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Livelihood Vulnerability of Char Land People in Brahmaputra-jamuna River System

Md. Rakibul Alam
Department of Geography and Environment, Jagannath University, Dhaka-1100, Bangladesh

Md. Abdul Malak*
Department of Geography and Environment, Jagannath University, Dhaka-1100, Bangladesh

Mohammad Abdul Quader
Department of Geography and Environment, Jagannath University, Dhaka-1100, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The Char lands are the home of some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in Bangladesh. About 6.5 million people (5% of total population of Bangladesh) live in the Chars. The present study was conducted into a Char land of the Brahmaputra-Jamuna River in the Bhuapur upazila of Tangail district, namely ‘Gabsara’. The data collection methods include direct observation, semistructured interview and focus group discussions. The study illustrated the livelihood options of the study area along with the vulnerability of the livelihood. It also explored the major pathways to overcome livelihood vulnerability. The result of the study showed that the Char dwellers are involved in more than one livelihood option. The off-farm livelihood opportunity is marginal here. The significant factors of the livelihood vulnerability are seasonal flood, riverbank erosion, drought and Char’s isolated position. Very poor communication system and undeveloped Char huts made their livelihood more vulnerable. Further, lack of institutional support and inadequate credit facility made their lives difficult to cope with the situation. Lastly, the study recommends some suggestion for the policy planners and implementers for the future development of the study area. Increase of institutional support, making better communication system can reduce their livelihood vulnerability. Besides, available credit facility and developed Char market can change their whole scenario of livelihood in this area.

Keywords: Char, Livelihood, Vulnerability, Stressors

Location: Char land of the Brahmaputra-Jamuna River in the Bhuapur upazila of Tangail district,

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Risk Management in Agriculture

Non-commodity: Livelihood

Objectives:

The livelihood patterns of Char dwellers are mostly influenced and changed by several climatic and anthropogenic stressors, which are also responsible for the livelihood vulnerability. The study aims to focus on the livelihood vulnerability of Char land people by exploring their major livelihood options and the stressors that make their livelihood vulnerable. Besides, it also explores major pathways to overcome the vulnerability of the livelihood.

Methodology:

The Char Gabsara of Tangail district is selected for this study. The Char Gabsara is an island located in Jamuna River. This Char connects Bhuapur on the Jamuna River’s east bank to Sirajganj on its west bank. The Char Gabsara is an unstable Char. Maximum parts of the Char are submerged by the water during rainy season. The area of the Char Gabsara is 76.73 km2 . Jamuna is a braided river, every year Char area is increasing through deposition and washed away other side by erosion. Char Gabsara also inherent this common characteristics with its surrounding large perennial lands. The households of this Char land are isolated from the mainland. Boat is the only communication mode to mainland.

Qualitative research design was used to identify the livelihood vulnerability of this research project. Qualitative research was chosen to explore the thought, knowledge and the reality of the participants. The in-depth information of Char land people was collected in the context of climatic and anthropogenic vulnerability of livelihood capitals. Semi-structured interview and Focus Group Discussion was conducted to gather demographic data, livelihood options, livelihood patterns and livelihood vulnerability. For the semi-structured interview, participants were selected from different livelihood groups such as agriculture, fishing, labouring and so on. A few of interview participants were selected from key stakeholders group such as school teacher, local elected representative, government officer (agriculture, fisheries, health, education and administration). Only marginal people from different livelihood groups were participated in focus group discussion. Total 15 interviews and 2 FGDs were conducted for this project. Each interview was lasted on average 30-40 minutes and each FGD lasted on 1 hour. The interview and discussion was conducted through local Bengali language. After the consent from participants, all the interviews and discussion were recorded with an audio voice recorder. After conducting the semi-structured interview and focus group discussion the conversation and discussion were transcribed at first and then translated from Bengali to English.

Source of Information: Jagannath University Journal of Life and Earth Sciences, 4(1): 54 – 64, 2018 ISSN 2414-1402

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The Char livelihood strategies are quite different from the main land. Life is more challenging here. Char’s isolated location and seasonal floods are main reasons of livelihood vulnerability. Besides, few climatic and anthropogenic stressors are also responsible to make their livelihood more vulnerable. Seasonal flood inundated most of the Char land because of its low elevation. With their land, their dreams are also inundated by the river water. Almost all the agricultural lands become submerged. Their sufferings exceed the limit when early flood washed away their crops. Beside this, drought is another factor which delayed the time of seeds cultivation and increase the irrigation cost. Char Gabsara is an island Char which is similar to the other Char land of Bangladesh. The dwellers are suffering for its isolated position, lack of institutional support and poor communication system. Inadequate market facility makes almost all livelihood strategies vulnerable here. This research addresses some immediate and long term mitigation strategies that include better communication system, institutional support and Char hut development which are essential for the development of the study area. Beside these, increasing credit facility will play a significant role to reduce their livelihood vulnerability.

Knowledge Management: Journal