Gazipur, Bangladesh

Capital City

Living in Gazipur is a gritty industrial reality, with a population of 2,677,715 crammed into an area of 329.53 square kilometers. The city is a major textile hub, hosting 75% of Bangladesh's garment factories. However, it comes at a price - the air quality is downright hazardous, with pollution levels 18.9 times the WHO guidelines, estimated to reduce a resident's lifespan by nearly 9 years. Bureaucracy is also a persistent headache, as Gazipur is one of only 11 cities in Bangladesh administered by a city corporation. This hardscrabble, polluted industrial center is best suited for those who can stomach the trade-offs of working in Bangladesh's manufacturing heartland.