Riverbank Erosion and Population Resettlement in Bangladesh

Abstract

Two images of Bangladesh as a country are commonplace in the West and often simplistically intertwined—a land of overpopulation and poverty, and a land cursed by natural disaster. Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries in the world with an estimated per capita income equivalent to only U.S. $180. It is also one of the world's most crowded countries. One hundred thirteen million people live in Bangladesh, an area about the size of Wisconsin, with an average density close to two thousand people per square mile. Since only 13% of the population is urban, this tremendous population, currently growing at a rate of 2.8% per annum, exerts especially great pressure on resources in the rural areas.

Evidence against disaster-induced migration: the 2004 tornado in north-central Bangladesh

“…For example, some 'small' hazards, such as riverbank erosion, lead to the migration of many thousands of people every year in Bangladesh (Rahman, 1991). This particular hazard is primarily confined along the banks of major rivers; around 300 localities are affected by riverbank erosion each year (Zaman and Wiest, 1991).…”

Climate Change Induced Human Displacement in Bangladesh: A Case Study of Flood in 2017 in Char in Gaibandha District

“…Brown [33] stated that the population had been displaced owing to the underprivileged and feeble infrastructure of flooding. Zaman and Wiest [34] depicted that human displacement owing to riverbank erosion, they stressed that the char resettlement plan is a compound mission and due to the shifting nature of the riverine scheme, perhaps a continuous process.…”

Flood Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change in Bangladesh: A Review

“…Brammer and Khan (1991) Floods in Bangladesh benefit agricultural lands, and the floodwaters usually renew the soil. Pearce (1991) Population displacement due to river bank erosion Zaman and Wiest (1991) Methods and results of visual interpretation of satellite imagery for estimating areal extent of the 1988 flood.…”

“…Population displacement due to river bank erosion was investigated by Zaman and Wiest (1991) who emphasized that the char-land resettlement plan is a complex task, and due to the changing nature of the riverine system it is a continuous process. They argued that public policies should be developed both for short-term and long-term assistance of the displaced.…”