Riverbank Erosion, Population Migration and Rural Vulnerability in Bangladesh (A Case Study on Kazipur Upazila at Sirajgonj District)

Tanjinul Hoque Mollah,Jannatul Ferdaush

doi:10.13189/eer.2015.030502

Abstract

This paper aims at identify the number of climate induced migrants in kazipur upazila with specific reference to riverbank erosion. The study has used Kazipur upazila of Sirajganj for riverbank erosion, which is already identified as the most erosion prone area in Bangladesh. People affected by river bank erosion and immediately migrate for safe shelter and later permanently for survival, are examples of practical risk. While people migrate based on the perception that in future there would be worse condition that could hamper lives and livelihood; the adverse effect of rise of riverbank erosion compels the population to migrate from one place to another. In the Kazipur upazila of Sirajganj district, 21,961 people were migrated which is 9.35 percent of the total population in recent years [1]. The precise cause of riverbank erosion in Bangladesh there are 1,29,853 people are displaced yearly [2]. Permanent migration occurred within the neighbors and mainly it happened in a tiny distance because of the need of earning source and social bonding. In this paper we have considered observed risk such as river bank erosion as causal factors of migration and rural vulnerability, which has important socio-economic impact on rural development.

Highlights

Riverbank erosion is a destructive hazard in Bangladesh that permanently displaces and impoverishes people
Displacement due to river bank erosion in Kazipur Upazila of Sirajganj district is at increasing trend over the years that cause both in-situ and ex-situ migration
In case of in-situ migration, a significant amount of displaced people are forced to live in embankments

Summary

Introduction

Riverbank erosion is a destructive hazard in Bangladesh that permanently displaces and impoverishes people. The Jamuna River floodplain covers most of the northern portion of Bangladesh. Forceful Jamuna River’s local channels have intermittently and impulsively wandered across the land, erode banks, destroyed everything in their paths and accreting land elsewhere. River Bank erosion is common place both there and on other floodplain of the country. Irregular flooding and fast riverbank shifts seriously disrupt human settlement and activities. This study demonstrates the extent of the riverbank erosion by examining its occurrences in an area of the Jamuna river floodplain and determining number of population displaced

Objectives

Results

Conclusion