Measuring Transit-Oriented Development Readiness in a Declining Central Business District: A Methodological Framework for the Global South

Nawshin Ahmed (Department of Architecture, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh)
SHAHRIAR IQBAL Raj (Department of Architecture, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh)

Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs
Vol. 10 No. 2 (2026): Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs

Motijheel, Dhaka's oldest Central Business District (CBD), suffers from spatial deterioration and institutional inertia despite the opening of Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line 6. While Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) research has proliferated in developed contexts, systematic assessment of TOD readiness in declining Global South CBDs remains limited. Using a mixed-methods design, this study evaluates Motijheel via the "5D" framework and a weighted TOD Readiness Index, interpreted through an integrated framework linking adaptive TOD, 18-hour city theory, and inclusive urbanism. Findings reveal a pronounced "over-dense yet under-diverse" condition: density scored 5/5 (32,729 persons/km², unrestricted FAR), while Design scored only 2.6/5, driven by weak safety (1.47/5) and security (1.39/5). Land-use diversity was moderate (3.4/5; entropy = 0.68), and MRT coverage reached just 20% of destination-accessibility needs. Income disparity in ridership was stark, with only 10% of low-income commuters using MRT versus 30% of middle-income users. A five-part strategic framework is proposed, emphasising mixed-use diversification, pedestrian-first mobility, informal-economy integration, adaptive reuse, and coordinated governance. This study offers the first systematic TOD Readiness Index for Dhaka's inaugural MRT corridor, providing a replicable methodology for Global South urban renewal.