Thesis Title: Exploring Nature-resident Connectedness and Resident Attitudes Towards Tourism: Evidence from a Coastal Destination of Bangladesh

See publication: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2025.100885

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Md. Abdul Wakil (Contact)

Course: URP 4000 - Project/Thesis

Description: This study investigated the relationship between residents' connection to nature and their attitudes towards tourism in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. By combining the Nature's Contributions to People (NCP) framework and Weber's Theory of Formal and Substantive Rationality (WFSR), the research explored how nature-connectedness can empower residents through tourism and influence their support for tourism initiatives.

Objectives:

• To assess the level of nature connectedness among residents

• To analyze the impact of residents' connectedness to nature on their perceptions of empowerment from tourism

Findings: The study found that residents of Cox's Bazar have a strong connection to nature, which positively influences their support for tourism. However, concerns about over-tourism were prevalent, highlighting the need for sustainable and nature-aligned tourism strategies. Significant variations in resident empowerment were observed, with some areas exhibiting alarming levels that require immediate attention from authorities.

Implications: These findings emphasize the importance of developing tourism strategies in Cox's Bazar that are aligned with residents' deep connections to nature. Tourism planners should prioritize nature-based tourism models that resonate with the community's environmental values.

Project Title: Analyzing School-Based Trip Patterns in Rajshahi City: A Comprehensive Transportation Study

Course: URP 4128 - Transportation Planning Studio

Lab Instructors: Assistant Professor Muhammad Waresul Hasan Nipun, Assistant Professor Md. Shakil Ar Salan

Objectives:

• To assess the school-based trip pattern characteristics in Rajshahi City.

• To assess the adequacy and efficiency of transportation infrastructure with a focus on areas surrounding schools in Rajshahi City.

Project Title: Understanding the Economic Dynamics of The North-Eastern Tea-Producing Region of Bangladesh: An Amalgam of Short-Run and Long-Run Approaches 

Course: URP 4114 - Regional Planning Studio

Lab Instructors: Assistant Professor Anutosh Das, Assistant Professor Sumita Roy

Objective: 

• To study the economic dynamics of the North-Eastern tea-producing region of Bangladesh through an amalgam of short-run and long-run approach

Project Title: Center for Development of the Physically Challenged

Course: URP 3216 - Landscape Planning Studio

Lab Instructors: Assistant Professor Muhammad Waresul Hasan Nipun, Assistant Professor Sumita Roy

Project Overview: This project, undertaken as part of URP 3216 at RUET, envisions a comprehensive rehabilitation center for people with disabilities in Rajshahi. The 7-acre site near Nader Hajir Mor will house educational, sports, residential, recreational, medical, and administrative zones.

Objectives:

• Create an accessible, user-friendly complex.

• Foster a self-healing environment for living, learning, working, and playing.

Vision: Transform the lives of people with disabilities and contribute to Rajshahi's overall development.

Team:

Students: Md. Arshadul Islam, Khayrul Alom Tuhin, Fowzia Anwar, Huzaifa Ibne Shakir

Tools: AutoCAD, SketchUp, Enscape

Special Thanks to: Associate Professor Dr. Md Abdul Wakil, Assistant Professor Anutosh Das

Presentation 1: 

Title: Identifying principles & elements of a landscape

Objective:

• To identify the elements and principles of landscaping from a selected area

Course: URP 3216 - Landscape Planning Studio

Presentation 2: 

Title: Shrubs as a landscaping element

Objective:

• To identify the shrubs and their characteristics from a selected site

Course: URP 3216 - Landscape Planning Studio

Project Title: Factors Affecting Extent of Rural Livelihood Diversification: A Case Study of Noahata Union, Rajshahi

Course: URP 3112 - Rural Planning Studio

Lab Instructors: Associate Professor Dr. Md. Abdul Wakil, Assistant Professor Dulal Sarker

Objectives:

• To identify the extent of livelihood diversification (LD) and its determinant factors (OLS Regression approach)

• Identification and suggestion of diversification to zero diversified households

Project Title: Bas-Relief and Serial Plane

[Delighted to share that my serial plane project was selected for inclusion in the Departmental Basic Design Magazine. Through this magazine freshmen's will be able to gain inspirations for their own projects]

Course: URP 1116: Basic Design

Lab Instructors: Assistant Professor Ferdous Farhana Huq (Retired), Assistant Professor Anutosh Das

Objectives:

Bas-relief: 

• Spatial Awareness: Understand how forms and objects relate to each other in a three-dimensional space

• Composition and Design: Learning to arrange elements effectively within a defined area

• Perspective: How to create depth and illusion on a flat surface

Serial Plane: 

• Color Theory: Understanding Color Theory and its practical application

• Form and Function: Exploring the relationship between the form of an object and its function

• Abstraction and Representation: Understanding how art can represent or abstract ideas and concepts

• Sustainability and Material Choice: Considering the environmental impact of materials and production methods