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Socio-economic Impact and Copping with Riverbank Erosion: a Case Study of Kazipur Upazila, Bangladesh

Md. Abdul Latif
Rajshahi University

Md. Mizanoor Rahman*
Rajshahi University

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

This research is designed to explore the erosional pattern of the river Jamuna and its socio-economic impact on dweller’s livelihoods and their adaptation strategies of the two villages of Kazipur Upazila under Sirajgonj District. Riverbank erosion makes many unavoidable problems at different phases of displacements. It compelled the victims to rearrange all their activities related to livelihood pattern and adapt with a new socio-environmental situation. To adapt with a new settlement, they had limited choice of their own. Rather they were compelled to immediately search for their shelter, food and other essential needs. Most of displaces settled in nearby safer places firstly and then set up their final destination. In the process of displacement and re-settlement as a strategy of adaptation, the number of family members changes followed by changes in family structure, monthly income, expenditure capacity, savings, as well as their social status and security. With the prevailing policies and programs undertaken by governmental and non-governmental organizations a lot can be done to save and improve their lives, assets and livelihoods. From this point of view, river bank erosion has to be considered as a unique disaster, and utmost need to take comprehensive riverbank erosion management policy.

Keywords: Riverbank Erosion, Displacement, Indigenous coping, Jamuna River, Bangladesh

Location: Two villages of Kazipur Upazila under Sirajgonj District

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Commodity: Land erosion

Objectives:

To adopt with the situation taken steps are inadequate as compare to the needs of victims (Hossain and Greenberg, 1985). The study attempts to explore the trend of riverbank erosion and deposition of the study area and to assess the impact of riverbank erosion on socio-economic condition of the stakeholders and find out the strategy for mitigation and coping with it.

Methodology:

Kazipur Upazilla is in Sirajgonj District which is about 180 km away from the capital city Dhaka by land route. The unstable characteristics of the Jamuna river indicate that its right (west) bank is more susceptible to erosion. Sadar and Kazipur Upazilas are two of the worst erosion affected upazilasin the country (Currey 1979; Nazem and Elahi 1990). Kazipur Upazila is situated on the right bank of the Jamuna River. Bilchotol and Patagaon villages were selected purposively to identify the factors responsible for erosion, discuss the erosional pattern and find out adaptation strategy to the created adverse impact due to erosion. Both villages are situated on the bank of the Jamuna River.

For this research primary data were collected through interviews with key informants, household survey and unstructured interviews with household members coupled with focus group discussion (FGD) from both villages. To determine the sample size, Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) method has been used. As per the determining procedure of them, 172 households out of 1480 have been selected as sample size. Out of 172 sample size, 92 from Bilchotol and 80 from Patagaon have taken for collecting data. To analyse, tabulation and graphic representation SPSS software and mapping analysis ArcMap ArcInfo software have been used.

Source of Information: Rajshahi University Journal of Environmental Science, 6, 77-89, 2017

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Riverbank erosion is one of the unavoidable natural hazards in Bangladesh. Research results indicate that it has tremendous negative impact on people’s socio-economic life. For the study two villages have been considered. It is found that there is no vast difference in respect of socio-economic change and their mitigation strategies between the villages because the villages are situated in the same physiological zone and the victims of both villages face the same kinds of socio-economic problems. Erosion has disastrous social and economic impact on affected people’s life like homestead and cultivated land, occupation, earnings, crops, livestock, food, housing materials, population structure, health and sanitation as well as overall life style. The victims of study villages adopted multiple strategies to minimize loss of life and properties. It is found that some people pray to Allah for loss-acceptance, salvaging housing structure for loss-reduction. Sometimes they shifts to nearby or far away new destination with their tangible properties. The strategies of loss-acceptance, loss-reduction and shifting of lives and properties contribute crucially to the process of displacees’ environmental adaptation to their precarious habitat caused by erosion. However, the research findings set down some recommendations in order to overcome, better management and cope with the situation.

Knowledge Management: Journal