ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the impacts of riverbank erosion on the economic and social life of the displaced people in Bangladesh. It focuses on the gap between initiatives taken by the authorities to mitigate disaster impacts and the actual requirements of the affected people. This chapter is based on a study that was conducted in an eroding village in Bhola district. The study followed mixed research methodology and applied several methods: surveys at the households, key informant interviews (KII), focus group discussion (FGD) and observation to collect data from the selected village. The study reveals that the inhabitants of this village changed their residence more than 5–10 times during the last 20–25 years to cope with the active bank of Meghna River. Riverbank erosion has changed their economic condition and social life. They became poorer and their identity changed to ‘Nodi Bhanga Manush’ (people who lost everything in the river). Per person income shows the poverty level of this society: 85.05% earns less than Taka 2,500 monthly (83.33 BDT or 1.04 USD per day). Most of the victims (84%) are in debt (from 50,000 to 250,000 BDT or 624 to 3120.12 USD) due to the extra cost of changing residences. Majority of the inhabitants (90%) visit healthcare facilities only when in critical medical condition. Childbirth (93%) takes place at home in the presence of untrained midwives, relatives and village doctors. However, despite high impacts on people’s lives, riverbank erosion has not received proper attention from disaster management authorities; no mentionable measure has been taken. Victims are battling to survive with uncertainties and poverty within their own capacities. Therefore, immediate attention is required to help these victims to reduce their struggles, to improve the socio-economic conditions and coping capacity.
