River bank erosion and its impact on population displacement in Bauphal upazila under Patuakhali district, Bangladesh

Abstract

Bangladesh is one of the most disaster prone countries around the world with severe cyclone, destructive flood and associated river bank erosion. River bank erosion is one of the major natural calamities of Bangladesh that took place in almost every year. It is a recurrent and highly unpredictable phenomenon. Two unions of Bauphal Upazila (Dhulia and Najirpur) under Patuakhali districts are also affected by river bank erosion. A field survey was carried out to assess the status of river bank erosion and population migration. Focuses of the study are to identify the nature of relationship between river bank erosion and population displacement and to evaluate the socioeconomic condition of people in Bauphal Upazila under Patuakhali District. Most of the family size of the study area was medium category (50%) among the respondents (54%) were literate. Most of the respondents (80%) were involved in fishing. Majority (76%) respondents used drinking water from deep tube wells and their sanitation facility were satisfactory (68%) use kacha latrine and (24%) use semi pacca latrine. Most of the respondents (74%) were landless and average land holding of the respondents were 0.54%. Majority respondents (50%) displaced one time during their life time. Among them (65%) displaced permanently and (35%) displaced temporarily. This study describes and explains the estimation of river bank erosion in the study area and human adjustment due to the river bank erosion. Most of the people are suffering a lot of problem, i.e., people loss their homestead area and house, facing economic problems, shifting their occupation also and migrated from one place to another place. Most of the people are unable to regain their eroded land and newly developed char lands. For this hazards social instability also increase is affected area such as political instability.