Model of social sustainability for Dhaka city, Bangladesh

The expansion and development of urban areas require a strategic priority of social sustainability to protect inhabitants' quality of life and well-being. However, social sustainability in urban areas, particularly in developing regions, faces challenges due to social problems caused by rapid urbanization. This study proposes a model of social sustainability for socially sustainable cities in developing regions, using Dhaka, Bangladesh as a representative case. A quantitative research strategy was used to gather responses from residents of Dhaka via a structured questionnaire survey. Using a multistage sampling technique, 564 residents were selected. Results show that social sustainability significantly influences socially sustainable urban development in Dhaka. The study identifies 38 indicators under 11 social sustainability themes using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis within a structural equation modeling framework. The model serves as a guiding framework for governmental bodies, policymakers, and urban planners to achieve sustainable cities and provides policy implications for enacting and revising urban sector policies in developing regions. This work supports implementation of Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11) in the 2030 Agenda and offers a tool for promoting socially sustainable urban development in developing regions.