Sacrificing Cities Modernity, Religions, and Urban Spatial Dynamics in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract

This dissertation examines the complex interactions between urban religiosity and modernity in the context of Dhaka, Bangladesh, focusing on the celebration of Eid ul Adha. As a South Asian megacity, Dhaka undergoes significant transformations during this annual religious festival, temporarily disrupting the city's usual modernist development trajectory. The thesis introduces the concept of "Sacrificing Cities" to describe how Dhaka, like several other South Asian cities, tends to sacrifice its modern development mandates temporarily to accommodate traditional religious practices. These sacrifices manifest in various urban domains, including infrastructure, institutions, markets, and technology. The study is based on three years of ethnographic fieldwork in Dhaka, exploring how the city manages the influx of millions of rural cattle farmers and traders, the transformation of urban spaces into makeshift cattle markets, and the temporary suspension of regular urban activities during Eid ul Adha. The research highlights the adaptability of Dhaka's urban infrastructure and institutions to non-secular functions and the role of the informal economic sector in managing the festival's demands. It also discusses the challenges posed by digitalization in maintaining traditional communal practices and religious sentiments. By situating Dhaka within the broader frameworks of postcolonial, modern, and global city discourses, the thesis argues that the city's temporary disruptions during Eid ul Adha challenge conventional understandings of urban modernity. The concept of "Sacrificing Cities" provides a new lens for analyzing how cities in the Global South negotiate between tradition and modernity, revealing the unique ways in which urban religiosity shapes economic and political pathways. Through detailed case studies, the thesis explores the justifications and mechanisms that enable Dhaka to temporarily deviate from its modern development goals, emphasizing the importance of understanding these practices within the context of South Asian urbanism. The findings contribute to broader discussions in critical urban development, postcolonialism, modernism, and developmental studies, offering insights into the evolution, development, and functioning of cities like Dhaka.