ASSESSMENT OF RIVERBANK EROSION AND ITS SOCIETAL IMPACTS ALONG THE PAYRA RIVER IN MIRZAGANJ UPAZILA, BANGLADESH

Abstract

Riverbank erosion is a significant natural phenomenon that poses threats to communities residing along riverbanks worldwide. Understanding riverbank erosion-accretion trends and patterns are crucial for effective land management and disaster mitigation strategies. In the context of Mirzaganj Upazila, situated along the Payra River in Bangladesh, the study intents to identify and analyze the trends of riverbank erosion-accretion using satellite imageries and geospatial techniques. In addition, the study analyzed the patterns of displacement and socio-economic losses caused by riverbank erosion using a semi-structured questionnaire survey. The study observed that erosion is (66.42 ha/year) more dominant than accretion (47.58 ha/year) throughout the time periods of 40 years. Besides, overall people of the study area thought that riverbank erosion and flood are the most ubiquitous disasters. Statistics revealed that most of the people are suffering from land losses, unemployment, migration and divorce problems due to erosion. These findings will provide valuable insights into the magnitude and patterns of riverbank erosion and accretion, facilitating effectiveland use planning, early warning systems, and adaptation strategies to mitigate the impacts of erosion. This research contributes to the understanding of riverbank dynamics and supports evidence-based decision-making for sustainable development and disaster risk reduction in the region.