Abstract
BackgroundRiverbank erosion has both direct and indirect effects on human life and socio-economy of Bangladesh. The present study investigated the riverbank erosion hazard in study area, its impacts on local people and livelihood vulnerability due to land loss.MethodsTo evaluate the riverbank erosion hazard in the study area, data have been collected from relevant scientific literatures, different government and non-government organizations, informal interview, questionnaire survey and Focused Group Discussion; and analyzed through different computer program and index.ResultsFrom the study, it was found that from 1973 to 2011, about 189.4 km2 lands was eroded from the left bank section and only 23.66 km2 was accreted with a net loss of 155 km2. Instead, right bank of the Padma River behaved in the opposite manner with 166.53 km2 erosion and 134.45 km2 accretions. Comparing to the right bank, left bank was more vulnerable to erosion which destroyed the permanent stable lands. However, the value of the newly accreted char land is very low compare to the main land. Thus this hazard creates a great loss in the local economy. Within the studied time range the monetary loss is about 1414.81 million BDT (17,422,937.16 $). Many wealthy farmers of the study area turn into marginal farmer and even landless due to the erosional hazard. Agricultural land becomes barren land by huge siltation and the cropping pattern has been changed significantly. In addition, the infrastructure and property losses are enormous. From the results of vulnerability index (IPCC-VI) it suggests that the most vulnerable areas are identified as Boyra (0.061), Kanchanpur (0.062), Lesragonj (0.064), Azimnagar (0.067), Sutalori (0.071) and Dhulsonra (0.076) because of more sensitivity and less adaptive capacity. On the other hand, Balara (− 0.017) and Balla (− 0.019) are comparatively least vulnerable comparing to the previous sites.ConclusionsAs, riverbank erosion is one of the most hazardous disasters in the study area; so treating independent separate policies and program for the vulnerable areas might helpful to support the affected community.
Highlights
Riverbank erosion has both direct and indirect effects on human life and socio-economy of Bangla‐ desh
Harirampur upazila consists of 13 union parishads, which is seriously affected by riverbank erosion (BBS 2011)
Secondary data has been collected from different journals, reports, research papers, websites, and different government and non-government organizations i.e., Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) office, Agriculture office, Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED), The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS, Census Wing) and local NGO’s
Summary
Riverbank erosion has both direct and indirect effects on human life and socio-economy of Bangla‐ desh. Riverbank erosion is an important geo-morphological phenomenon that is very common to fluvial and coastal environment in many countries in all parts of the world; Bhuiyan et al Environ Syst Res (2017) 6:25. It is a local and recurrent natural hazard that impacts severely on the life and property of the people living in the riverside areas (Ahmed 2016; Islam et al 2016; Alam et al 2017). Due to over siltation the river configuration is being adjusted frequently and the river channel is shifting repeatedly These phenomena are responsible for fluvial flood and riverbank erosion in the country (Elahi et al 1990). No other disasters are as disastrous as riverbank erosion in terms of long term effect on people and society (Elahi 1991)
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