Assessing the real-life socio-economic scenario of established slums in Dhaka: the cases of Korail and Sattola

The research aims to assess the current situation of three primary socioeconomic indicators, namely education, health and water availability at the two most established slums of Bangladesh's capital Dhaka-Korail and Sattola. Surveys, using cluster and then random sampling to target households, and analysis, found that both slums' children's education level was moderate with 52%-68% and 20%-28% availing primary and secondary education, respectively; several NGOs had helped to establish brick-and-mortar latrines and disseminate necessary and effective awareness about sanitation; and surveyed slum dwellers were economically strong, with 68%-70% of the interviewed households' income levels being 10,000-15,000 BDT (USD 118-178) per month. A comparative analysis with national level statistics also yielded that the conditions in these slums are truly better than previously thought. Primary recommendation includes in-depth monitoring to understand why such large numbers live in slums, even though they can afford better.