Conference PaperPDF Available

Disasters and Forced Migration: A Case Study on Riverbank Erosion and Its Potential Impacts on Rural and Urban Bangladesh

Authors:
  • Center for People & Environ (CPE)

Abstract and Figures

Riverbank erosion is a widespread natural disaster in rural Bangladesh which results in rapid growth in a forced internal migration of people. These internally displaced people (IDPs) migrate to the urban slum areas after losing their residents for a better work opportunity and essential services. This study focuses on people’s migration pattern in Bangladesh particularly in the context of riverbank erosion. Hence, the study focused on three char lands of Bhola (a rural coastal district) district namely Char Monpura, Char Fasson, and Char Tajimuddin, and a small slum settlement (urban slums) namely ‘Bhola slum’ of Dhaka city. To this end, firstly, this study assessed river erosion and accretion pattern of Char Monpura, Char Fasson, and Char Tajimuddin for the year of 2006, 2010 and 2016. In addition, urban slums occupied by IDPs had mapped through the visual interpretation of Google high-resolution image focusing temporal patterns of 2006, 2010 and 2016. Furthermore, it measured the impact of riverbank erosion on the socioeconomic condition of the IDPs both in the rural and urban region. Finally, it finds out the gaps in tackling challenges associated with a forced internal migration and way forward with policy recommendations. The study reveals that Char Monpura, Char Fasson, and Char Tajimuddin had suffered considerable erosion whereas only a small portion of Char Fasson and Char Tajimuddin have experienced accretion since 2000 to 2016. Besides, erosion caused tremendous sufferings to the people living in the river erosion prone char islands of Bhola district. However, such situation arises in permanent migration to urban areas and growth in informal urban settlements and creating more challenges for the municipal government to deal with the growing urban population.
No caption available
… 
No caption available
… 
No caption available
… 
No caption available
… 
No caption available
… 
Content may be subject to copyright.
Disasters and Forced Migration: A Case Study
on Riverbank Erosion and Its Potential Impacts
on Rural and Urban Bangladesh
Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman*, Md. Hasan Masrur, Riffat Mahmood, Muhammad
Abdur Rahaman & Mizanur Rahman Bijoy
Session: “Health and Migration”
8-11 January 2018
Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), Dhaka.
1
2
Background
Riverbank erosion is a widespread natural disaster in rural Bangladesh
which results in rapid growth in a forced internal migration of people.
These internally displaced people (IDPs) migrate to the urban slum areas
after losing their residents for a better work opportunity and essential
services.
However, such situation arises in permanent migration to urban areas
and growth in informal urban settlements and creating more challenges
for the urban population.
This study focuses on people’s migration pattern in Bangladesh
particularly in the context of riverbank erosion and explores the impact
of riverbank erosion rural and urban Bangladesh.
3
Study Area
Rural Dimension
Char Monpura, Char Fasson, and
Char Tajimuddin of Bhola District
Urban Dimension
Bhola Slum’ of Dhaka City
Bhola District Dhaka City
4
Methodology
Final manuscript & Peer-reviewed publication
GIS & Remote sensing
analysis
Assessing the erosion and
accretion rate of river bank
Assessing spatial growth of
urban informal settlements
Quantitative
Household Survey
(Structured close-end
Questionnaire Survey)
Qualitative
FGD, KII
(Focus group discussion &
Key Informant Interview)
In-depth review
and analysis of the
existing documents
related to the study
Primary Information Collection
Training for the enumerators
Disasters and Forced Migration: A Case Study on Riverbank Erosion
and Its Potential Impacts on Rural and Urban Bangladesh
Study Area selection
5
Erosion & Accretion rate
2006 2010 2016
6
Erosion & Accretion in Area
Erosion Area (Sq. Km)
2000
-
2006
2006-
2010
2010-2016
Char
Monpura
6 3 4
Char Fasson
8 2 3
Char
Tajimuddin
15 3 4
Total 29 8 11
Accretion Area (Sq. Km)
2000-
2006
2006-
2010
2010-2016
Char
Monpura
0 0 0
Char Fasson
2 4 3
Char
Tajimuddin
1 0 1
Total 3 4 4
7
Spatial growth of Bhola Slum
83
94
72
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2006 2010 2016
Area (In Acre)
Spatial Growth (Source: M. Mahbubur et al., 2017)
Growth in Area
8
People’s Migration Pattern in
Bangladesh
In-migration rates
per 1000
population from
2002-2016
(Source: BBS,
2016)
Out- migration
rates per 1000
population from
1984-2016
(Source: BBS,
2016)
9
Impacts of Riverbank Erosion on
Rural Area
Riverbank
Erosion
Loss of
Homestead
Loss of
Agricultural
Land
Income
Erosion
Forced
Migration
Low
Expenditure in
Food
Consumption
Marginal
Expenditure in
Education
Livelihood Status
Becomes more
Vulnerable
Poor
Expenditure
in Health
Care
Loss of
Production
Conceptual
Framework of
the Impact
10
Impacts of Riverbank Erosion on
Urban Area
Riverbank
Erosion
Forced
Displacement
Growth of urban
population
Lack of
access to
basic
services
Social
Insecurity
Growth of urban informal
settlements
Encroach
ment of
water
bodies &
agriculture
land
Pollution
from solid
& liquid
wastes
Contamination
of water sources
Conceptual
Framework of the
Impact
11
Impacts of Riverbank Erosion on
Urban Area (Contd.)
5
0
2
0
6
0
5
23
0
4
0
22
0
7
2
0
24
0
2
0
18
INCOME EDUCATION OCC UPATION HEA LTH AND SANITATION
Present Socio-economic Condition of the
IDPs (In Percentage)
Proposed Local Solution
12
Studied Area
Problem
Rural (Bhola
District)
Char Monpura
Riverbank Erosion
Short term and long term planning
Char Fasson
Riverbank Erosion
Improving rural livelihood
Char
Tajimuddin
Riverbank Erosion
Ensuring sustainable rural
development
Urban (Dhaka
City)
Bhola Slum
Rapid Population
Growth
at origin
Growth of Urban
Informal
Settlement
Introduction of an improved
housing policy framework
and approach for urban slum areas
13
How the solution would
address the problem?
Problems
Implementation
of the proposed
Solutions
Mitigation
of the
Problems
Riverbank erosion
Rapid growth in
urban population
Growth in urban
informal
settlements
Short term & long
term planning
Improving rural
livelihood
Ensuring sustainable
rural development
Resettlement policy
for slum dwellers
Improved housing
policy framework
How the Implementing
Agency Reach Out the
Beneficiaries
14
Proposed
Solutions
Implementing
Agencies
Beneficiaries
Short term & long-
term
planning
Improving rural
livelihood
Ensuring
sustainable
rural development
Policymakers
Government and
Non-
Government Agencies
Relevant Ministries
Relevant Stakeholders
Rural and
Urban
People
Final Words
15
This slide is made possible by the support of American people through the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID). The contents are the sole responsibility of the presenter and do
not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States government.
Riverbank erosion is resulting in significant negative impacts both in
urban and rural Bangladesh which needs to be addressed properly.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any citations for this publication.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.