national level. All the possible major factors are considered in this study.

3.2.2 List of variables

A little number of variables is taken which are said to be more influencing the urbanrural relation.

Table 3.1: List of variables working with

Variables	Sub-criteria	Operational definition	Way to measure
	Transportation	Network linkage between urban and rural areas	Accessibility, condition of roads,
Transport			travel time. Travel expense
	Commuters	People come to urban areas for job only in day time and back to home without staying in city	Number of people commuting, types of jobs they do, Income, Factors responsible of commuting
	Communication	Information accessibility to rural people	Information about products price.
Migration	Flow of people	People from rural areas come to city to receive comparative advantages	Rate of migration, reasons for migration
Agriculture	Flow of goods	Export of agricultural products to urban areas	Volume and types of goods come to city
Industry and services	Flow of manufacture product to rural areas Access of rural people to services	Products and services consumed by rural people produced in urban area.	Types of products consumed by rural people, services to rural areas, accessibility to services

Objective wise data collection and method of analysis is shown below:

Objective 01: To explore the major dynamics responsible for urban-rural linkages

Table 3.2: Variables and method of analysis for first objectives

Required information	Data to be collected	Data collection techniques	Methods of analysis
Sources of influences	Data about different sectors and factors that are bridging urban and rural-  spatially and aspatially	Literature review Individual interview	Extent and intensity of factors in urban-rural linkage linkages

Objective 02: To analyze specific urban-rural linkages in connection with economic structure and sectors in development 

Table 3.3: Variables and method of analysis to obtain second objectives

Required  information	Data to be collected	Data collection techniques	Methods of analysis
	Identify production
Flow of goods	areas serving the region – locations and levels of production, growth trends	Interview with farmers, market functionaries and officials	Thematic maps of different products, frequency table, trend analysis
	Identify the major channels of agricultural product marketing	Production movement survey Interviews with market functionaries	Network maps used to relate flows in marketing channels to linear data, such as transportation routes.
	Defining what product is being traded, where it is coming from	simple interview surveys in existing markets	Frequency table, cross-tabulation among seasons and production rates
	and when are the peak times that it reaches the market
Migration and Commuters	-Number of people migrate  -No of Commuters	Individual household Survey Interview with commuters	Influence of urban growth on population and employment change in the rural hinterland
Transport sector	-Frequency of public transport -Condition of roads	-Traffic counts -Observation survey -Interview with farmers, market	Frequency table with special connection to
		functionaries	marketing products

3.3 Collection of Information

3.3.1 Reconnaissance survey

To know the existing situation of the study areas, a reconnaissance survey will be done to acquire an overall sight.

3.3.2 Questionnaire Survey

A questionnaire survey was deemed necessary to supplement qualitative data with quantitative data and give more specific information. Pre-testing of the questionnaire is highly required and pre-testing will be done before conducting survey.

The pre-testing was important in two ways:

o It exposed a number of ambiguities in the original questionnaire which were rewritten. o It made it possible to develop a preliminary codebook.

3.3.3 Field survey

After the finalization of the questionnaire a field survey will be conducted to collect necessary information required for the fulfillment of the study objectives. In this study mainly primary data collection method would be applied to gather information.

3.4 Data collection techniques

3.4.1 Primary data 

The following data are to be collected from primary source

3.4.1.1 Migration

Household survey has to be done to collect data about the rate of rural to urban migration

3.4.1.2 Commuters

Commuters are important factors in determining the interactions. Number of people commuting from rural areas, types of jobs they do, Income, Factors responsible of commuting are need to be collected. Commuter’s interview is the useful tool for obtaining the data.

3.4.1.3 Communication 

Data communications infrastructure is an increasingly important element of marketing linkages, allowing timely price data to be used to adjust production and market supplies to maximize prices for producers. 

3.4.1.4 Services facilities

There need to identify the types of products and services consumed by rural people produced in urban area. Data about accessibility to different types services are also collected from household survey.

3.5 Commodity Chain Analysis

In order to portray a deeper understanding of the interactions associated with trade, commodity chain analysis was carried out. The chains were constructing through key informant interviews in the settlements and where it was possible in the destinations. These analyses were very fruitful in revealing the formal and informal networks that existed despite more distrust as to the purpose of the question. Commodity chain analysis consists of identifying the actors involved at all different stages such as production, processing, exchange, transport, distribution, final sale, end use etc

3.6 Transport component

Network linkage between urban and rural areas is an important indicator for urban-rural linkages. Data about modes used by the producers for marketing their products, number of alternative modes, volume of traffic, accessibility, condition of roads, travel time are to be collected.

3.7 Secondary data

Secondary data which need to collect given below:

•      Maps of the locations

•      Location map of services

•      Road network maps

•      Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics o Population census o Agriculture census

•      Official reports

•      National and international journal

 

3.8 Tools to be used for analyzing data

SPSS software was use to analyze the quantitative data. Quantitative data are entered into SPSS environment and the variables have been chosen. To show the important factors responsible for strong urban-rural linkage and interrelationship between them, linear regression model has developed with the help of SPSS.

ArcView 3.2a, ArcGIS 8.3/9.0 has used to show the road network and spatial linkage between the two villages with the city.

3.9 Sample size determination

For Sachibunia villages, sample sizes have to be calculated. A structured questionnaire was prepared to conduct household survey. A method is used here to determine crude sample size. This crude sample size is then adjusted by an equation.

3.10 Data Analysis and Model Development

Complex statistical (multiple regression) techniques, based on empirical data, or theoretical models can be developed to relate these factors. In this case the strengthen of urban-rural linkages have been consider as dependent variable and the other factors that visualize after the analysis as the determined factors have taken as independent variable.

3.11 Mapping Marketing Systems

3.11.1 Advantages of mapping

Maps are one of the best means of presenting a visual representation of marketing systems. Maps allow the data that have been collected through the surveys. The statistical link between data can be established without graphics - but graphic analysis is clearer as marketing data always has spatial dimension. Mapping is useful for understanding: the present status of a marketing system as well as how the marketing system has been changing.

3.11.2 Map compilation

In compiling marketing maps the following types of features might be recorded:

•      the location of production areas 

•      the location of settlements and their associated catchments areas;

•      the location of markets 

•      transport routes;

•      changes in population of urban areas over time

•      Physical boundaries, such as local authority and census boundaries.

3.11.3 Mapped outputs

There are three major types of mapped maps that can be useful for understanding marketing systems: thematic maps, networks, and dot/contour maps. The mapping can be prepared using a computerized geographic information system (GIS). 

3.11.4 Thematic maps

For analyzing market systems, effective mapping can be obtained by plotting two or more data sets together, so that relationships can be clearly shown. Superimposing different data sets using overlays (sometimes called sieve mapping) can provide an understanding of the relationship between the different variables. For example, surplus production areas related to seasonal fluctuations in supply.

3.11.5 Networks

This is the most straightforward way of presenting marketing maps. For example, they can be used to relate flows in marketing channels to linear data, such as transportation routes. A factor in preparing network maps is to decide what types of distance to represent - direct or actual?

3.11.6 Dot maps

The use of dot maps is also appropriate in some cases. These can show the intensity of a particular feature, such as the number of middlemen by geographic area. A map might show their distribution – effectively the density of traders.