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Book part
Publication date: 26 January 2012

M.A. Abedin, Umma Habiba and Rajib Shaw

The southwest coastal region is part of an inactive delta of large Himalayan rivers and is protected from tidal surge by the Sundarbans mangrove forest. This area is the hub of…

Abstract

The southwest coastal region is part of an inactive delta of large Himalayan rivers and is protected from tidal surge by the Sundarbans mangrove forest. This area is the hub of all types of disasters such as cyclones, tidal surges, floods, drought, salinity intrusions, repeated waterlogging, and land subsidence. Cyclonic tidal surges and floods are the more common disasters, and their effects are frequently experienced at the local level. But silent and invisible disasters such as increased salinity, arsenic contamination, and drought affect local livelihoods, people, and environments in this region. The vulnerability of southwest region to increased salinity, arsenic contamination, and drought are the result of a complex interrelationship among biophysical, social, economical, and technological characteristics of the country. Moreover, in the current and foreseeable future, the country is likely to be affected by the biggest, most long-lasting, and global scale but silent disaster: increased salinity, natural arsenic contamination, and drought. Therefore, this region is thought to be the most disaster-prone region in Bangladesh because of natural disasters and highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Details

Environment Disaster Linkages
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-0-85724-866-4

Book part
Publication date: 11 August 2014

Md. Anwarul Abedin, Umma Habiba and Rajib Shaw

The Indus, Mekong, and Ganges River deltas, which have created one of the world’s largest delta and submarine fan system, currently contribute a major fraction of freshwater to…

Abstract

The Indus, Mekong, and Ganges River deltas, which have created one of the world’s largest delta and submarine fan system, currently contribute a major fraction of freshwater to East and South Asia. All these deltas are those regions in the world that face major challenges in their water sector due to population growth, urbanization, industrialization, sea-level rise, and salinity intrusion into inland and water bodies, all aggravated by climate change. Among them, salinity intrusion is currently one of the key issues that directly and indirectly cause water insecurity in East and South Asia, which ultimately hamper livelihood, agricultural production, and social interference. Hence, this chapter gives a comprehensive description on the nature and extent of the salinity problem, its adverse effects on livelihood and water sector, and then the focus goes to current and future sustainable water resource management within the delta to finally move on to conclusion and suggestions.

Details

Water Insecurity: A Social Dilemma
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78190-882-2

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 11 August 2014

Md. Anwarul Abedin and Rajib Shaw

Millions of people in Southwestern Bangladesh drink groundwater that has arsenic contamination levels above both Bangladeshi and WHO standards. Thus, arsenic, the king of poisons…

Abstract

Millions of people in Southwestern Bangladesh drink groundwater that has arsenic contamination levels above both Bangladeshi and WHO standards. Thus, arsenic, the king of poisons, presents significant social problems in the rural communities of Bangladesh. Lacking arsenic-free drinking water, the local populations are most adversely affected. Arsenic contamination of drinking water and food is the main pathway by which arsenic enters people’s lives, producing diseases such as melanosis, keratosis, skin lesions, skin cancers, and kidney failure. Therefore, to cope with and alleviate arsenic poisoning, whatever adaptation and mitigation strategy is adopted, it should, however, start with and be led by the local community wherever possible for it is local villagers who are often the real experts on arsenic contamination. Rather than implementing highly technical, expensive, and outsider-led interventions that are often untried in field conditions, priority should be given to using modified traditional coping and mitigation mechanisms developed in the communities in Bangladesh. Hence, this chapter highlights first the extent of arsenic poisoning in the Southwestern part; its adverse impact on livelihood, water sector, and social aspect; and then the focus shifts to community-level mitigation strategy led by the people along with the assistance of GO and nongovernmental organization (NGO); and finally there is the conclusion along with recommendations.

Details

Water Insecurity: A Social Dilemma
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78190-882-2

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 11 August 2014

Umma Habiba, Md. Anwarul Abedin, Rajib Shaw and Abu Wali Raghib Hassan

Salinity is one of the major problems in the coastal region of Bangladesh that contributes to 20% of the total land area. About 53% of the coastal region is affected by different…

Abstract

Salinity is one of the major problems in the coastal region of Bangladesh that contributes to 20% of the total land area. About 53% of the coastal region is affected by different degrees of salinity. Salinity intrusion in this area is mainly derived through climate change as well as anthropogenic factors that make this region more vulnerable. Hence, salinity intrusion has adverse effects on water, soils, agriculture, fisheries, ecosystem, and livelihoods of this region. To ensure the availability of food as well as drinking water, this chapter highlights how individual and community people have endeavored several adaptation measures to minimize salinity effects. Moreover, it further discloses governmental and other development organizations’ actions toward salinity to reduce its impacts.

Details

Water Insecurity: A Social Dilemma
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78190-882-2

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 May 2023

Fariha Farjana, Md. Karimul Islam, Rabeya Khanam and Tasnim Murad Mamun

Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) aims to assist expectant mothers in low-income households. It might address the insufficient prenatal and postnatal healthcare services in rural…

Abstract

Purpose

Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) aims to assist expectant mothers in low-income households. It might address the insufficient prenatal and postnatal healthcare services in rural areas of low-income nations, including Bangladesh. However, the effectiveness of such intervention is rarely investigated in rural Bangladesh. The study aims to explore the impact of CCT on certain health outcomes of expectant mothers in southwestern rural Bangladesh.

Design/methodology/approach

The study applied the quasi-experimental Propensity Score Matching method to assess the effectiveness of CCT in health outcomes of expectant mothers. The authors also deployed logistic regression to explore the predictors of three health issues – blood pressure, hemoglobin adequacy and morning sickness.

Findings

The Average Treatment Effect shows that the CCT program significantly improves maternal health by lowering the extent of blood pressure and morning sickness and enhancing the hemoglobin adequacy of the CCT recipient women compared to the non-recipient. The result reveals that CCT beneficiary status as well as the education and immunization are positively and significantly associated with normal blood pressure and hemoglobin adequacy. CCT is also a negative predictor of morning sickness. The study recommends to expand the coverage of the CCT program and also emphasize on the improvement of education, training and immunization for rural pregnant women.

Originality/value

To assist in scaling purchasing power and nutritious food for poor pregnant and lactating mothers in low-income households, “Nobojatra” project initiated the CCTs in the southwest region of Bangladesh. Yet, the impact of such cash transfers on their health outcomes is rarely explored in the context of Bangladesh. This study provides evidence regarding the effectiveness of cash transfers to pregnant women of low-income households in rural Bangladesh.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-08-2022-0512

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 50 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 April 2020

Robayet Ferdous Syed

The purpose of this paper is to assess different issues for promoting job satisfaction as well as improvement of work efficiency in the shrimp industry of Bangladesh.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess different issues for promoting job satisfaction as well as improvement of work efficiency in the shrimp industry of Bangladesh.

Design/methodology/approach

The random sampling (RS) technique has been used for collecting data. A total of 132 data has been collected through a structured questionnaire from shrimp industry’s worker, working in different shrimp cultivating industry of three specific cultivating areas of the Southwestern part in Bangladesh such as Khulna, Satkhira and Bagerhat. The survey was conducted between June 2017 and July 2017.

Findings

This study shows that eight factors significantly influence job satisfaction among the shrimp workers in Bangladesh. Among these factors, four are relating to non-pecuniary issues such as workers’ appointment by appointment letter, job security, weekly holiday and safety of health and skin, and remaining four factors are relating to pecuniary issues such as legitimate payment for overtime, compensation, yearly increment and salary.

Originality/value

This study helps in assessing the opinion of the workers’ job satisfaction as well as policy planning for the development of the shrimp industry’s worker labour management.

Details

International Journal of Law and Management, vol. 62 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-243X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 September 2014

Md. Nasif Ahsan

The cumulative effects of climate change exacerbate interruption of social-ecological system. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the consumption smoothing along…

Abstract

Purpose

The cumulative effects of climate change exacerbate interruption of social-ecological system. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the consumption smoothing along with other socioeconomic parameters of households affects the common pool resource base of a forest in an economic depression resulted from climate change triggered disasters.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is a field level study of Koyra sub-district in the Southwestern coastal region of Bangladesh. Several parameters namely climatic trends and events, damage pattern suffered by households, change in land ownership and occupation pattern and consumption dependency pattern were considered. Methods used for data collection were household questionnaire survey and focus group discussions in the study area.

Findings

Both the intensity and frequency of climate change led catastrophes are found higher in the study area resulting damage of assets and capital goods of households. The average annual disaster damage borne by per household is found US$177. Over the last two decades 8.21 per cent households become landless. During same time span more than 25 per cent households switched from cropping to other non-agricultural occupations and more than 26 per cent households depend on forest resource for their consumption smoothing.

Originality/value

The paper provides insights how climate change led disasters induce the households to depend on the resource from the mangrove forest Sundarbans for their livelihood earning as well as consumption smoothing.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 25 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 July 2020

Md. Sariful Islam, Sabiha Ferdousy, Sonia Afrin, Md. Nasif Ahsan, Mohammed Ziaul Haider and Debasish Kumar Das

Recent studies suggest extensive use of environmental resources in agrofarming degrades ecosystem significantly. In this backdrop, this study aims at assessing ecoefficiency of…

Abstract

Purpose

Recent studies suggest extensive use of environmental resources in agrofarming degrades ecosystem significantly. In this backdrop, this study aims at assessing ecoefficiency of paddy farming. Because ecoefficiency links up between economic performances and environmental resources supporting the provision of goods and services for the society, this study further investigates the effectiveness of attending Farmers' Field School (FFS), an agroenvironmental program, in conserving environmental resources through improving farm-level ecoefficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

In a dataset of 200 randomly selected paddy farmers from three districts of the southwestern Bangladesh, data envelopment analysis (DEA) is applied to compute both radial and pressure-specific (nutrient balance, energy balance, irrigation and pesticide lethal risk) ecoefficiency scores. Furthermore, propensity score matching (PSM) technique is applied to examine the impact of FFS program on farm-level ecoefficiency.

Findings

The DEA results suggest that paddy farmers are highly eco-inefficient. The computed radial eco-efficiency score is 0.40 implying farmers could reduce around 60% of environmental pressure equiproportionally even by maintaining the same level of value addition. In addition, the PSM results suggest farmers' participation in FFS program led to around 22.5% higher radial ecoefficiency and 7–25% higher environmental pressure-specific eco-efficiencies. Furthermore, simulation exercises reveal that FFS participation in interaction with farm size would lead to around 32–40% reduction of all environmental pressures.

Practical implications

Promoting FFS programs among paddy farmers could be an effective policy option to improve eco-efficiency through environment-friendly farming paradigm.

Originality/value

This study is probably the maiden effort that has examined the impact of attending the FFS program on ecoefficiency improvement in Bangladesh. This study contributes to both the concern literature by adding useful information and the policymakers by providing new insights about the reduction of environmental resource usage with maintaining the same value addition from agrofarming.

Details

China Agricultural Economic Review, vol. 12 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-137X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 January 2017

Anjan Kumer Dev Roy

This paper aims to examine the issues of environment and climate change policy gaps and their impacts on the natural resources and ecosystems in southwest coastal Bangladesh. The…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the issues of environment and climate change policy gaps and their impacts on the natural resources and ecosystems in southwest coastal Bangladesh. The effects of the increasing human activities as well as natural disasters due to the environment and climate change are analysed. The policy options as a response to mitigation, adaptation and possible human suffering as consequences are explored through discourse analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applied focus group discussions, workshop and field visits to collect the data and information to explore environment and climate change policy-related problems.

Findings

It was found that there is a need for major policy reform to guide development interventions to reverse salinity, waterlogging, migration and groundwater recharging problems for sustainable environmental and ecosystem management in the region.

Originality/value

The paper then underscores the need for governments at all levels to adequately fund geo-information-based development interventions as adequate and proactive responses to environmental management and development to combat future environmental and climate change problems in the region.

Details

International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, vol. 9 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-8692

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 February 2022

Farah Muneer and Foyasal Khan

This paper aims to investigate the effectiveness of Qard-al-Hasan (QH) or interest-free loan in reducing multidimensional poverty through examining Fael Khair Waqf (FKW) program…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the effectiveness of Qard-al-Hasan (QH) or interest-free loan in reducing multidimensional poverty through examining Fael Khair Waqf (FKW) program as a case.

Design/methodology/approach

A Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) approach has been used in this study, which was conducted over 1,600 households including 1,200 program households in 40 villages and 400 control households in 20 villages of 8 districts in the south-western region of Bangladesh.

Findings

It is found that 38.5% of sample population was multidimensional poor with deprivation of above the cutoff score. However, FKW participants were relatively less multidimensional poor. It was 35.3%. Hence, it is argued that the FKW is an effective program in terms of poverty reduction as it has contributed to higher economic outcomes for their participating households. The econometric result also suggests that the likelihood of the participants of FKW to be MPI poor is around 1.5 times lower than the nonparticipants, and the result is significant at 1% level. This indicates that program has a positive impact in reducing multidimensional poverty.

Practical implications

The analysis in this paper would fill the literature gap by investigating the link between application of QH and poverty alleviation. It will also guide academicians, researchers and decision-makers to design evidence-based policy to alleviate poverty.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there has been no empirical work in Bangladesh on the effectiveness of QH in poverty reduction considering an MPI approach. Hence, this study is a unique contribution to the literature of Islamic social finance.

Details

International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management, vol. 15 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8394

Keywords

1 – 10 of 536