Accessibility in Disadvantaged Areas

It is necessary for the development of both urban and rural areas to ensure that people have proper access to various facilities, including markets, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and others. Good access to facilities increases connectivity and stimulates agriculture, trade, commerce, health, education, and other social and economic facilities, and consequently, reduces poverty, isolation, and social exclusion. Despite having less access to essential facilities than urban areas, rural and coastal areas and their concerns are always overlooked by the policymakers. Poor accessibility is the main barrier to the development of rural and coastal areas, and it causes poverty, low productivity, isolation, social exclusion, poor health, etc. Therefore, this study evaluated the spatial accessibility to market, healthcare, and educational facilities in selected rural and coastal areas of Bangladesh by developing a practical, reliable, adaptable, and easily comprehensible approach for measuring accessibility. The project's results and suggestions would make it easier for engineers, planners, and policymakers to find lagging areas and take the steps needed to fix accessibility problems.