Abstract
Bangladesh is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. In particular, its riverine-island (char) dwellers face continuous riverbank erosion, frequent flooding, and other adverse effects of climate change that increase their vulnerability. This paper aims to assess the livelihood vulnerability of riverine communities by applying the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) vulnerability framework and the livelihood vulnerability index (LVI). Results indicate substantial variation in the vulnerability of char dwellers based on mainland proximity. The main drivers of livelihood vulnerability are char-dweller adaptation strategies and access to food and health services. The study further reveals that riverbank erosion, frequent flood inundation, and lack of employment and access to basic public services are the major social and natural drivers of livelihood vulnerability. Char-based policy focusing on short- and long-term strategy is required to reduce livelihood vulnerability and enhance char-dweller resilience.
Highlights
Natural disasters are regular phenomena in Bangladesh due to the country’s topography, geographical position, and changes in climate over time [1,2]
The greatest devastation often hits communities living in riverine-island regions, in the form of dynamic riverbank erosion and accretion [1,3]
Due to its geographical position, Bangladesh is susceptible to natural disasters
Summary
Natural disasters are regular phenomena in Bangladesh due to the country’s topography, geographical position, and changes in climate over time [1,2]. The greatest devastation often hits communities living in riverine-island regions (large sandbars that emerge from riverbeds due to silt and alluvium deposition), in the form of dynamic riverbank erosion and accretion [1,3]. These regions, called chars, are known for their multiple natural hazards and social vulnerabilities. In addition to natural hazards, char life is hampered by poor communication structures that limit char dwellers’ equal access to the social and economic benefits enjoyed by mainland dwellers [4] Such challenging conditions are common throughout the many char regions of Bangladesh, which constitute about 5% of both the nation’s total area Challenging is the fact that people living in these regions are often unable to migrate and find employment on the mainland
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