Hill Tracts Research Articles

Contextual Estimation of Marketable and Marketed Surplus of Selected Seasonal Fruits: A Study Based on Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh

Contextual Estimation of Marketable and Marketed Surplus of Selected Seasonal Fruits: A Study Based on Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh

Socioeconomic Impact of Bagging Technology for Value Addition in Mango in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh

The study was conducted in eight selected villages in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh aiming to perceive the socio-economic impact of bagging technology on farmer’s income and livelihood and to know the factors affecting adaption of pre-harvest mango bagging technology. Findings of the study revealed that a few varieties in particular BARI Mango 4, BARI Mango 8, BARI Mango 3, Mallika and Arshina were reported to be the most preferred varieties for bagging because of less pest attacks, attractive color and higher market prices. The average market price received from bagged mango was 74% higher than non-bagged mango. The difference of average gross margin of bagged and non-bagged mango was recorded Tk.22790 per ton which implies that bagged mango was more profitable than non-bagged mango. According to the survey report on an average 15.7% of the annual gross income was increased due to adoption of bagging technology whereas this technology contributed 25.13% increment in income from mango selling. About 96% of the respondents admitted that they were able to control fruit flies and 92% of them confirmed that they were able to produce safe and toxicity free fruits utilizing pre-harvest bagging technology. The price of bagged mangos, training, research contacts, extension contacts, risk taking behavior and willingness of farmers influenced the adoption process significantly. This technology should be disseminated for the welfare of the hilly areas with maintaining proper time and methods.

Improving Maternal Health Care in a Post Conflict Setting: Evidence from Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh

We evaluate a development programme with an important maternal health care component in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. The region and its mostly indigenous people experienced violent conflict in the past and face a constant risk of recurring conflict. Given this fragile setting, our work differs from conventional impact evaluations by incorporating two conflict indicators: the household’s actual experience of violence and fears of future violence. We find that the intervention undertaken by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) succeeded in boosting maternal health care utilisation: antenatal care (ANC) check-ups rose by 18 percentage points, while deliveries at health facilities increased by 23 percentage points. However, household experiences of violent conflict and perceptions of insecurity dampen maternal health care utilisation. Impacts on ANC check-ups are concentrated among households without experience of conflict (19 percentage points compared to 4 percentage points among households with such experience). And households without fears of violence see relatively larger impacts on deliveries at a health facility (37 percentage points compared to 11 percentage points). The programme is successful in raising maternal health care utilisation but its effectiveness has been constrained by the violence experienced and perceived by households.

Stakeholders' perception on indigenous community-based management of village common forests in Chittagong hill tracts, Bangladesh

Village Common Forests (VCFs) are patches of tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen hill forests in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs), Bangladesh that are conserved through voluntary community participation for community perceived sustenance of ecosystem services. VCFs are currently under informal management without any optimal model of Community-Based Management (CBM). By using strength, weakness, opportunity, threat (SWOT) technique combined with the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), this paper assessed the perceptions of four major stakeholder groups. Their perceptions were analyzed to ascertain the priority factors related to CBM adoption in VCFs of CHT. The four stakeholder groups were – researchers from academia, government officials, NGO staffers and local indigenous community leaders. Results indicated an overall negative perception among all the stakeholders regarding the adoption of CBM in VCFs. “No land tenure security” was the most serious weakness factor for the implementation of CBM in VCFs among all stakeholder groups except government officials. “Unity and easy decision process”, “Positive community attitude” and “Low management cost” were the most important strength factors respectively from academia, government, NGOs and community leaders. All the stakeholder groups identified “Relationship development between government and community” as the most important opportunity factor for CBM of VCFs. “Uncertainty of peace accord 1997 and 1900 CHT regulation implementation” was treated as the most damaging threat factor against the adoption of CBM in VCFs. Therefore, rebuilding indigenous peoples' confidence in government initiatives by counting them in the high-level decision-making process, ensuring land tenure security have been identified as the key initial interventions.

New records of rodent species in Bangladesh: taxonomic studies from rodent outbreak areas in the Chittagong hill tracts

Rodents are regarded as crop pests, significant reservoirs and vectors for many zoonotic diseases around the world. Basic taxonomic information of rodents present in a locality can help understand which species are responsible as crop pest in that habitat. The phenomenon of the 50-year cycle of gregarious bamboo flowering and rodent outbreaks in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh, rodents trapping were carried out in four habitats from March, 2009 to December, 2011 in Ruma upazila of Bandarban hill district. Variety of traps were used to capture small mammals. The captured species were measured and identified using taxonomical dichotomous keys and DNA bar-coding performed in Australia. A total of 14 different small mammalian species were captured of which nine belonging to the Muridae family, and one species each of Spalacidae, Sciuridae, Tupaiidae and Soricidae families. The dominant small mammal species captured were Rattus rattus (54.06%) followed by Mus musculus (26.39%), Rattus nitidus (10.98%), Suncus murinus (5.45%), Mus terricolor (1.09%), Mus cookii nagarum (0.97%), Cannomys badius (0.16%), Leopoldamys edwardsi (0.12%), Berylmys bowersi (0.12%), Vernaya fulva (0.08%), Rattus andamanensis (0.08%), Tupaia glis (0.04%) and Callosciurus pygerythrus (0.04%). Rattus nitidus, Leopoldamys edwardsi, Vernaya fulva, Rattus andamanensis, Berylmys bowersi and Mus cookii nagarum are new records of rodent species in Bangladesh. Ten individuals of Mus spp. (0.40%) were not identified to species level, requiring further genetic analysis to determine their species. The implications of these discoveries are discussed in terms of agricultural pests.
 Bangladesh J. Zool. 46(2): 217-230, 2018

Use and perceived importance of forest ecosystem services in rural livelihoods of Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh

This study examines the relative benefits (provisioning) and importance (regulating and cultural) of forest ecosystem services to households in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region of Bangladesh. Our results from 300 household interviews in three rural locations stratified by wealth shows that wealth levels of the respondents play a key role in explaining variations in the perceptions and use of forest ecosystem services. Considering the direct benefits, the importance of provisioning ecosystem services (i.e. fuel wood, food, timber, bamboo, thatch grass and fodder) varies according to their relative use (i.e. subsistence and cash income) among households of different wealth groups. No significant difference was found in perceptions of indirect benefits of forest ecosystem services of water purification, regulating air quality, crop pollination, soil fertility, aesthetic and spiritual services. But the higher wealth groups perceived soil protection, soil fertility, pest and disease control as important for crop production as they have large landholdings for agricultural uses and tree cover. This study suggests local wealth conditions of the rural households characterise the demand of the use and perceived importance of forest ecosystem services. Differences in levels of wealth and ecosystem service provision imply careful consideration of social and economic factors in decision-making and making appropriate interventions for forest and tree management. The ecosystem services approach appears to be useful in capturing the broader diversity of benefits of forests and trees (i.e. material and non-material) as well as in supporting their integrated management at the landscape scale.

The Behavior of Jhum Cultivators Living in Chittagong Hill Tracts and Its Relation to Malaria in Bangladesh

The Behavior of Jhum Cultivators Living in Chittagong Hill Tracts and Its Relation to Malaria in Bangladesh

Crops and Cropping Sequences in Chittagong Hill Tracts

This study was conducted in all 25 upazilas of Chittagong Hill Tracts during 2016 using a pre-designed and pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire for documenting the existing cropping pattern, crop diversity and cropping intensity. Boro-Fallow-T. Aman was the most dominant cropping pattern in Chittagong Hill Tracts (15.06%) existed in all upazilas except Ruma of Bandarban. Single T. Aman cropping pattern ranked the second position (13.67%) distributed in 21 upazilas. Shifting or zhum cultivation was the third cropping pattern in the region (9.24%) distributed to 20 upazilas. Only Rabi vegetables was recorded as the fourth cropping pattern (4.90%) covered 17 upazilas. Vegetables- Fallow-T. Aman cropping pattern ranked fifth (4.23%) in the region and was reported in 22 upazilas. About 30% area was covered by the annual crops mainly with fruits like banana, pineapple and papaya and, spices like ginger and turmeric. The highest number of cropping patterns was recorded in Lama (30) of Bandarban followed by Dighinala (28) of Khagrachhari. The lowest was reported in Ruma (8) of Bandarban. The overall crop diversity index (CDI) for the region was 0.96. The highest CDI was in Rowangchhari (0.99) of Bandarban followed by Lama (0.96) of Bandarban and the lowest in Belaichhari (0.82) of Rangamati. The single, double and triple cropped area in the region was 33.3%, 32.1% and 3.1% of the net cropped area. The average cropping intensity (CI) of the Chittagong Hill Tracts was 139%, the lowest in Ruma (100%) of Bandarban and the highest in Manikchhari and Panchhari (164%) of Khagrachhari.Bangladesh Rice j. 2017, 21(2): 173-184

Possibility of staggered fruit production of rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) in Kerala, India

The study was conducted at Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala, India with the main aim of categorizing cultivars with respect to their flowering and fruiting period. The study was conducted from January to October, 2015 in the entire rambutan growing tracts of Kerala state including Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Trichur districts besides a minor area in the hilly Wayanad district. Flowering and fruiting were greatly influenced by the prevailing climatic conditions of the particular location. Flowering was earliest in Trichur (end of January to mid of March) followed by Kottayam (end of February to end of March), Pathanamthitta (mid of March to end of April) and Wayanad (June to July). Within Pathanamthitta, two distinct flowering periods were observed, one typical of the plain (end of March to end of April) and the other on the hilly region (May). Fruiting and harvesting were a reflection of the flowering period. Plants came to harvest in May in Trichur, in June in Kottayam, in June-July in plain of Pathanamthitta; however, under the hilly conditions of Pathanamthitta and Wayanad district, it came to harvesting stage in August-September and in October, respectively. The study opens out a new area on the availability of fresh fruits from May (if cultivated in humid tropical plains as in Trichur, Kottayam and Pathanamtitta), to August-September (if cultivated in hill tracts of Pathanamthitta) to October (if cultivated in humid sub-tropical belts as in the high ranges of Wayanad). Therefore, in the near future, the fresh rambutan fruit will be made available for a half-span period of a calendar year.

Diversity of trees in a community managed forest: the case of Komolchori VCF, Khagrachari, Bangladesh

ABSTRACTNatural forest in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) of Bangladesh is degrading due to various reasons. Village common forest (VCF) in CHTs is one of the successful forest management schemes without government intervention. This research was conducted in the Komolchori VCF, Khagrachari, Bangladesh to delineate its tree diversity status . A total of 921 individuals belonging to 55 species were found from 25 randomly studied plots. The highest basal area and relative dominance were recorded for Terminalia bellirica which were 1.23 m2/ha and 6.07%, respectively, whereas the lowest basal area and relative dominance were 0.47 m2/ha and 2.30%, respectively, for Protium serratum. In addition, the highest relative density, relative frequency, and importance value index was occupied by Aglaia cucullata which were 20.41%, 7.54%, and 29.65%, respectively. Aglaia cucullata and Schima wallichii were found as the most dominant species based on hierarchical cluster membership. The Shannon’s index, Simpson’s index, species diversity index, Margalef’s (richness) index, species evenness index and dominance of Simpson index for the Komolchori VCF were found as 3.22, 0.07, 66.03, 7.91, 0.47, and 0.93, respectively. This study will progress the further study to ensure proper action on biodiversity conservation in the CHTs of Bangladesh.

Antenatal Care Practices with Associated Factors among Tribal Women of Bangladesh

Objectives: Since the maternal health of the tribal women is a world concern, it involves our attention more to them as they are underprivileged people all over the globe. This issue sounds true in the Bangladesh perspective as well. Antenatal care (ANC) is the first flight of stairs to reach the peak of success for safe-motherhood. It represents a series of evaluations over time, which is not implemented appropriately due to different types of limitation and problems. The study aimed to delve into ANC practices and the factors associated with this practices among tribal women dwelling in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: The descriptive statistic was used to analyze frequency, percentage. Associations were evaluated through Chi-square tests, and a binary logistic regression model was used to explore factors related to the use of ANC services. This paper is based on a quantitative study. Result: The study exposes that one-third (29.9%) of the pregnant women wanted ANC from a trained doctor of which 13.5% of women met adequate antenatal care attendance and 16.4% initiated attendance within three months of the pregnancy. Multivariable logistic regression analyses indicate that socio-economic status, place of residence, women's education, distance to health facilities, family planning were considered as the main determinant to seek ANC. The level of significance was set at 10% level of significance. Conclusion: The findings of the study suggest that specific efforts are needed to advance socio-economic status of tribal people, increasing the educational level of women and their husbands, reducing the distance from a health center, and strengthening family planning program are needed.

Recent trends of forest cover change and ecosystem services in eastern upland region of Bangladesh

Forest cover changes have diverse outcomes for the livelihoods of rural people across the developing world. However, these outcomes are poorly characterized across varying landscapes. This study examined forest cover changes, associated drivers, and impacts on ecosystem services supporting livelihoods in three distinct areas (i.e. remote, intermediate and on-road) in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region of Bangladesh. The three zones had features of decreasing distance to major roads, decreasing levels of forest cover, and increasing levels of agricultural change. Data was collected from satellite images for 1989–2014, structured household interviews, and group discussions using Participatory Rural Appraisal approaches with local communities to integrate and contrast local people's perceptions of forest cover and ecosystem service change with commonly used methods for mapping forest dynamics. Satellite image analysis showed a net gain of forest areas from 1989 to 2003 followed by a net loss from 2003 to 2014. The gain was slightly higher in intermediate (1.68%) and on-road (1.33%) zones than in the remote (0.5%) zone. By contrast, almost 90% of households perceived severe forest loss and 75% of respondents observed concomitant declines in the availability of fuel wood, construction materials, wild foods, and fresh water. People also reported traveling further from the household to harvest forest products. The main drivers of forest loss identified included increased harvesting of timber and fuel wood over time in the intermediate and on-road zones, whereas swidden farming persisted as the major driver of change over time in the remote zone. The contrast between remotely-sensed forest gains and household-perceived forest loss shows community experiences may be a critical addition to satellite imagery analysis by revealing the livelihood outcomes linked to patterns of forest loss and gain. Community experiences may also evoke solutions by characterizing local drivers of forest change. Failing to disaggregate the impacts of forest loss and gains on ecosystems services over time may lead to uninformed management and further negative consequences for human well-being.

Andersen’s leaf-nosed bat (Hipposideros pomona) is still living in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh

Abstract We report the recent record of Andersen’s leaf-nosed bat, Hipposideros pomona (Andersen 1918) from a narrow cave in the south-east corner of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Bangladesh. The identification was based on morphometric analysis along with dentition structure. This recent finding speaks to the existence of H. pomona in Bangladesh and extends the range of this species over South Asia.

Assessing topographic controls on vegetation characteristics in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) from remotely sensed data

The study aimed at assessing multi-scale correlation between vegetation characteristics and topographic parameters in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Bangladesh. Traditional shifting cultivation and its associated activities are considered unsuitable practices in CHT, therefore, the alternative land use systems e.g. agroforestry, tree farming, and afforestation are more suitable and sustainable in the region. We assessed the topographic controls on vegetation indices (NDII, NDVI, and EVI and their corresponding characteristics) to identify the potential sites for alternative land use practices. The result shows that NDII, EVI, and NDVI values vary 48%, 27%, and 23%, respectively, relative to their respective mean values. The soil moisture decreases with higher slope and elevation having the coefficient (R2) values of − 0.17 and − 0.19, respectively because the underlying soil cannot retain rainwater as run-off are comparatively faster in higher elevation and slope. Elevation and slope exert influence on all vegetation characteristics under consideration. Soil moisture is negatively paired with NDVI (R2 value of − 0.04) indicating, interestingly, that soil moisture content does not influence vegetation water content. Aspect has no significant correlation to any of the vegetation indices (R2 is ~ 0.02 in all cases) and, hence, while selecting sites for alternative agricultural practices, the topographic parameter of aspect can be ignored. NDII and EVI are significantly correlated more with elevation than slope. Thus, the potential site for the biomass or vegetation which retains moisture content should be in an area that is more susceptible to elevation followed by slope. In contrast, NDVI is significantly correlated with the soil moisture, slope, and altitude. Therefore, to get a generalized vigor of vegetation of higher green leaf content, primary production, chlorophyll content, and green leaf biomass, one must consider a combination of elevation and slope, as well as soil moisture, in CHT while selecting the potential sites for alternative agricultural practice.

Identifying corridors for landscape connectivity using species distribution modeling of Hydnocarpus kurzii (King) Warb., a threatened species of the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot

Modeling habitat corridors for landscape connectivity may serve as an efficient tool for assisting the colonization of threatened and endemic species in the event of environmental change. We demonstrate this through a population survey, species distribution modeling, and the least cost path method. As an example, we used Hydnocarpus kurzii (King) Warb., a threatened and endemic medicinal tree species distributed in the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot covering northeast India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. We assessed its population in the wild and characterized its current habitats. We also predicted its potential habitats and modeled the connectivity between its potential habitats in the state of Tripura, northeast India. Overall, 18 wild populations of the species comprising 36 mature trees were recorded from glen and upland habitats. About 4 % (~ 443 km2) of the total area of Tripura is predicted to be suitable for H. kurzii. Maxent outputs duly validated by field surveys revealed that the habitat corridors are concentrated mostly in the hill tracts, and that glen types of habitat offer suitable ecological conditions for the species compared to uplands. All the identified areas can form connective corridors among the existing populations. Since ~ 84 % of this suitable area has > 50 % tree cover, these corridors should effectively assist the threatened and endemic plant species in propagule dispersal and support its regeneration and establishment.

Mapping the stability of malaria hotspots in Bangladesh from 2013 to 2016

BackgroundMalaria claims hundreds of thousands of lives each year, most of them children. A “malaria-free world” is the World Health Organization’s vision, but elimination from the southeast Asian Region is hampered by factors including anti-malarial resistance and systematic underreporting. Malaria is a significant public health problem in Bangladesh and while there have been recent gains in control, there is large spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the disease burden. This study aims to determine the pattern and stability of malaria hotspots in Bangladesh with the end goal of informing intervention planning for elimination.ResultsMalaria in Bangladesh exhibited highly seasonal, hypoendemic transmission in geographic hotspots, which remained conserved over time. The southeast areas of the Chittagong Hill Tracts were identified as malaria hotspots for all 4 years examined. Similarly, areas in Sunamganj and Netrakona districts in the Northeast were hotspots for 2013–2016. Highly stable hotspots from 1 year predicted the following year’s hotspot locations in the southeast of Bangladesh. Hotspots did not appear to act as sources of spread with no evidence of consistent patterns of contiguous spread or recession of hotspots as high or low transmission seasons progressed.ConclusionsAreas were identified with temporal and spatial clustering of high malaria incidence in Bangladesh. Further studies are required to understand the vector, sociodemographic and disease dynamics within these hotspots. Given the low caseloads occurring in the low transmission seasons, and the conserved nature of malaria hotspots, directing resources towards these areas may be an efficient way to achieve malaria elimination in Bangladesh.

Village Common Forest Management in Komolchori, Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh: An Example of Community Based Natural Resources Management

Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) in Bangladesh covers about 50% of the country’s natural forest resources, providing sources of food, fuel-wood, medicinal plants, timber and water supply to the ethnic communities living in the area. The ethnic communities in CHTs have been managing a small patch of forest known as a village common forest (VCF) adjacent to their village following a community based forest management approach. Taking a case study of Komolchori VCF, this study examined dependency of community people on VCF resources, their conservation-related attitudes and awareness, indigenous management, and forest phyto-sociological structure. A survey and focus group discussions were conducted among the settlers and non-settlers in Thana Chandra para and Jaduram para villages of the Komolchori VCF. Key informant interviews were conducted with two non-government organizations (NGOs) and the headman in the study area. To assess phyto-sociological structure of vegetation, 25 quadrats (10 m × 10 m) were laid out randomly. Results revealed that non-settlers were more inclined towards VCF conservation and women played a crucial role as they were directly involved in forest products and water collection. Soil erosion caused by shifting cultivation has made community people more aware of forest degradation. Training program provided by NGOs on different horticultural techniques and a “Saving-Credit program” improved livelihood conditions and reduced pressures on VCF resources. Locally devised traditional rules guide the community people to manage the VCF sustainably. The vegetation survey showed that the density of Komolchori VCF was 1420 trees/ha with a basal area of 27.98 m2/ha. The Shannon–Weiner index, species diversity index and index of dominance in the study area were 2.91, 0.62, 0.09, respectively.

Contested Peace: The Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord

Located in the south-east corner of Bangladesh, the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) have a history of a vicious conflict between its Bengali settlers and the Paharis, specifically the indigenous community, the Pahari-adivasis. The region’s already volatile background further escalated thanks to the nation-building approach that was being followed by the state after Bangladesh became independent in 1971. This inclination triggered an insurgency movement whose leaders demanded regional autonomy and a recognition of their identity so that people could lead a life of dignity. To quell the movement, the state resorted to military force. Later to introduce peace, the CHT Peace Accord was signed in 1997. However, though it did succeed in bringing about an element of stability, the accord failed in its larger objective as it excluded the engagement of the larger mass of Pahari people. Just over twenty years after the accord was signed, we examine, through a research study, why it neither lead to sustainable peace nor was it successful in its goal of conflict management.

Seismic status in Bangladesh

Seismic status in Bangladesh

The Myth of Colonial ‘Protection’ of Indigenous Peoples: The Case of the Chittagong Hill Tracts under British Rule

Through a critical examination of British colonial policies in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in Bangladesh, this article challenges the conventional wisdom that colonial administration had a benevolent strategy of ‘protecting’ indigenous peoples. To this end, this article specifically dispels three examples of such protectionist rhetoric advanced in the CHT by the British colonial administration: protection of hill peoples from external invasions, from the exploitation of dominant Bangalee groups, and from their own oppressive chiefs. I conclude that these protectionist policies were in fact motivated by self-interest and, therefore, often proved to be counterproductive for hill peoples by further empowering dominant Bangalees and tribal chiefs. Therefore, in engaging with the question of ‘protection’ of ordinary hill peoples in the CHT from ongoing oppression and marginalisation, we must consider new paradigms, beyond the colonial isolationist and seclusionist model of protection.