30/04/2026
The Department of Architecture, BUET, is delighted to share that ๐๐ซ. ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ has successfully completed her Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from BUET on 18 December 2025. Her thesis is titled "๐๐ฆ๐๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ณ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ค๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฌ". The research was carried out under the supervision of ๐๐ซ. ๐๐ก๐๐ฒ๐๐ซ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฎ๐ซ, ๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐จ๐ซ, ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง, Department of Architecture, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
The members of the Board of Examiners were, Dr. S M Najmul Imam, Professor and Head, Department of Architecture, BUET, Dr. Catherine Daisy Gomes, Professor, Department of Architecture, BUET, Dr. Asma Begum, Professor, Department of Humanities, BUET, Dr. Shuchita Sharmin, Professor, Department of Development Studies, University of Dhaka. The external member was Dr. Manosh Chowdhury, Professor, Department of Anthropology, Jahangirnagar University.
A key focus of the work is addressing a critical gap: the lack of nuanced understanding of the relationship between marginalized women and urban livability, especially from their own perspectives. By situating the research within critical realism and constructivist paradigms, the study emphasizes that knowledge is shaped by context, culture, and social positioning. It employs interpretive phenomenology and spatial ethnography to capture rich, qualitative insights into how women navigate, interpret, and adapt to urban environments.
The research also draws on intersectional and feminist frameworks, particularly post-colonial and Third-World Feminism, to examine how overlapping identitiesโsuch as gender, class, age, and abilityโintensify marginalization. It shows that urban inequality is not experienced uniformly; instead, it is layered and deeply embedded in social and cultural systems. By incorporating embodied approaches, the study further explores how women physically and emotionally experience space, offering a more holistic understanding of urban life.
One of the significant contributions of this work is its reframing of livability. It demonstrates that, for marginalized women, livability extends beyond material conditions to include social connections, community support, and a sense of belonging. Even in contexts of economic hardship, strong community networks can enhance perceived quality of life. At the same time, the study reveals how women develop spatial strategiesโadaptive behaviors and routinesโto navigate exclusionary environments, highlighting both resilience and systemic limitations.
This research centers on how marginalized women in Dhaka experience and define urban livability through their everyday, embodied interactions with the city. Rather than treating livability as a purely technical or infrastructure-driven concept, the study foregrounds lived experienceโhow safety, mobility, social norms, and access to public space are shaped by gendered power dynamics. It highlights that womenโs engagement with the city is often constrained by risks of violence, cultural expectations, and limited decision-making power, which collectively reduce their participation in urban life.
Overall, the research contributes to the field by bringing marginalized womenโs voices to the forefront of urban discourse. It challenges conventional, top-down planning approaches and calls for more inclusive, context-sensitive urban design and policy. By emphasizing lived experience and intersectionality, it provides valuable insights for architects, planners, and policymakers seeking to create more equitable and responsive cities.
Dr. Zareen Habiba Islam completed her B.Arch from the University of Asia Pacific and her M.Arch from BUET. Currently she is working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Architecture at the University of Asia Pacific.
The Department warmly congratulates ๐๐ซ. ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ on the successful attainment of her ๐๐จ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฉ๐ก๐ฒ (๐๐ก.๐.), marking a significant academic milestone.
We wish her every success in her future pursuits.
