Indigenous Peoples Impact Categorization Report BAN

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Indigenous Peoples Impact Categorization Report BAN Indigenous Peoples Impact Categorization Report Project No.39432-013 Semiannual Report January 2017 BAN: Participatory Small-Scale Water Resources Sector Project Prepared by Local Government Engineering Department for the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Asian Development Bank. This indigenous peoples impact categorization report is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF BANGLADESH PARTICIPATORY SMALL SCALE WATER RESOURCES SECTOR PROJECT (PSSWRSP) ADB Loan No. 2542-BAN (SF) INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IMPACT CATEGORIZATION REPORT (July – December, 2016) Local Government Engineering Department Local Government Division Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Project Management Office Project Director, PSSWRSP RDEC Bhaban (5th Floor), LGED HQ, Agargaon, Dhaka 1207 January-2017 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Sl.No. Chapter Title Page Abbreviations I 1. Introduction 1 2. Background 1 3. ADB’s policy for Safeguards Indigenous People 2 4. Indigenous Peoples in Bangladesh 2 5. Indigenous Peoples in Project area 3 6. Recommendations 3 7. Conclusion 4 Annexure: Annexure 1: Indigenous Peoples Impact Categorization (Dhaka Division) Annexure 2: Indigenous Peoples Impact categorization (Chittagong Division) Annexure 3: Indigenous Peoples Impact Categorization (Rajshahi Division) Annexure 4: Indigenous Peoples Impact Categorization (Khulna Division) Annexure 5: Indigenous Peoples Impact Categorization (Barisal Division) Annexure 6: Indigenous Peoples Impact Categorization (Rangpur Division) Attachments: Attachment-1: Subprojects of Dhaka Division Attachment-2: Subprojects of Chittagong Division Attachment-3: Subprojects of Rajshahi Division Attachment-4: Subprojects of Khulna Division Attachment-5: Subprojects of Barisal Division Attachment-6: Subprojects of Rangpur Division I ABBREVIATIONS ADB = Asian Development Bank AP = Affected Person CBE = Commercial and Business Enterprise DC = Deputy Commissioner DD = Detailed Design DMS = Detailed Measurement Survey E = East EA = Executing Agency FGD = Focus Group Discussion Ha = Hectare ICT = Information and Communication Technology IP = Indigenous Peoples IWRMU = Integrated Water Resources Management Unit Km = Kilometer LGED = Local Government Engineering Department N = North NPRR = National Policy on Resettlement and Rehabilitation O&M = Operation and Maintenance PIC = Project Implementation Consultant PMO = Project Management Office PSSWRSP = Participatory Small Scale Water Resources Sector Project RF = Resettlement Framework RP = Resettlement Plan SES = Socio Economic Survey SSWR = Small Scale Water Resources TK = Taka (Bangladesh Currency) WMCA = Water Management Cooperative Association I Indigenous Peoples Impact Categorization Report under Participatory Small Scale Water Resources Sector Project (PSSWRSP), LGED. 1. Introduction The Asian Development Bank (ADB) recognizes the rights of Indigenous Peoples to direct the course of their own development. Indigenous Peoples are increasingly threatened as development programs infringe into areas that they traditionally own, occupy, use or view as ancestral domain. Special efforts are needed to engage Indigenous People in the planning of development programs that affect them, in, particular, development programs that are supposedly designed to meet their specific needs and aspiration. Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) is implementing 270 new subprojects being aware of safeguard issues of Indigenous Peoples in Bangladesh. 2. Background The Participatory Small-scale Water Resources Sector Project (PSSWRP) is the outcome of lessons learned from previous ADB, Dutch and IFAD investments in First & Second Small Scale Water Resources Development Sector Projects from 1996 to 2010 which has developed 580 subprojects in 61 districts of Bangladesh. The Project aims to develop sustainable, stakeholder-driven small-scale water resources management systems. It has three outputs: (i) institutional strengthening of government agencies at all levels to support small scale water resources (SSWR) development, (ii) participatory subproject development, which will include poor and vulnerable groups and will enable WMCA to plan, implement, operate and maintain subprojects; and (iii) construction and maintenance of 270 new subprojects and performance enhancement of 150 subprojects (out of 580 completed from SSW-1 & SSW-2 subprojects). During identification, preparation of Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), Feasibility Study (FS) and Detail Design (DD) the subproject beneficiaries were consulted about the presence of Indigenous Peoples within the command area. Moreover, while preparing Socio economic survey report and Environmental Mitigation Plan the aspect of Indigenous Peoples were investigated. Though there are habitations of Indigenous People in the many districts of Bangladesh but in the subprojects under study within PSSWRSP the existence of Indigenous Peoples are not found. There are subprojects where the benefits of infrastructure development and institutional activities are influenced to the area where there are habitations of Indigenous Peoples. The Project is jointly funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The total project cost is USD119.797 million: The loan (L2542-BAN) was approved by ADB on 4 September 2009 for USD55.0 million. IFAD provides two loans amounting to USD32.0 million, and domestic contributions amount to USD 32.8 million. The first IFAD loan (loan no.786) was approved by IFAD’s Executive Board on 15 September 2009 and became effective on 6 November 2009. The second loan (loan no.808) was approved on 22 April 2010 and became effective on 18 October 2010. Project completion and closing dates are 31 December 2017 and 30 June 2018 respectively. Indigenous Peoples Impact Categorization Report 1 PSSWRSP July-December, 2016 3. ADB’s Policy for Safeguards on Indigenous Peoples An agreement with the ADB on Principle of action adopted about Safeguard Policy Statement (SPS), 2009 during implementation/ operation of the Subprojects, if it has been transpired that the Indigenous People have been identified within the Subproject catchment areas, however the project will prepare an indigenous peoples development framework (IPDF) in accordance with in a manner of corresponding to ADB,s Policy on Indigenous People (April 1998) and will be presented as supplementary Appendix. The Indigenous people development framework (IPDF) will guide selection, screening, categorization, assessment and preparation by IWRMP of additional subprojects under the Project where impacts on IPs are identified to ensure better distribution of the Project benefits and to promote development of any IPs found within the Project area and to facilitate compliance with the requirements specified in ADB SPS Safeguard Requirements 3: on Indigenous People. 4. Indigenous Peoples in Bangladesh In Bangladesh Native to a reason were more than 4000,000 ethnic households in 2004 and spread all over the country at about 11,000 villages/places and constituted about 1.5% percent of total population of the country. However, ethnic group has been year marked/identified as IP group by the Bangladesh Bureau of statistics (BBS) and identified 30 IP groups in Bangladesh in 1991 census (Latest available relevant data). They are belonging from different ethnic communities and commonly identified as representatives of different tribes and the Bangladesh Population Census identified them as Tribal people. Distribution of different ethnic (IP) population within the Division is shown in Table 1. Table 1: Reasons of Indigenous People (IP) Assemble/consented in Bangladesh % National % District Areas of IP Predominant IPs IPs Population Plains Rajshahi & Rangpur division: Noagoan, Dinajpur, Rangpur, and Joypur hat Santal, Munda and Oraon 36 4 district Sylhet Division: Moulavi bazar and Khasia, Manipuri, Patro, 08 3 Hobigong district Garo and Tripura Madhupur area of Dhaka Division Garo/Mandi 07 2 Patuakhali district (Barisal Division) and Rakahain 06 Cox’s Bazar (Chittagonj) Division Khulna Division, in Sunderbans Munda 02 Chittagonj Division,Hill Tracts districts Chakma, Marma & Tripura 41 44 1.5% of Total 100 National Population Indigenous Peoples Impact Categorization Report 2 PSSWRSP July-December, 2016 5. Indigenous Peoples in Project area: The Feasibility and Socioeconomic study ascertained that the interventions in the subproject will not directly cause any adverse impact on the IPs. Most of the SPs catchment area is isolated and maroon type of landscape like water bodies, Khal, Beel and cultivable lands with object to conservation of irrigation water and improvement of drainage systems to grow more production of crops. There may be less affected inhabitants/squatters within the SPs which are relevance to LA, RP and voluntary RP, so no economic and physical displacement would occur due to implementation of the SP. There is no adjacent affected IP to the SPs identified, who will lose homestead, crops, trees in the titled or non-titled area as a result
Recommended publications
  • Rhd Road Network, Rangpur Zone
    RHD ROAD NETWORK, RANGPUR ZONE Banglabandha 5 N Tentulia Nijbari N 5 Z 5 0 6 Burimari 0 INDIA Patgram Panchagarh Z Mirgarh 5 9 0 Angorpota 3 1 0 0 5 Z Dhagram Bhaulaganj Chilahati Atwari Z 57 Z 06 5 0 Kolonihat Boda 2 1 Tunirhat Gomnati 3 0 Dhaldanga 7 Ruhea Z 5 N 6 5 Z 5 0 0 Dimla 0 0 2 3 7 9 2 5 6 Z 54 INDIA 5 Debiganj Z50 Sardarhat Z 9 5 0 5 5 Domar Hatibanda Bhurungamari Baliadangi Z N Kathuria Boragarihat Z5 Bahadur Dragha 002 2 Z5 0 7 0 03 5 Thakurgaon Z RLY 7 R 0 Station 58 2 7 7 Jaldhaka 2 5 Bus 6 Dharmagarh Stand Z 5 1 Z Z5 70 029 Z5 Nekmand Z Mogalhat 5 Kaliganj 6 Z5 Tengonmari 17 Nageshwari 2 7 56 4 7 Z 2 09 1 Raninagar Kadamtala 0 Z 0 0 57 5 9 0 Z 0 5 Phulbari Z 5 5 2 Z 5 5 Z Namorihat 0 Kalibari 2 Khansama 16 6 5 56 Z 2 Z Z Aditmari 01 Madarganj 50 Z5018 N509 Z59 4 Ranisonkail N5 08 Tebaria Nilphamari Kishoreganj 8 Z5 Kutubpur 00 008 Lalmonirhat Bhitarbond Z5 Z 2 Z5018 Z5018 Shaptibari 5 2 6 4 Darwani Z 2 6 0 1 0 5 Manthanahat 5 R Z5 Z 9 6 Z 0 00 Pirganj Bakultala 0 Barabari 5 2 5 5 5 1 0 Z Z Z Z5002 7 5 5 Z5002 Birganj 0 0 02 Gangachara N 5 0 5 Moshaldangi Z5020 06 6 06 0 5 0 N 5 Haragach Haripur Z 7 0 N5 Habumorh Bochaganj 0 5 4 Z 2 Z5 61 3 6 5 1 11 Z 5 Taraganj 2 6 Kurigram 0 N Hazirhat 5 Kaharol 5 Teesta 18 Z N5 Ranirbandar N5 Z Kaunia Bridge Rajarhat Z Saidpur Rangpur Shahebganj 5 Beldanga 0 Medical 0 5 Shapla 6 1 more 1 1 more 0 0 5 5 25 Ghagat Z 50 N517 Z Z Bridge Taxerhat N5 Mohiganj 1 2 Mordern 6 4 more 5 02 Z 8 5 Z Shampur 0 Modhupur Z 5 Parbatipur 50 N Sonapukur Badarganj 1 Chirirbandar Z5025 0 Ulipur Datbanga Govt Z5025 Pirgachha College R 5025 Simultala Laldangi 5 Z Kolahat Z 8 Kadamtali Biral Cantt.
    [Show full text]
  • Dhaka Division
    ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Dhaka Division Includes ¨ Why Go? Sonargaon ...........57 Enveloping the city of Dhaka, and including some desti- Dhamrai .............58 nations that make great day trips from the capital, Dhaka Mymensingh .........59 division stretches for more than 250km from south to north, reaching right up to the border with the Garo Hills in India. Around Mymensingh ..61 It’s a rural wonderland, comprising some 25,000 villages, and much of the region is given over to radiant rice paddies, filling your vision with more hues of green than you ever knew existed. A smattering of wonderfully romantic, slowly Best Places for decaying ruins also lends a historic air to the region, but it’s History the land in the far north of Dhaka division that has perhaps the greatest pull. Here, the green carpet of paddy fields gives ¨ Sonargaon (p57) way to dappled forests, great rivers and hilly panoramas, ¨ Mymensingh (p59) and the indigenous culture of the Garo people awaits the more adventurous traveller. Best Landscapes ¨ China Clay Hills (p62) ¨ Someswari River by Birisiri (p62) When to Go ¨ Sonargaon (p57) Mymensingh °C/°F Te mp Rainfall inches/mm 40/104 24/600 30/86 16/400 20/68 8/200 10/50 0/32 0 J FDM A M J J A S O N Oct–Mar The dry Jun & Jul Dham- Jun–Sep Mon- season means rai has chariot- soon brings boggy off-the-beaten- pulling during roads, but the track trips in the the Rath Jatra landscape is a far north. festival. sight in itself.
    [Show full text]
  • Trend, Variability and Relative Profitability of Spices in Bangladesh
    Bangladesh J. Agric. Econs. XVI, 1 (June 1993): 1-15 TREND, VARIABILITY AND RELATIVE PROFITABILITY OF SPICES IN BANGLADESH S. A. Sabur and Atiar Rahman Molla ABSTRACT The study examines the trend, annual and seasonal variability and relative profitability of spices in Bangladesh. All spices except turmeric and ginger show negative growth rates in production since independence. Production growth trend of all spices was lower compared with other food crops but it was reverse in case of nominal price trend. Real price remained more or less same during the study period. Production as well as price fluctuation were higher for onion and garlic and lower for ginger and turmeric. Price fluctuation is directly related to the production fluctuation. Seasonality mostly depends on the perishability of the product and seasonal price variation of spices decreased in the recent years. All the selected spices except coriander are more profitable compared with their competing crops except potato and lentil. On average, 82% of production, were sold during harvesting period. I. INTRODUCTION Bangladesh agriculture is still dominated by one crop, ie., rice. Seventy per cent of the cropped area is a under rice while all other crops compete for remaining 30 per cent of the cropped land (Appendix Table 2). For that reason, government of Bangladesh has placed special emphasis on the development of minor crops under crop diversification programme. But unfortunately, spices, the important minor crops, which have important role in generating farmers' income, creating employment opportunities and earning foreign exchange have not been included in this programme. Since spices need less irrigation water and about two thirds of cultivated land remain fallow during winter season, there is a great potential to expand the area and production of spices in Bangladesh.
    [Show full text]
  • Do Political Economy Factors Influence Funding Allocations for Disaster Risk Reduction?
    Journal of Risk and Financial Management Article Do Political Economy Factors Influence Funding Allocations for Disaster Risk Reduction? Shafiqul Islam 1,*, Khondker Mohammad Zobair 2, Cordia Chu 3, James C. R. Smart 1 and Md Samsul Alam 4 1 School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia; j.smart@griffith.edu.au 2 Business School, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia; k.zobair@griffith.edu.au 3 Centre for Environment and Population Health, School of Medicine, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia; c.chu@griffith.edu.au 4 Leicester Castle Business School, De Montfort University, Leicester LE1 9BH, UK; [email protected] * Correspondence: shafiqul.islam@griffithuni.edu.au Abstract: Considering the importance of political economy in implementing Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), this research investigates the significance of political economy in the distribution of DRR funding in Bangladesh. The study analysed data from self-reported surveys from 133 members of the sub-district level disaster management committee and government officials working with DRR. Employing the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method, we find that political economy factors explain 68% of the variance in funding allocations. We also show that four categories of political economy factors—power and authority, interest and incentives, institutions, and values and ideas—are significantly influential over the distribution of DRR funding across subdistricts of Bangladesh. Our findings offer important policy implications to reduce the potential risks surrounding political economy influences in fund allocation and advance climate Citation: Islam, Shafiqul, Khondker finance literature. Mohammad Zobair, Cordia Chu, James C. R.
    [Show full text]
  • Effects of Flood Mitigation Measure: Lessons from Dhaka Flood Protection Project, Bangladesh
    Vol. 24, No. 6 Asian Profile December, 1996 Effects of Flood Mitigation Measure: Lessons from Dhaka Flood Protection Project, Bangladesh BHUIYAN MONWAR ALAM Research Associate LETECIA N. DAMOLE Research Associate and EBEL WICKRAMANAYAKE Associate Professor Regional & Rural Development Planning Human Settlements Development Program School of Environment, Resources and Development Asian Institute of Technology Bangkok, Thailand Introduction Although, Bangladesh is subjected to perpetual floods every year, she suffered two of the most serious and devastating floods on record in 1987 and 1988 which lasted from later part of August to first part of September. Vast areas of the country including the Capital City of Dhaka with a population of about 4.8 million were flooded to an unprecedented degree with flood levels 1.5 m higher than normal for periods up to four weeks. In Dhaka City, it is estimated that about 200 sq km (77 per cent of the total area of 260 sq km) was submerged to depths ranging from 0.3 m to over 4.5 m (FAP 8B, 1991). About 2.4 million people (50 per cent of the city population) were directly affected by these floods. Conservative estimates of the floods suggest that loss due to annual flood is about TkI 250 milhon, and the damages to a 10-year (return period) flood and a 40-year (return period) flood are Tk 530 million and Tk 750 million, respectively (Bangladesh Water Development Board, Undated). Following the floods of 1988 the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) established a National Flood Protection Committee in October 1988 which proposed to build a system comprising of embankments and flood walls around Dhaka City to protect the intrusion of flood water from the surrounding rivers and drain out the internal water caused by rainfall.
    [Show full text]
  • The False Premise of Partition
    This article was downloaded by: [Reece Jones] On: 18 August 2014, At: 16:30 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Space and Polity Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/cspp20 The false premise of partition Reece Jonesa a Department of Geography, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 2424 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA Published online: 12 Aug 2014. To cite this article: Reece Jones (2014): The false premise of partition, Space and Polity, DOI: 10.1080/13562576.2014.932154 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13562576.2014.932154 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content.
    [Show full text]
  • IPP: Bangladesh: Second Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development Project
    Second Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development Project (RRP BAN 42248) Indigenous Peoples Plan March 2011 BAN: Second Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development Project Prepared by ANZDEC Ltd for the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs and Asian Development Bank. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (as of 16 March 2011) Currency unit – taka (Tk) Tk1.00 = $0.0140 $1.00 = Tk71.56 ABBREVIATIONS ADB – Asian Development Bank ADR – alternative dispute resolution AP – affected person CHT – Chittagong Hill Tracts CHTDF – Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Facility CHTRC – Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council CHTRDP – Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development Project CI – community infrastructure DC – deputy commissioner DPMO – district project management office GOB – Government of Bangladesh GPS – global positioning system GRC – grievance redress committee HDC – hill district council INGO – implementing NGO IP – indigenous people IPP – indigenous peoples plan LARF – land acquisition and resettlement framework LCS – labor contracting society LGED – Local Government Engineering Department MAD – micro agribusiness development MIS – management information system MOCHTA – Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs NOTE (i) In this report, "$" refers to US dollars. This indigenous peoples plan is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. 1 CONTENTS Page A. Executive Summary 3 B.
    [Show full text]
  • Bangladesh Jobs Diagnostic.” World Bank, Washington, DC
    JOBS SERIES Public Disclosure Authorized Issue No. 9 Public Disclosure Authorized DIAGNOSTIC BANGLADESH Public Disclosure Authorized Main Report Public Disclosure Authorized JOBS DIAGNOSTIC BANGLADESH Thomas Farole, Yoonyoung Cho, Laurent Bossavie, and Reyes Aterido Main Report © 2017 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank. 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA. Telephone: 202-473-1000; Internet: www.worldbank.org. Some rights reserved This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the govern- ments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. Nothing herein shall constitute or be considered to be a limitation upon or waiver of the privileges and immunities of The World Bank, all of which are specifically reserved. Rights and Permissions This work is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO license (CC BY 3.0 IGO) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo. Under the Creative Commons Attribution license, you are free to copy, distribute, transmit, and adapt this work, including for commercial purposes, under the following conditions: Attribution—Please cite the work as follows: Thomas Farole, Yoonyoung Cho, Laurent Bossavie, and Reyes Aterido.
    [Show full text]
  • 2.Conference-APP Disaster Impact on Sundarbans
    IMPACT: International Journal of Research in Applied, Natural and Social Sciences (IMPACT: IJRANSS) ISSN(P): 2347-4580; ISSN(E): 2321-8851 Special Edition, Sep 2016, 5-12 © Impact Journals DISASTER IMPACT ON SUNDARBANS - A CASE STUDY ON SIDR AFFECTED AREA MOHAMMAD ZAKIR HOSSAIN KHAN Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies, Dhaka University, Bangladesh ABSTRACT The primary indicators of environmental sustainability is the biodiversity and its conservation stated by Kates et al. (2001), whereas the assessment of biomass and floristic diversity in tropical forests has been identified as a priority by many international organizations stated by Stork et al. (1997). Cyclone ‘Sidr’, a tropical cyclone, was one of the biggest cyclones in the history of Bangladesh, formed in the central Bay of Bengal hit the coast of Bangladesh in 2007 and it made landfall on 15th of November with peaking wind speed of over 260 km/h. It resulted in an estimated 4,000 human deaths and the displacement of over 3 million people stated by US Embassy Dhaka (2007). The most significant devastating impact it left behind is on the diversity of flora of the Sundarbans. One quarter of the biomass cover (which is approximately 2500 sq. km) of the Sundarbans mangrove forest was damaged by the storm directly or indirectly due to the tidal surge stated by CEGIS (2007). The study shows that the total forest area damaged by the cyclone Sidr was about 21% of the Sundarbans. It was found that highly affected forest areas were dominated by Keora ( Sonneratia apetala ). Trees of Keora are comparatively taller more than 15 m and grow on newly accreted forest land.
    [Show full text]
  • Bangladesh – Hindus – Awami League – Bengali Language
    Refugee Review Tribunal AUSTRALIA RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE Research Response Number: BGD30821 Country: Bangladesh Date: 8 November 2006 Keywords: Bangladesh – Hindus – Awami League – Bengali language This response was prepared by the Country Research Section of the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the RRT within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Questions 1. Are Hindus a minority religion in Bangladesh? 2. How are religious minorities, notably Hindus, treated in Bangladesh? 3. Is the Awami League traditionally supported by the Hindus in Bangladesh? 4. Are Hindu supporters of the Awami League discriminated against and if so, by whom? 5. Are there parts of Bangladesh where Hindus enjoy more safety? 6. Is Bengali the language of Bangladeshis? RESPONSE 1. Are Hindus a minority religion in Bangladesh? Hindus constitute approximately 10 percent of the population in Bangladesh making them a religious minority. Sunni Muslims constitute around 88 percent of the population and Buddhists and Christians make up the remainder of the religious minorities. The Hindu minority in Bangladesh has progressively diminished since partition in 1947 from approximately 25 percent of the population to its current 10 percent (US Department of State 2006, International Religious Freedom Report for 2006 – Bangladesh, 15 September – Attachment 1). 2. How are religious minorities, notably Hindus, treated in Bangladesh? In general, minorities in Bangladesh have been consistently mistreated by the government and Islamist extremists. Specific discrimination against the Hindu minority intensified immediately following the 2001 national elections when the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) gained victory with its four-party coalition government, including two Islamic parties.
    [Show full text]
  • Bangladesh Needs Assessment Working Group (NAWG) Report on Landslides
    Bangladesh Needs Assessment Working Group (NAWG) Report on Landslides Landslides, Bangladesh, June 2017 Report date: 19 June 2017 (Source: UNICEF) Md. Yousuf Ali, Director-MIM, DDM, Email: [email protected] Contact for Inquiries: Arshad Muhammad, Assistant Country Director – Programs , CARE, Email: [email protected] Landslides, Bangladesh June 2017 Contents Contents 2 Background 3 Key Findings 4 Context of the Affected Area 6 Key characteristics of the affected districts by the landslides 8 Situation Overview 10 Detailed Findings 15 Access and Infrastructure 15 Communication 16 Child Protection 18 Education 19 Food Security 20 Livelihoods and Income 20 Gender Based Violence 21 Gender 23 Health 23 Market 25 Nutrition 26 Shelter 27 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) 28 Annex A: Affected people per Upazila 30 2 Landslides, Bangladesh June 2017 Background On June 13th the districts of Bandarban, Chittagong, Rangamati, Khagrachari and Cox’s Bazaar suffered from possibly the deadliest landslides in their history. The disaster killed an estimated 160 persons, including 115 persons in Rangamati alone. According to the Chittagong Divisional Health Office Control Room Report, a total of 187 injured persons were admitted in local level hospitals. Approximately 85% of patients were admitted in Rangamati. While landslide related disaster occurs nearly every year, the second highest death toll of 127 deceased persons was recorded in 2007 [Disaster Forum, June 2017]. Monsoon rains caused severe flooding in low-lying areas to significantly damage road and communication infrastructure. Flood water rendered remote communities in Bandarban, Chittagong, and Rangamati districts were inaccessible by road. On June 14th, mudslides in southeast Bangladesh claimed additional lives in Cox's Bazaar and Khagrachari districts to further damage homes and infrastructure.
    [Show full text]
  • Bangladesh Is Located on a Geographic Location That Is Very
    P1.86 A CLIMATOLOGICAL STUDY ON THE LANDFALLING TROPICAL CYCLONES OF BANGLADESH Tanveerul Islam and Richard E. Peterson* Wind Science and Engineering Research Center Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 1. INTRODUCTION data and tracks for North Indian Ocean which includes of course the whole Bay of Bengal, the data is not easily Bangladesh lying between 20○34/ N and 26○38/ obtained. It is not clear whether Bangladesh N latitude, and with a 724 km long coast line is highly Meteorological Department has the records of land vulnerable to tropical cyclones and associated storm falling tropical cyclones in the Bangladesh coast, as surge. Bangladesh has experienced two of the most they did not respond to emails and no literature has deadly cyclones of the last century, one was in 1970 been found mentioning them as a source. So, the Joint and the other was some 20 years later in 1991. The Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) at Guam is the only former was the deadliest in the cyclone history with other source that keeps record for that area and gives it death count reached over 300,000. Bangladesh is the free of charge for the users. Using their data and some most densely populated country of the world with a from National Hurricane Center, Fleet Numerical density of 2,200 people per square mile, and most of the Meteorology and Oceanography Detachment (FNMOC) people are very poor. So, it is understandable that a prepared an online version software-Global Tropical large number of people inhabit the coastal areas and Cyclone Climatic Atlas (GTCCA Version 1.0), where all these people are always affected by windstorms and tropical cyclone data and tracks are listed for all the storm surge with lesser resilience due to poverty basins from as early as 1842.
    [Show full text]