Dhaka’s Green Cover Shrinks as Urbanisation Puts Trees Under Pressure

Dhaka’s urban greenery has declined significantly over the past three decades, with research showing a sharp reduction in green space in the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) area as the capital continues to expand.

A 2024 study published in the journal Land found that green space in DSCC declined from 46% of the area in 1991 to 9.5% in 2021, representing a 36.5% reduction in vegetation cover over the study period. The research used satellite imagery, supervised classification and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) analysis to assess changes in vegetation.

The decline has become a growing concern as roads, buildings and other urban infrastructure increasingly occupy land that once supported vegetation.

Dhaka has about 1.3 million trees

A separate study published in Scientific Reports in April 2026 provides the first comprehensive urban tree inventory for Dhaka.

The study estimated that Dhaka has around 1.3 million trees, with tree cover below 11%. Researchers identified 110 tree species belonging to 33 families across the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and DSCC areas.

The researchers estimated tree cover at 10.5% in DNCC and 10.8% in DSCC.

Despite the relatively limited tree cover, the city's urban trees provide measurable environmental benefits. The study estimated their annual ecosystem benefits at approximately US$6.74 million, while the trees store carbon valued at about US$3.19 million.

The benefits include removing air pollutants, reducing surface runoff, storing carbon and providing shade.

Green space in South Dhaka fell sharply

The 2024 Land study shows the scale of the change in DSCC.

Green space accounted for 46% of the area in 1991. That figure dropped to 21.3% in 2001 and 19.7% in 2011 before reaching 9.5% in 2021.

The researchers used Landsat satellite images from 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2021, along with NDVI analysis, to track changes in vegetation.

The study also classified vegetation according to density. Dense vegetation—associated with urban forests and other areas with relatively high vegetation density—occupied a much smaller share of the DSCC area by 2021 than in earlier years.

Urban expansion and rising heat

The loss of vegetation has implications beyond the appearance of the city.

The 2026 Scientific Reports study notes that urban trees provide services related to air quality, surface-water management, carbon storage and urban resilience. Researchers estimated that trees and shrubs in DNCC remove about 319.3 tonnes of pollutants annually, while those in DSCC remove about 219.2 tonnes.

The trees also help reduce surface runoff. According to the study, vegetation in DNCC reduces runoff by an estimated 604,000 cubic metres per year, while trees and shrubs in DSCC reduce it by about 378,000 cubic metres annually.

These functions are particularly relevant for a densely built city where paved surfaces can increase runoff during heavy rainfall.

Tree cutting raises questions about replacement

The decline in overall green cover also raises questions about whether tree removal is being adequately compensated through new planting.

A media-monitoring figure cited in the original report puts the number of trees cut in Dhaka at 4,296 between April 2024 and April 2025. However, this figure is based on reported tree-felling incidents rather than a comprehensive field census of every tree removed. Therefore, it should not be presented as the definitive number of trees cut across the entire capital.

Likewise, the 2026 urban tree inventory provides a baseline estimate of Dhaka's tree population but does not establish a continuous annual record of tree removals and replacement-tree survival.

This makes it difficult to determine from the available studies how much of the loss from tree removal is being offset by successful replacement planting.

Mature trees provide benefits that take time to replace

Replacing a mature tree with a newly planted sapling does not immediately restore the same level of environmental services.

Larger and older trees generally have greater capacity to provide shade, store carbon and intercept rainfall than newly planted trees. Protecting existing mature trees, therefore, remains an important part of maintaining Dhaka's urban greenery alongside new tree planting.

The recent research provides a clearer baseline for policymakers to monitor Dhaka's urban forest and develop targets for increasing tree cover. The Scientific Reports researchers said the inventory can help guide urban greening strategies and identify areas with greater potential for improvement.

For a city experiencing rapid development, the challenge is therefore not simply planting more trees but protecting existing urban forests while ensuring new green spaces can survive and contribute to long-term urban resilience.