By Biswajit Mandol, Gazi Imran and Bablu Juwarder
Bangladesh’s south-west coastal region is most threatened by the negative effects of climate change and Shyamnagar Upazila of Satkhira district is among the most extremely affected areas. Natural disasters such as riverbank erosion, cyclones, salinity, floods and tides are common in the region. Due to natural disasters, the coastal area experiences huge loss of life every year. Many people who depend on biodiversity have to be homeless. After the disaster, some people returned to their habitats, but many could not. Some of them have taken refuge in the Khas lands of neighboring villages, some migrate to the city in search of work!
Those who don’t have a place to go took shelter in the rehabilitation centers built on government private land by the government. Pankhali and Burigoalini are the two places where such rehabilitation centres are located. They are known as barracks as well to the communities. There are total 5 ponds in Pankhali Asharyan Project and Burigoalini Asharyan Project. The ponds that shelter the water are used for agricultural and domestic purposes by the communities. Also, a large portion of their income comes from the pond by cultivating a variety of fish every year. But these ponds are no longer functioning well due to they get filled with mud for lack of excavation.
As the shelter project ponds were not dug for a long time, the ponds started filling up. Water dries up during the summer season and the shelter crowd starts crying for water. The displaced communities (Due to losing their homes during the disasters and take shelter in these centres) have been contacting various institutions for re-excavation of the ponds but no one has responded to their demands. BARCIK has also been working with them (They are known as Asharyan Janagosti) for a long time. Being refused from the concern authorities these communities repeatedly contacted BARCIK asking the organization to do something for re-excavation of the ponds.
As a part of BARCIK’s continuous work to improve the quality of life of Asharyan Jangosti according to their needs and considering their problems, the organization communicated with the upazila administration asking it to take step for re-digging the ponds of the displaced communities. Thus, being requested by BARCIK the Upazila administration visited the Barracks and exchanged views with the communities along with learning the demands and problems of the climate displaced communities.
Based on interaction with the communities the upazila administration promised to re-dig the ponds to solve the problems. In view of this, the work of re-excavating the ponds of Burigoalini and Pankhali shelter project started from the month of March, 2023 with the help of upazila administration. In that case, BDT 2 lakhs were allocated to the Pankhali shelter project respectively for digging the ponds. Re-excavation of the Pankhali pond and restoration of the bank was completed with the help of BARCIK and the initiative of the displaced communities. Similarly, BDT 63 lakhs have been allocated for the 4 ponds of the Burigoalini Asharyan project, which will involve pond re-excavation, afforestation, grass planting and construction of embankment, which is in progress.
By re-excavating the pond, the community is trying to create a suitable environment for growing vegetables in front of their houses. In that case, when asked what kind of change will be made in the living standards of the climate displaced communities through re-digging and management of the pond, they said, “The re-digging of the pond means that our income has been created. From now on we can cultivate vegetables for 12 months, we can cultivate fish, we can do household work, and we can plant different kinds of fruit trees. It will play an important role in fulfilling our family food and nutrition needs.’ ‘In the same way, through the sale of vegetables, fish and fruits, it will contribute to economic development along with family development’-they added.
Rehabilitation project ponds play a major role in improving the livelihood of the communities. Therefore, the initiative of the BARCIK and Upazilla administration has helped to enrich the biodiversity and secure the food needs of the communities living in the rehabilitation centres.
Translated by Silvanus Lamin
