Issues of Bounded Geographies and Participatory Governance in Accessing Water in Informal Settlements: A Case of Khulna City, Bangladesh

ABSTRACT This paper explores the unequal water supply infrastructure in Khulna city's informal settlements, focusing on the largest slum, Rupsha. It investigates both formal and informal water governance, examining the roles of various actors, their decision‐making processes, and the challenges these settlements face in accessing water. Using a mixed‐method approach, the study reveals a clear geographical divide in water distribution: Planned and affluent areas receive most of the network coverage, whereas informal settlements are underserved. Informal settlement in Rupsha has 72 hand pumps, one for every 27 households, yet none provide safe drinking water. As a result, residents must travel long distances and spend considerable time collecting potable water. The study highlights two main issues in geographical inequality: limited community engagement and the treatment of informal settlements as separate, isolated areas with their own governance structures. It argues that limiting the focus to specific areas can lead to fragmented resource allocation across the city. Although participatory governance efforts have targeted informal settlements, these initiatives mostly emphasize institutional arrangements, leaving community‐based organizations with limited influence on citywide policies.