Salma Akter Surma | Premier University Chittagong (original) (raw)
Papers by Salma Akter Surma
Journal of Migration and Health, 2021
This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
Journal of Urban Management
This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
Journal of Migration and Health, ELSEVIER, 2021
Bangladesh Rohingya camps have hosted 65,000 refugees fled from Myanmar only since 2017. Their co... more Bangladesh Rohingya camps have hosted 65,000 refugees fled from Myanmar only since 2017. Their compromised living environment and limited physical and socioeconomic facilities make them highly sensitive to COVID-19. The Government of Bangladesh and international aid agencies have applied WHO's IPC (Infection, Prevention, and Control) guidelines to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 outbreaks and enhance their resilience. However, Rohingyas often disregard these guidelines or become reluctant to follow them. Building on 10 in-depth interviews, 66 questionnaires, and observation, the study investigates the limitations and challenges of implementing these guidelines toward building community resilience. It assesses their resilience, focusingon Kutupalong camp, Cox's Bazar − one of the world's largest refugee camps. Findings reveal that Rohingya's past experience associated with their psychological trauma largely influences their current actions and demotivates them from following the health guidelines. Their deep mistrust of and disrespect to healthcare providers and aid agencies discourage them to follow the IPC. Also, insufficient built infrastructure and unhygienic living conditions, including improper WASH management, increase their risk to COVID-19. The study highlights a need for understanding their socio-psychological values and cultural narratives and recommends a set of guidelines for policymakers and aid agencies to build community resilience to COVID-19.
International Conference on Social Work and Sustainable Social Development 2018 Department of Social Work Shahjalal University of Science & Technology Sylhet-3114, Bangladesh, 2018
While global efforts in research, policy and physical improvements of 'slums' typically involve s... more While global efforts in research, policy and physical improvements of 'slums' typically involve social and infrastructural upgrading focusing the women, little attention has been given toward improving their dwelling environments (household and neighborhood space) – the crucial 'every day and intimate' domain for slum-living women's social, psychological and economic wellbeing. This remains important because slum-living women, being exposed to many types of resource scarcities and inadequacies yet driven by livelihood needs, are often compelled to negotiate whatever scant space they have. For example, it is not unusual to find women in Bangladeshi slums compromising their privacies within and outside their households or sharing their territories with family members, neighbours or even with public. Not many policies exist here that acknowledge this problem; in fact many such spatial (privacy) compromises occur as a consequence of erroneous policy implications. It is here this research aims to understand the types and extent of negotiated space-making practices by women, their causes and consequences, and relevant policy environments in two different slums in Kathmandu, Nepal and in Khulna, Bangladesh. Comparisons have been made between these two to look for both consistency and variability. Although these both are examples from Global South cities, yet the comparison reveals that there are considerable differences between women's space-making practices, extent of negotiation and corresponding policy environment. Whereas Bangladeshi policies/guidelines by both Government and NGOs fail to demonstrate necessary spatial concerns/solutions for a gender-responsive living environment, the Nepalese ones opt for safer and inclusive settlements for the socially and economically vulnerable. This has been well reflected in the latter's lesser spatial compromises, higher economic status and greater participation in policy-making and space management compared to the former; for women in the Khulna slum, a compromised level of spatial practice (hence privacy) seems to hinder a safe and secured living. In terms of methodology, this research is primarily qualitative and assumes a comparative case study approach (and uses all necessary methods). A conceptual framework helped collect information and analyze those to comprehend the types and extent of spatial negotiation in relation to pertinent policies. The findings suggest that space is an important indicator for development while gender responsive interventions are necessary for any slum improvement or similar programs.
1st International Conference on Research and Innovation in Civil Engineering (ICRICE 2018), 12 –13 January, 2018, Southern University Bangladesh (SUB), Chittagong, Bangladesh, 2018
The Urban Street, beyond its mere functional and objective qualities, is expected to impart subje... more The Urban Street, beyond its mere functional and objective qualities, is expected to impart subjective
qualities to ensure a healthy and livable community. Increasingly, both urban planners and policymakers
are emphasized on the significance of the physical elements (objective qualities) and activities in
creating livability of street life; however, the role of subjective qualities as component that also gives
lively street life has not been adequately explored in traditional building construction laws. Traditional
building planning laws only focused on a short-term master planning of single sites, which seldom give
a sustainable street life for community. Consequently, many streets particularly in developing nations,
is being death and faced tremendous inadequacy. This research therefore, akin to that of urbanist Jane
Jacobs in order to explore the livability of urban street to perceive the behavioral responses of people
across three dimensions of streets namely spatio-physical, socio-economic and socio-environmental. In
doing so, it develops a conceptual framework is comprised by objective and subjective qualities is
followed by measuring the livability of street life. This qualitative research adopts deductive approach
and two selected streets under case study method. Sonadanga and Hazi Mohsin road in ex-colonial city
Khulna, Bangladesh have been evaluates under the urban and building planning policies and practices
paradigm. Multi methodological approaches, including questionnaire survey, interviews with academics
and professionals, observation and document policies of urban planning, building construction laws have
been accompanied. In terms of findings, it became obvious that the livability of the Urban Street in
Sonadanga residential area have been compromised under the absence of Urban planning laws, building
codes and reluctance of Urban planning authorities (KDA refers Khulna Development Authority), the
role of architect’s in the course of designing buildings and constructions and ‘profit-oriented’
development by developers and land owners. This empirical findings hence can be useful for a globallevel
understating of the loss of street life under free market conditions. Locally, for example in the
context of Bangladesh, it can help concerned authorities (like KDA) to formulate the land use policies
and building codes for a more sustainable and contextually appropriate urban future.
Rajapaksha.U, et al (eds), 2017, “Design that cares”- multi disciplinary approaches to creating sustainable and meaningful built environment: Proceedings of the 10thInternational Conference of Faculty of Architecture Research Unit (FARU), University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, 2017
Urban parks, the key domain of sustainability of the community, integrate social, economic and ec... more Urban parks, the key domain of sustainability of the community, integrate social, economic and ecological benefits. Current research are consistently concerned in planning for sustainable and resilient cities through preserving urban green areas are mainly concerned with a large, bio-diverse and relatively endangered ecosystem. While such efforts act as benchmarks for assessing progress towards sustainability and resilience goals, obviously much less attention is being paid to that type of small-scale green areas more specifically urban parks in cities and their benefits to societies. Thus, the extension of these benefits whether or not is equitably distributed across diverse urban populations in cities is a remarkable quarry in urban design policies and practices, especially in developing nations. This research, therefore, aims to analyze of conventional urban design practice on sustainability, more specifically on ecosystem services. Since ecosystem services are vary geographically, the policies even under national guidelines, need to be localized to appreciate the strength of local ecology. Hence, first, this paper develops a theoretical framework of a sustainable urban park with arguing that beyond biodiversity and socio-economic status, urban parks can also inform urban planning policy and practices to promote sustainable urbanism through practices of urban form. Second, it assesses sustainability of urban parks to compare similar urban parks in two different topographies like biodiversity with varied ecosystem services. This qualitative research adopts deductive approach and case study method to evaluate and compare the planning policies of such two parks in two different cities in Bangladesh. Thus, Hadis Park in industrial city Khulna and Biplob Uddan in coastal seaport city Chittagong respectively have taken from two different ecological viewpoints. Multi methodological approaches, including questionnaire survey, interviews with academics and professionals, observation and document policies of the urban park in terms of ecological and planning viewpoints, have been accompanied. Findings reveal that urban park planning policies in both cities mostly focus on generating social and economic activities only relatively for short-term basis rather than on promoting ecological sustainability and biodiversity for long-term maximization. The study, therefore, concludes that traditional urban design practices merely motivated, or supportive to provide sustainable urban park design policies by municipalities and professionals. Further, multi-disciplinary efforts including ecology, landscape architecture, urban planning and urban design simultaneously well informed by locals are essential to assess and develop ecologically sensitive urban design and planning policies.
Journal of Migration and Health, 2021
This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
Journal of Urban Management
This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
Journal of Migration and Health, ELSEVIER, 2021
Bangladesh Rohingya camps have hosted 65,000 refugees fled from Myanmar only since 2017. Their co... more Bangladesh Rohingya camps have hosted 65,000 refugees fled from Myanmar only since 2017. Their compromised living environment and limited physical and socioeconomic facilities make them highly sensitive to COVID-19. The Government of Bangladesh and international aid agencies have applied WHO's IPC (Infection, Prevention, and Control) guidelines to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 outbreaks and enhance their resilience. However, Rohingyas often disregard these guidelines or become reluctant to follow them. Building on 10 in-depth interviews, 66 questionnaires, and observation, the study investigates the limitations and challenges of implementing these guidelines toward building community resilience. It assesses their resilience, focusingon Kutupalong camp, Cox's Bazar − one of the world's largest refugee camps. Findings reveal that Rohingya's past experience associated with their psychological trauma largely influences their current actions and demotivates them from following the health guidelines. Their deep mistrust of and disrespect to healthcare providers and aid agencies discourage them to follow the IPC. Also, insufficient built infrastructure and unhygienic living conditions, including improper WASH management, increase their risk to COVID-19. The study highlights a need for understanding their socio-psychological values and cultural narratives and recommends a set of guidelines for policymakers and aid agencies to build community resilience to COVID-19.
International Conference on Social Work and Sustainable Social Development 2018 Department of Social Work Shahjalal University of Science & Technology Sylhet-3114, Bangladesh, 2018
While global efforts in research, policy and physical improvements of 'slums' typically involve s... more While global efforts in research, policy and physical improvements of 'slums' typically involve social and infrastructural upgrading focusing the women, little attention has been given toward improving their dwelling environments (household and neighborhood space) – the crucial 'every day and intimate' domain for slum-living women's social, psychological and economic wellbeing. This remains important because slum-living women, being exposed to many types of resource scarcities and inadequacies yet driven by livelihood needs, are often compelled to negotiate whatever scant space they have. For example, it is not unusual to find women in Bangladeshi slums compromising their privacies within and outside their households or sharing their territories with family members, neighbours or even with public. Not many policies exist here that acknowledge this problem; in fact many such spatial (privacy) compromises occur as a consequence of erroneous policy implications. It is here this research aims to understand the types and extent of negotiated space-making practices by women, their causes and consequences, and relevant policy environments in two different slums in Kathmandu, Nepal and in Khulna, Bangladesh. Comparisons have been made between these two to look for both consistency and variability. Although these both are examples from Global South cities, yet the comparison reveals that there are considerable differences between women's space-making practices, extent of negotiation and corresponding policy environment. Whereas Bangladeshi policies/guidelines by both Government and NGOs fail to demonstrate necessary spatial concerns/solutions for a gender-responsive living environment, the Nepalese ones opt for safer and inclusive settlements for the socially and economically vulnerable. This has been well reflected in the latter's lesser spatial compromises, higher economic status and greater participation in policy-making and space management compared to the former; for women in the Khulna slum, a compromised level of spatial practice (hence privacy) seems to hinder a safe and secured living. In terms of methodology, this research is primarily qualitative and assumes a comparative case study approach (and uses all necessary methods). A conceptual framework helped collect information and analyze those to comprehend the types and extent of spatial negotiation in relation to pertinent policies. The findings suggest that space is an important indicator for development while gender responsive interventions are necessary for any slum improvement or similar programs.
1st International Conference on Research and Innovation in Civil Engineering (ICRICE 2018), 12 –13 January, 2018, Southern University Bangladesh (SUB), Chittagong, Bangladesh, 2018
The Urban Street, beyond its mere functional and objective qualities, is expected to impart subje... more The Urban Street, beyond its mere functional and objective qualities, is expected to impart subjective
qualities to ensure a healthy and livable community. Increasingly, both urban planners and policymakers
are emphasized on the significance of the physical elements (objective qualities) and activities in
creating livability of street life; however, the role of subjective qualities as component that also gives
lively street life has not been adequately explored in traditional building construction laws. Traditional
building planning laws only focused on a short-term master planning of single sites, which seldom give
a sustainable street life for community. Consequently, many streets particularly in developing nations,
is being death and faced tremendous inadequacy. This research therefore, akin to that of urbanist Jane
Jacobs in order to explore the livability of urban street to perceive the behavioral responses of people
across three dimensions of streets namely spatio-physical, socio-economic and socio-environmental. In
doing so, it develops a conceptual framework is comprised by objective and subjective qualities is
followed by measuring the livability of street life. This qualitative research adopts deductive approach
and two selected streets under case study method. Sonadanga and Hazi Mohsin road in ex-colonial city
Khulna, Bangladesh have been evaluates under the urban and building planning policies and practices
paradigm. Multi methodological approaches, including questionnaire survey, interviews with academics
and professionals, observation and document policies of urban planning, building construction laws have
been accompanied. In terms of findings, it became obvious that the livability of the Urban Street in
Sonadanga residential area have been compromised under the absence of Urban planning laws, building
codes and reluctance of Urban planning authorities (KDA refers Khulna Development Authority), the
role of architect’s in the course of designing buildings and constructions and ‘profit-oriented’
development by developers and land owners. This empirical findings hence can be useful for a globallevel
understating of the loss of street life under free market conditions. Locally, for example in the
context of Bangladesh, it can help concerned authorities (like KDA) to formulate the land use policies
and building codes for a more sustainable and contextually appropriate urban future.
Rajapaksha.U, et al (eds), 2017, “Design that cares”- multi disciplinary approaches to creating sustainable and meaningful built environment: Proceedings of the 10thInternational Conference of Faculty of Architecture Research Unit (FARU), University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, 2017
Urban parks, the key domain of sustainability of the community, integrate social, economic and ec... more Urban parks, the key domain of sustainability of the community, integrate social, economic and ecological benefits. Current research are consistently concerned in planning for sustainable and resilient cities through preserving urban green areas are mainly concerned with a large, bio-diverse and relatively endangered ecosystem. While such efforts act as benchmarks for assessing progress towards sustainability and resilience goals, obviously much less attention is being paid to that type of small-scale green areas more specifically urban parks in cities and their benefits to societies. Thus, the extension of these benefits whether or not is equitably distributed across diverse urban populations in cities is a remarkable quarry in urban design policies and practices, especially in developing nations. This research, therefore, aims to analyze of conventional urban design practice on sustainability, more specifically on ecosystem services. Since ecosystem services are vary geographically, the policies even under national guidelines, need to be localized to appreciate the strength of local ecology. Hence, first, this paper develops a theoretical framework of a sustainable urban park with arguing that beyond biodiversity and socio-economic status, urban parks can also inform urban planning policy and practices to promote sustainable urbanism through practices of urban form. Second, it assesses sustainability of urban parks to compare similar urban parks in two different topographies like biodiversity with varied ecosystem services. This qualitative research adopts deductive approach and case study method to evaluate and compare the planning policies of such two parks in two different cities in Bangladesh. Thus, Hadis Park in industrial city Khulna and Biplob Uddan in coastal seaport city Chittagong respectively have taken from two different ecological viewpoints. Multi methodological approaches, including questionnaire survey, interviews with academics and professionals, observation and document policies of the urban park in terms of ecological and planning viewpoints, have been accompanied. Findings reveal that urban park planning policies in both cities mostly focus on generating social and economic activities only relatively for short-term basis rather than on promoting ecological sustainability and biodiversity for long-term maximization. The study, therefore, concludes that traditional urban design practices merely motivated, or supportive to provide sustainable urban park design policies by municipalities and professionals. Further, multi-disciplinary efforts including ecology, landscape architecture, urban planning and urban design simultaneously well informed by locals are essential to assess and develop ecologically sensitive urban design and planning policies.