Abstract

Urban waterfronts are significant centers for creating economic, social, and cultural hubs of urban life. However, like many other Asian cities, it has become a challenge for Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, to sustain its waterfronts. In Dhaka, the waterfront of Buriganga projects a contested urban dynamics through aggressive reclamation and inappropriate interventions due to economic needs and functional supports forever increasing population. The establishment of Buriganga Bridge 1 is such an intervention, creating new challenges not only for the waterfront, but also for the integration of both the riverbanks of southern Dhaka and Keraniganj. This paper will examine the drawbacks and possibilities of both sides’ junction points of Buriganga Bridge 1 as a waterfront in respect to physical and social integration. Through the analysis of physical problems and usable opportunities of the studied waterfront, the paper will recommend an inclusive approach for both the junctions to cope with the surroundings. An empirical study followed by literature review, observation, and questionnaire survey have been conducted to identify the current problems and user driven demand for the waterfront development at the two junctions of Buriganga Bridge 1.