POOR LIVELIHOOD ASSETS AND ADAPTIVE STRATEGIES OF THE RIVERBANK EROSION INDUCED CHARLAND PEOPLE IN BANGLADESH: A STUDY ON THE TEESTA RIVERINE ECOSYSTEM

Md. Abu Saleh Shamim, Shammy Islam, Tulika Podder and Mst. Sadia Sarmin Runa

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POOR LIVELIHOOD ASSETS AND ADAPTIVE STRATEGIES OF THE RIVERBANK EROSION INDUCED CHARLAND PEOPLE IN BANGLADESH: A STUDY ON THE TEESTA RIVERINE ECOSYSTEM

Md. Abu Saleh Shamim1*, Shammy Islam2, Tulika Podder3, and Mst. Sadia Sarmin Runa4

1Post-Graduate Student, Department of Sociology, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, 5404, Bangladesh.

2Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, 5404, Bangladesh.

3Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Gopalganj Science and Technology University, Gopalganj, 8100, Bangladesh.

4Adjunct Faculty, Department of Humanities, Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology (RUET)

*Corresponding author E-mail: shamim.1815022@student.brur.ac.bd

A R T I C L E  I N F O

Article Type: Research

Received: 02, Sep. 2025.

Accepted: 10, Oct. 2025.

Published: 19 Oct. 2025.

 

 

 A B S T R A C T

Riverbank erosion is a significant environmental issue in Bangladesh, leading not only to widespread displacement but also to precarious livelihoods among charland communities.  This paper examines the poor livelihood assets of the charland people of Char Bidyananda village, affected by riverbank erosion, and the adaptive strategies they employ. Both qualitative and quantitative measurements of social reality are considered. This paper is primarily based on data gathered through interview schedules with purposively chosen household heads of the study village, observations, case studies, focus group discussions (FGDs), and informal interviews with some stakeholders. The findings reveal that households face various losses and hardships due to riverbank erosion and displacement. The study highlights that their livelihood assets, such as human (low education levels and few specialized skills), social (absence of voluntary organizations and no government-provided shelter), physical (poor transportation infrastructure and inadequate sewage systems), natural (fragile soil quality and insufficient tree cover), and financial capital (landlessness and reliance on meager incomes), are severely limited, indicating a high level of vulnerability. To cope with these precarious conditions, families resort to adaptive strategies, including unpaid household chores, and engage in diverse income-earning activities (IEAs). The Unsustainable Livelihood Framework (ULF) is employed to assess how their limited asset, lack of institutional involvement, and informal coping strategies shape livelihood outcomes. The study concludes with policy recommendations aimed at reducing household vulnerability and enhancing resilience based on the findings.
Keywords:

Riverbank Erosion, Climate Displacement, Livelihood Assets, Adaptation Strategies, Charland People, Teesta River

 

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