Vol.:(0123456789) SN Soc Sci (2021) 1:205 https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-021-00219-1 ORIGINAL PAPER Spatial distribution of strategic service infrastructures that favour quality of life (QOL) in the Greater Dhaka Region (GDR), Bangladesh Md. Anwar Hossain 1,2  · Shahana Sultana 3  · Nurul Islam Nazem 1 Received: 3 March 2021 / Accepted: 21 July 2021 / Published online: 20 August 2021 © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021 Abstract This paper illustrates the spatial distribution pattern of the basic services infrastruc- tures in the Greater Dhaka Region (GDR), Bangladesh that favour a quality life to live. The study employed the modifed Human Development Index (here we termed as Service Infrastructure Index) to assess the spatial inequalities of service infra- structures at the sub-district level. Total 13 indicators from three major dimensions, such as housing and related services, education and health were used to estimate the service infrastructure index. Spatial autocorrelation based on the Global Moran’s I was used to assess the statistical signifcance of the observed distribution pattern and Local Moran’s I (cluster and outlier analysis) was employed to map the loca- tions of infrastructure concentrations. The study found that the basic service infra- structures are unevenly distributed across the sub-districts. The index score ranges from 0.12 in Daulatpur of Manikganj district to 0.80 in Dhaka Metropolitan Area (DMA) while the regional mean is 0.29. The core city (DMA) and the areas near the core city (especially the Gazipur district) with a higher level of urbanisation and inter-regional connectivity enjoy better services. This study identifed where the infrastructures are clustered and which type of infrastructure lack in diferent areas. Thus, it is expected that demand-based infrastructure development should get prior- ity in the development agenda of the region. Keywords Spatial distribution · Service infrastructure · Quality of life · Inequality · Dhaka * Shahana Sultana sspapri52@gmail.com Extended author information available on the last page of the article