, July 27 -- Dhaka is hurtling toward environmental catastrophe unless immediate steps are taken to restore the city's ecological balance - warns a new study by the research and advocacy organisation Change Initiative.

Presented at a press conference at Dhaka hotel on Sunday, the report titled 'Dhaka without nature ? Rethinking Natural Rights Led Urban Sustainability' paints a dire portrait of the capital's urban and environmental future.

Based on 44 years of satellite imagery and data analysis, the research reveals a staggering sevenfold increase in densely populated areas, a 60% loss of wetlands, and a 3-5degC rise in land surface temperatures (LST) since 1980. These dramatic changes, driven by mismanagement and unregulated urban spra...