Socio-environmental Rearrangement of the Riverbank Erosion Displacees in Bangladesh: A Study on Rajshahi and Chapai Nawabganj Districts

Abstract

There are more than 700 rivers with their tributaries and distributaries that are crisscrossed in the predominantly riverine country, Bangladesh, forming a river system. As such 283 locations, 85 towns and growth centers along with 2400 kilometers of riverbank line in Bangladesh are vulnerable to erosion. The major rivers e.g., the Padma, the Jamuna and the Meghna erode several thousand hectares of floodplain, making thousands of people landless and homeless every year. Along with the floodplain, Bangladesh loses several kilometers of roads and railways, and flood-control embankments annually. It is known that during the last three decades the Padma and the Jamuna have consumed 180,000 hectares of land. Riverbank erosion is a major environmental problem all over the world especially in the underdeveloped countries like Bangladesh, where population density is high, 43 percent of population still live under the poverty line and economy is not strong enough to take necessary measures for prevention of riverbank erosion. Estimation shows that, 50 percent of the total homeless people are victims of riverbank erosion and they cannot rebuild their homes due to poverty and scarcity of resources. Forty million of such homeless people in Bangladesh are compelled to lead a floating life. Riverbank erosion plays a major role in socio-environmental changes. It is a challenge for the riparian people to adjust to the new environment, rearranging their livelihood pattern, where they are forced to resettle. The displacees of riverbank erosion experience substantial socio-economic impoverishment and marginalization as a consequence of involuntary displacement from their original residence. Riverbank erosion makes people not only landless and homeless but also brings about a massive change to demographic features, source of income, social status, unity and characteristics of family, social heritage etc. The objectives of this study were to know the problems regarding displacement, socio-environmental rearrangement, relationship with non-displacees and the GO/NGO policies and programs for the riverbank erosion displacees. The research was based on both primary and secondary data collected through sample survey using scheduled questionnaire, case study, focus group discussion and by observation methods. The respondents of this study were both the displacees and non-displacees from two study areas. The displacees, who had lost their land and homestead due to riverbank erosion and settled in the study area, were selected as respondents. On the other hand, the non-displacees were the local people, who had lived in the study area for more than two generations. Along with them, different governmental and non-governmental officials were included as respondents in this study. Collected data was both qualitative and quantitative. The study was both analytical as well as explorative in nature. Faradpur (Faradpur, Saddampara) village of Gogram union under Godagari Upazila of Rajshahi district and Ranihati (Krishnagovinda Debottar and Uttar Krishnagovindapur) village of Ranihati union under Chapai Nawabganj sadar Upazila were selected as the study areas as a sizable number of riverbank erosion induced displacees had settled in these villages forming a coherent neighborhood with the non-displacees which was necessary to fulfill the objectives of this study. The respondents of this research work were selected randomly and purposively. A total of forty-seven displacee households were living in Faradpur during the data collection period. To find out their relationship with the local people, an equal number of neighboring local households was also taken as study respondents. The total study respondents at Faradpur were ninety four households. On the other hand, at Ranihati, the survey team counted one hundred sixty seven displacee households. Out of one hundred sixty seven households, one hundred and ten displacee households were selected as respondents of this research. An equal number of local respondents were selected and interviewed on the above mentioned ground. So, in Ranihati, there were a total of two hundred and twenty respondents. So, the total respondent households of this study were three hundred and fourteen. Riverbank erosion displacees faced many unavoidable problems at different phases of displacement. Displacement due to riverbank erosion marginalized them in respect of livelihood patterns and psycho-physical troubles. Though their sufferings were caused by bank erosion induced displacement, it was interesting to know that their perceptions of natural disaster and riverbank erosion were not the same. The floodplain of Bangladesh is highly vulnerable to natural hazards like riverbank erosion, which causes a major dislocation of the riparian inhabitants as well as geographical changes to the erosion prone area. No other natural disaster is as disastrous as riverbank erosion, making thousands of people landless and leaving for them no option but to resettle in a comparatively safer place. Riverbank erosion compelled them to rearrange all their activities related to livelihood pattern and adapt with a newer socio-environmental situation. For settling in a new area, they had limited choice of their own. Rather they were compelled to immediately search for their shelter, food and other essential needs. Most of the displacees settled in nearby safer places firstly and then made their final settlement. In the process of settlement and adaptation, the number of family members changed followed by changes in family structure that affected total monthly income as well as their social status and security. Their relationship with non-displacees was also very important to know about the process of rearrangement. All of them were not well accepted by their local neighbors and faced some difficulties to enroll in the prevailing samaj. It was observed that the displacees struggled to survive with their minimum assets and maximum courage almost without any institutional support. With the prevailing policies and programs undertaken by government and non-government organizations a lot can be done to save and improve their lives, assets and livelihoods. It was also found that some changes in the existing policies and introduction of new policies were necessary for the same. The research findings have been divided into two broad categories, institutional setup and displacement overview, each presented in fewer than four sub-categories according to displacement phases in terms of their socio-environmental adaptation or adjustment. Riverbank erosion is a continuous threat to the riparian inhabitants in Bangladesh. Every year, a large number of its population become displaced due to bank erosion. From this point of view, there is need to consider riverbank erosion as a unique disaster and a comprehensive riverbank erosion management policy is necessary.