Inequalities in accessing public transportation and social exclusion among older adults and people with disabilities in Bangladesh: A scoping review

In the rapidly evolving landscape of urbanisation and transportation infrastructure in Bangladesh, it is critical to address the disparities in public transportation access that disproportionately affect vulnerable people such as older adults and people with disabilities. This scoping review aims to synthesise the available evidence and highlight research gaps on unequal access to public transportation and how these inequalities lead to the social exclusion of older adults and people with disabilities in Bangladesh. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses, Scoping Review Extension (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines and employed thematic analysis to interpret the findings. Four databases Scopus, Embase, PubMed and Web of Science, and online sources such as Google Scholar and TRID were searched from January 2002 to July 2022. The findings show that the existing modes of transportation are inadequate and non-inclusive and pose both physical (including built environments such as roads, ramps, and footpaths) and social barriers (such as low income, low employment opportunities, and negative social attitude) which reduced the accessibility to workplaces, healthcare, and social networks for these two vulnerable groups. An inclusive and sustainable urban transport infrastructure, older adult-specific and disabled-friendly transportation policies, and behaviour changes are significant steps to improve safety and social inclusion. The transport authorities have ignored the transport necessities of these vulnerable groups and (in)advertently pushed them towards marginalised sections. This study theoretically contributes to the age-friendly city framework for older adults and people with disabilities by adopting an inclusive urban mobility approach for all.