Southwest Area Integrated Water Resources Management Project

Social Monitoring Report

Project No.34418-013 Semesterial Report December 2014

BAN: Southwest Area Integrated Water Resources Management Project

Southwest Area Integrated Water Resources Planning and Management

Prepared by Bangladesh Water Development Board for the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Asian Development Bank.

This social monitoring 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

Ministry of Water Resources

Bangladesh Water Development Board

SOUTHWEST AREA

Integrated Water Resources Planning and Management Project

Bangladesh Water Development Board

ADB Loan 2200-BAN (SF) / GON Grant 0036 BAN

SOCIAL SAFEGUARD REPORT

Period: January- December, 2014

Abbreviation

ADB : Asian Development Bank APs : Affected Persons BBCS : Bartika Beacon Consultancy Services Ltd. BWDB : Bangladesh Water Development Board CCL : Cash Compensation under Law CBSP : Chenchuri Beel Sub-Project DC : Deputy Commissioner EP : Entitled Person EP : Eligible Person FG : Focus Group FGD : Focus Group Discussion GOB : Government of Bangladesh GRC : Grievance Redress Committee HH : Household IA : Implementation Agency IGP : Income Generation Program ILR : Income and Livelihood Restoration (ILR) Program INGO : Implementing Non-Government Organization IWMP : Integrated Water Management Plan ISPM : Institutional Strengthening and Project Management Support JVT : Joint Verification Team LRP : Land Resettlement Plan LAO : Land Acquisition Officer OE : Old Embankment MARV : Maximum Allowable Replacement Value NGO : Non-Government Organization PAP : Project Affected Person PD : Project Director PMO : Project Management Office PVAT : Property Valuation Advisory Team RAC : Resettlement Advisory Committee RF : Resettlement Framework ROW : Right of Way RAP : Resettlement Action Plan RB : Resettlement Benefit RC : Resettlement Coordinator RU : Resettlement Unit SDE : Sub-Divisional Engineer SES : Socio-economic Survey SMO : Sub-Project Management Office SP : Sub-Project SWAIWRPMP : Southwest Area Integrated Water Resources Planning and Management Project TG : Transfer Grant TOR : Terms of Reference UP : Union Parisad Exn. : Executive Engineer

III

Glossary of Terms

Affected Person (AP): includes any person, affected households (AHs), firms or private institutions who, on account of changes that result from the project will have their (i) standard of living adversely affected; (ii) right, title, or interest in any house, land (including residential, commercial, agricultural, forest, and/or grazing land), water resources, or any other moveable or fixed assets acquired, possessed, restricted, or otherwise adversely affected, in full or in part, permanently or temporarily; and/or (iii) business, occupation, place of work or residence, or habitat adversely affected, with physical or economic displacement.

Assistance: means support, rehabilitation and restoration measures extended in cash and/or kind over and above the compensation for lost assets.

Awardee: means the person with interests in land to be acquired by the project after their ownership of said land has been confirmed by the respective Deputy Commissioner's office as well as persons with interests in other assets to be acquired by the project. Compensation for acquired assets is provided to ‘awardees’ through notification under Section 7 of the Land Acquisition Ordinance.

Compensation: means payment in cash or kind for an asset to be acquired or affected by a project at replacement cost at current market value.

Cut-off date: means the date after which eligibility for compensation or resettlement assistance will not be considered is the cut-off date. Date of service of notice under Section 3 of Land Acquisition Ordinance is considered to be the cut-off date for recognition of legal compensation and the start date of carrying out the census/inventory of losses is considered as the cut of date for eligibility of resettlement benefits.

Displaced Person (DP): includes any person, households (AHs), firms or private institutions who, on account of changes that result from the project will have their (i) standard of living adversely affected; (ii) right, title, or interest in any house, land (including residential, commercial, agricultural, forest, and/or grazing land), water resources, or any other moveable or fixed assets acquired, possessed, restricted, or otherwise adversely affected, in full or in part, permanently or temporarily; and/or (iii) business, occupation, place of work or residence, or habitat adversely affected, with physical or economic displacement.

Encroachers: mean those people who move into the project area after the cut-off date and are therefore not eligible for compensation or other rehabilitation measures provided by the project. The term also refers to those extending attached private land into public land or constructed structure on public land for only renting out.

Entitlement: means the range of measures comprising cash or kind compensation, relocation cost, income restoration assistance, transfer assistance, income substitution, and business restoration which are due to AHs, depending on the type and degree /nature of][\their losses, to restore their social and economic base.

Eminent Domain: means the regulatory authority of the Government to obtain land for public purpose/interest or use as described in the 1982 Ordinance and Land Acquisition Law.

Household: A household includes all persons living and eating together (sharing the same kitchen and cooking food together as a single-family unit).

Inventory of losses: means the pre-appraisal inventory of assets as a preliminary record of affected or lost assets.

Non-titled: means those who have no recognizable rights or claims to the land that they are occupying and includes people using private or public land without permission, permit or grant i.e. those people without legal title to land and/or structures occupied or used by them. ADB’s policy explicitly states that such people cannot be denied resettlement assistance.

Project: means re-sectioning work at Singia to Siddhipasha section (11.90km) of the embankment under Narail Sub-project of Southwest Area Integrated Water Resources Planning and Management Project funded jointly by Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Government of Netherlands.

Project Affected Units (PAUs): combines residential households (HHs), commercial and business enterprises (CBEs), common property resources (CPRs) and other affected entities as a whole.

Project Affected Family: includes residential households and commercial & business enterprises except CPRs.

Relocation: means displacement or physical moving of the DPs from the affected area to a new area/site and rebuilding homes, infrastructure, provision of assets, including productive land/employment and re-establishing income, livelihoods, living and social systems.

Replacement cost: means the value of assets to replace the loss at current market price, or its nearest equivalent, and is the amount of cash or kind needed to replace an asset in its existing condition, without deduction of transaction costs or for any material salvaged.

Resettlement: means mitigation of all the impacts associated with land acquisition including restriction of access to, or use of land, acquisition of assets, or impacts on income generation as a result of land acquisition.

Significant impact: means where 200 or more DPs suffer a loss of 10% or more of productive assets (income generating) or physical displacement.

Squatters: means the same as non-titled and includes households, business and common establishments on land owned by the State. Under the project this includes land on part of the crest and slopes of flood control embankments, and similar areas of the drainage channels.

Structures: mean all buildings including primary and secondary structures including houses and ancillary buildings, commercial enterprises, living quarters, community facilities and infrastructures, shops, businesses, fences, and walls, tube wells latrines etc.

Vulnerable Households: means households that are (i) headed by single woman or woman with dependents and low incomes; (ii) headed by elderly/ disabled people without means of support; (iii) households that fall on or below the poverty line;1 (iv) households of indigenous population or ethnic minority; and (v) households of low social group or caste.

1 The poverty lines (updated for 2008)

Executive Summary

Description of the Project:

1. The SWAIWRPM Project is under implementation with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Loan No. 2200 BAN (SF) and through a Grant (0036 BAN) of the Government of The Royal Netherlands. This has been executing two subprojects in compliance with the contract agreement concluded on 15 January 2007 between the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and a consortium of consultancy firms consisting of DHV BV of The Netherlands, and Dev Consultants Ltd., Kranti Associates Ltd and DPMC Ltd of Bangladesh (further referred to as “the Consultant”) relating to the provision of Institutional Strengthening and Project Management related consultancy services for the “Southwest Area Integrated Water Resources Planning and Management Project”.

2. The main objective for rehabilitation of the sub-project is to increase agriculture production, farm incomes and employment opportunities by improving water management facilities and the capabilities of the beneficiaries to manage the facilities. The improved facilities will be made effective by controlled flooding and drainage through compartmentalization.

3. The PPTA Study in phase-II selected Narail and Chenchuri Beel sub-project for necessary development pertinent to the objectives of the project. There was no activity during the period referred to. The figures and achievements are as of June, 2013 and is the final figure for the project.

4. The Chenchuri Beel Sub-project (CBSP)is one of the two sample IWMPs prepared under the PPTA and Navoganga and Chitra rivers surround it. Gross area of the Chenchuri beel subproject is 25,560 ha out of which net area is 17,900 ha. The original idea behind the Chehchuri Beel Subproject was to provide flood control and drainage to Narail Sadar, Lohagora and Kalia upazilas and Naragati thana under Narail district to increase agricultural production by increasing the cropping intensity from about 190% to approximately 220%. Existing interventions of the project are full flood protection embankment (86km), drainage canal (192 km) and 8 regulators of different sizes of which Pateswari regulator is the biggest having 10 vents .

5. A Resettlement Plan (RP) was prepared for 19.020 km embankment under chenchuri beel sub-project in 5 different locations i.e. Islampur to Chandler Char 4.47 km (Chainage (Ch) 59.130 km -63.600 km) Burikhali (Noagram) 0.70 km (Ch 70.245 km-70.945 km), Baze Babra- Burikhali 7.06 km (Ch 71.855 km-78.915 km) Satbaria to Pateswari 4.65 km (Ch 78.915 km - 83.565 km and Purulia-Bagdanga 2.140 km (Ch 93.96km-96.00 km & 0.000-0.10) The total 19.02 km embankment under this RP runs through 13 villages (Mohishkula, Pateswari, Satbaria, Peruli, Burikhali, Sumerukhola, Parbil Bows, Telidanga, Chandler Char, Gobradanga, Noya Maoli, Char Katasora, Bagdanga) under 5 Union (Peruli, Maoli, Purulia, Vadrabila and Chachuri) of 2 Upazila (Kalia and Narail Sadar) and a Thana (Naragati) under Narail district.

6. Plan for LRP for re-sectioning of 20 km of embankment in CSP. A LRP was prepared for 5 stretches in Chenchuri Beel Sub Project but it was not required as the re-sectioning work was done avoiding the displacement of the squatters and their temporary structures by mutual agreement.

7. The Narail Sub-project (NSP) is one of the two sample IWMPs prepared under the PPTA that surrounded by the rivers Navoganga and Chitra. The original idea behind the Narail Beel Subproject was to provide flood control and drainage to Narail Sadar Upazila, Ovoynagar Upazila of Jessore district, to develop agricultural production by increasing the cropping intensity from about 190% to approximately 220%.

8. A Resettlement Plan (RP) was prepared for 11.90 km embankment under Narail subproject (Km1.25 to 1.735=0.485km, Km1.801 to 4.616=2.815km, Km5.871to 6.671=0.800km, Km16.200 to 22.00=5.800km, and Km22.00 to 24.00=2.00km) falling under two upazilas, viz. Narail Sadar Upaziula of Narail district and Ovoynagar Upazila of Jessore district. The total 11.90 km embankment under this RP runs through 11 villages of 7 are under Ovoynagar Upazila of Jessore district (Siddipasha Joyrabad, Ramnagar, Nolamara, Amtola Digholiarabad and Chandrapur) and 4 villages under Narail Sadar Upazila of Narail district (Tarapur, Sholpur, Chunkhola, Singasholpur).

9. Plan for LRP for re-sectioning of 12 km of embankment in NSP (in between Singa to Siddipasha). For a stretch of 2 km, re-sectioning work was done by compensating to the squatters for shifting the 11 nos. temporary structures owned by squatters following LR policy. The remaining length of NSP for which LRP was done and approved by ADB, however, was not required as LGED upgraded and surfaced the remaining length of embankment under their own Programme funded by GoB.

Land Acquisition and Resettlement: CBSP & NSP

10. The project complied with the procedures for involuntary resettlement. Land Resettlement Plans were be prepared wherever land is acquired for new constructions (like retired embankment at Chanderchar and Noagram) or whenever dwellers (on BWDB property) need to be relocated in the context of re-sectioning of embankment (planned in both NSP and CSP).

11. A resettlement framework had been prepared, including an “Entitlement Matrix” to ensure that if resettlement needs were identified and the project followed the procedures for involuntary resettlement in compliance with GOB applicable laws and regulations and existing ADB policies on “Involuntary Resettlement (1995)” and the “Handbook on Resettlement (1998)”. In any case, the identification of the affected populations and consultations with them had been conducted as a routine activity of local people consultation process, mainly by the BWDB officials in cooperation with the other relevant government agencies. Consultant assisted systematically in all cases (but is obviously not entitled to do any negotiations with the local people).

12. Under the project in CBSP at two stretches namely, Chandler char and Noagram, where the embankment was about to be engulfed, and to save the project area from retired embankment was planned and work of Socio-economic survey and other survey was conducted and resettlement plan prepared and was implemented before taking up the construction of the retired embankment on emergency basis.

LRP for retired embankment at Chanderchar and Noagram

13. The land on the proposed location of the retired embankment had been acquired by BWDB. A LRP was prepared (2008) during the acquisition process, and after approval by ADB it

3 was implemented by an NGO (June 2008-July 2009, namely, Bartika Beacon Consultancy Services Ltd. (BBCS) ). After the NGO completed its assignment there were a number of payments due. They were delayed because of change of ownership, departure of an owner and demise of an owner.

14. The RP for embankment re-sectioning in CBSP at 5 points was approved by BWDB and ADB in September to October 2011. The recruitment of the NGO for RP implementation had not been done as re-sectioning work was done by LGED under their own Programme funded by GoB. Some information on the affected lands and affected persons are shown in tables below:

Table: Land Acquisition and associated impacts.

Location Name of Quantum No. Affected Affected Total Intervention of land Irrigation Trees HH Population acquired structure affected (Hectare) (STW) affected Noagram Retired 2.559 1 98 32 170 Embankment

Chanderchar Retired 4.137 2 - 64 268 Embankment Total 6.696 3 98 96 438

Table: Impacts on HH and extent of losses by land holding size

Land holding Chanderchar Noagram Total size (acre) HHs HH’s HHs HHs HH’s HHs HHs HH’s HHs losing with losing losing with losing losing with losing More than own 10% land land land more than own land more than own land 10% land land 10% land land 0.01-0.05 - 6 5 - - 11 0.06-0.10 - 11 - 2 - 13 0.11-0.25 - 8 - - 17 - - 25 - 0.26-0.50 - 3 - - 51-8 1 0.51-1.00 5 8 1 10 3 7 15 11 8 1.01-1.50 8 1 2 6 - 3 14 1 5 1.51-2.50 10 - 4 12 - 5 22 - 9 2.51-5.00 9 - 4 2 2 11 6 5.01+ 5 - 1 2 7 1 Total 37 37 12 32 32 18 69 69 30 Source: Socioeconomic survey, February 2008

The LRP has made provision for assistances to the HHs displaced from the ROW and to those who lost sources of livelihood.

Table: Occupation Profile of APs

Occupation Location Both Chanderchar Noagram Head of Head of Head of Population Population Population household household household M F Total M F Total M F Total Agriculture 29 (45.3) 44 01 45 16 (50.0) 24 00 24 45 (46.8) 68 1 69(15.7) Share- 27 (42.2) 27 0 27 0 0 0 0 27 (28.1) 27 0 27(6.2) cropper Service 0 8 1 9 4 (12.5) 7 0 7 4 (4.2) 15 1 16(3.7) Business 7 (10.9) 17 0 17 6 (18.7) 9 0 9 13 (13.5) 26 0 26(5.9) Household 0 1 72 73 0 0 43 43 0 1 115 116 Works (26.5) Driver 0 0 0 0 1 (3.1) 1 0 1 1(1.1) 1 0 1(0.2) Rickshaw 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 puller (1.6) (1.1) (0.2) Teacher 0 0 0 0 2 (6.3) 2 0 2 2 (2.1) 1 0 1(0.2) Dependent 0 4 4 8 0 3 1 4 0 8 5 13 (3.0) Children 0 11 12 23 0 5 11 16 0 16 23 39(8.9) Student 0 40 24 64 0 30 21 51 0 70 45 115(26.3) Others 0 1 0 1 3 (9.4) 11 2 13 3 (3.1) 12 2 14(3.2) All 64 (100) 154 114 268 32 92 78 170 96 (100) 246 192 438(100) Source: Socio-economic Survey, February. 2008 (Figures in parenthesis indicate percentage

Table: Economic Profiles of APs Household in Level of Income Chanderchar Noagram Total < 2500 2 2 2500 — 3600 18 2 20 3600 - 5000 18 3 21 >5000 26 27 53 All 64 32 96

The latest status of land compensation is shown below:

(a) Progress of payment of Cash Compensation under Law (CCL).-as of 30-06-2012

Location Type of Financial Physical Remarks loss Amount Amount paid Progre No No of Progress Payable ss (%) of EP (%) EP Paid Noagram Land, trees 3,853,289.00 3,853,289.00 100 30 30 100 The SDE, and crops CBSP, Chanderchar Land, and 2283821.05 2283821.05 100 32 32 100 BWDB crops affirmed the statement Total 6137110.05 6137110.05 100 62 62 100

The achievement is 100 % in financial term and in terms of Physical Progress it is also 100%.

(b) Progress of payment of Resettlement Benefits as of to date:

Location Type Financial Physical of loss Amount Amount paid Progress No No of Progress Remarks Payable (%) of EP (%) EP Paid Noagram Land, 809,602.00 799810.00 98.79 37 36 98.79 trees and crops Chanderchar Land, 3992150.64 3992150.64 100.00 50 50 100.00 and crops Total 4801752.64 47,91,960.64 99.80 87 86 99.80

15. In case of Noagram, One person ID no. 102#0039 have succession problem. He is not interested to get succession certificate from the court as a lengthy procedure compared to the compensation to be received. To hand over that amount, the succession certificate is essential and will remain unpaid. In case of Chanderchar, One person ID no. 205#0068 claim with necessary papers for stamp duty and land registration fee, has been compensated after verifying necessary papers

16. A Resettlement Specialist from ADB Mr. Biswanath Debnath, and Mr. Shahidul Alam visited the Chenchuri beel work site at Chanderchar and Noagram during January, 2011 and found that the implementation was done quite well but advised to review the procedure by an independent reviewer as per ADB’s policy.

17. As per advise of ADB’s Resettlement Specialist an Independent Reviewer, Mr. Siddiqur Rahman was engaged for reviewing the implementation of RP at the two locations in CBSP. He submitted his report in December; 2011.The report summary is given in next section.

18.

Summary report of third Party Independent Monitor

Introduction

19. BWDB appointed of the reviewer and advised him to proceed with the assignment through a formal agreement signed in the office of the Team Leader, ISPM Consultants, and Jessore on October 23, 2011. The Reviewer informally commenced work on 18.10.2011. To begin with the work, he visited the office of the Bartika Beacon Consultancy Services Ltd. (BBCS), the Implementing NGO (INGO) and met Mr. Ahmad Tajul Islam, Team Leader and Mr. Faruque Ahamed, CMIS Specialist and collected the following documents:

 Land Resettlement Plan (LRP), Chenchuri Beel Sub-project (Copy), April 2008  Quarterly Progress Reports, September 2008, April 2009 and June 2009 (Copy)  Government Notifications Constituting PVAT, JVT, GRC (Copy)  Information Brochure, October, 2008  ID Card, ID list, etc.

The BBCS assumed the work with the signing of an Agreement on May 28, 2008 for a period of 12 months. They started work on 1 June 2008.

20. Besides, the Reviewer, procured copies of the Monthly Progress Reports for September and October 2011 (Institutional Strengthening and Project Management Support) from Dhaka Liaison office of the ISPM Consultants. Later the Reviewer attended Jessore office of the Consult ants on 23.10.11 and formally commenced the Review work with the signing of an Agreement between SWAIWRPMP and the Independent Reviewer.

21. According to the LRP, the Ministry of Water Resources through the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), the Executive Agency (EA) is responsible for implementation of the LRP through setting up of a Resettlement Unit (RU) within the Project Management Office (PMO). The RU under the Project Director will undertake day to day activities with the appointed NGO and Consultants. The PMO will have one senior Executive Engineer as the CRO who will supervise implementation work supported by the Consultants. At field level, Resettlement Coordinator (RC) assigned for Chenchuri Beel Sub-Project Management Office (SMO), Narail would undertake day to day activities with the appointed IA.

Figure: Map of the Project area

Objectives of the review:

22. The overall objectives of this rehabilitation are to enhance economic growth of the project area. The following are Resettlement Assistances:

 Additional Grant for land to ensure replacement market value of land  Refund of Registration Cost  Cash grant equivalent to one year’s net income from asset to be determined by PVAT to the cultivator(s)  Cash grant equivalent to one year’s rental income to the owners of Associated land/structure assessed by PVAT  Three years Cash grant of Tk. 300 per decimal as transition allowance to land owner- cultivators  Three years Cash grant of Tk. 300 per decimal as transition allowance to tenants/share- croppers  Additional Cash grant of Tk. 5,000/= to head of affected HHs (Vulnerable).  Training allowance and credit facilities under Income Generation Program (IGP)  Support for Income and Livelihood Restoration (ILR) Program.

Reasons for non-payment of some Resettlement Benefits

23. In Noagram Section, only one EP is unpaid due to succession problem arising from the death of father in case of one EP; he first tried to obtain certificate from the court. SDE, CBSP advised him that he could get it from court. Later, he became reluctant on solving the issue. SDE, CBSP several times asked him whether he had collected the succession certificate from court or not. However, the EP refused to collect succession certificate and was thus was not been able to be paid the resettlement benefit.

24. In Chanderchar Section, all the EP’s was paid with resettlement benefit. One EP submitted registered deeds after buying land with resettlement benefit and claimed stamp duty and land registration fee. His claim was considered as per approved the Resettlement Plan (RP) and he was paid accordingly.

25. Some major observation made by the Independent Reviewer and the situation updated to date are stated below: :

1. The achievement in disbursement of CCL is 100% in both financial and physical terms, while in case of Resettlement Benefits it is 99.80% in financial terms and 98.85% in physical terms.

2. The BWDB is further committed to provide equivalent land nearby or the replacement value to the Affected Persons and provide assistance to APs for betterment of their economic condition . Note: Because of engulfment of the embankment adjacent to their land at the two places, the construction of the retired embankment was felt by all the beneficiaries of the project including the APs as an immediate measure for their survival, and the construction of retired embankment everybody were satisfied including the APs and as such no social problem arose and the concern did not arise.

26. To sum up, the economic condition of the APs shows upward trend in the post-work situation. According the pre-work survey, majority APs (55.2%) were well off having maximum income more than Tk 5000/month. In Post-work survey, 65% of the APs against 55% in Pre- work occupied the status of highest income group of above Tk. 18,500/= PM in case of Noagram and Tk. 9,300/= PM in case of Chanderchar against Tk. 18,200/= and Tk. 6,500/= PM respectively (on an average) in pre-project situation.

Execution of IGP and ILR Program Vis-a-Vis Extension of Operational Period of the IA

27. The Implementing Agency (IA) started work on 1.6.08 having been appointed for 12 months. The period expired on 31.05.09 when disbursement of Resettlement Benefits (RB) was not started. It began end July, 2009 although IA submitted indent for RB on 9.04.09 and Technical Proposal on ILR Program on 6.9.09. Therefore, the IA had a good ground to claim for an extension of project period. They submitted an Extension Proposal on 28.06.09 to render assistance in disbursing RB, and execution of ILR Program. However, time is not yet been barred. The reviewer recommended execution of the ILR program with the extension of operational period of IA for another period of six months.

Addressing some local Issues

28. The last but not the least, in course of reconnaissance survey, some local issues which need immediate remedial measures came to the knowledge of the reviewer. The matters although do not come within the purview of the reviewer’s TOR, yet he is obliged to focus the same to draw the attention of the BWDB authority.

Finding from Discussions, are:

(i) Request for undertaking loop cutting in Noagram “Char”; (ii) Extension of Chanderchar River Bank Revetment work at east end, and (iii) Construction of Flood Protection Embankment from Baraigram Ferry Ghat to starting point of Noagram Retired Embankment.

Over all Status of Re-sectioning of embankment leading to its pavement as Rural Road connectivity under the project.

29. In case of CBSP, at four stretches, where the embankment was declared free of any structure through socio-economic survey, were re-sectioned under the project. The remaining portions were carpeted along with strengthening by LGED through GoB fund under their rural road construction programme.

30. In case of NSP, out of 12 km of embankment to be re-sectioned, 2.00 km at the start was taken up during 2011-12. For that stretch, on conducting socio-economic survey and following compensation matrix, 4 temporary shops were identified and the compensation was paid as follows: 1. Tk. 17,600.00 2. Tk.11,120.00 3. Tk. 10,105.00 4. Tk. 14,600.00 TOTAL= Tk.53,425.00

31. Out of remaining 10.00 km, for a length of 6.00 km stretch, where the land was free of any structure, re-sectioning was carried out under the project. The remaining length was handed over to LGED, who carpeted the top of embankment with GoB fund under their normal rural road construction programme.

32. Lessons Learned:

a. River erosion victims are very much vulnerable and delay in disbursement of compensation to certain extent frustrates the objective of resettlement. So, timely disbursement of full payment (CCL and RB) at a time before displacement must be complied.

b. Approval of RP, Land Acquisition (LA) plan, constitution of different committee/ teams, approval of compensation budget and release of compensation fund should take place as per schedule.

c. LA schedule should be synchronized with the resettlement program so as to ensure disbursement of compensation (both CCL and Resettlement Benefit) simultaneously for enabling EPs to utilize the total compensation money prudently for replacement of lost assets.

d. All stipulation programs i.e., Tree Plantation, Social Development, Income Generation, etc. need to be clearly and fully expressed, their implementation emphasized and mandated in the Plan.

e. Systems need to be evolved to ensure that the Entitled Persons (EPs), both titled and non-titled, are paid their entitlements at a time before their displacement from the site.

f. Dispute resolution mechanism through the Grievance Redress Committee (GRC) should be adopted in any future policy guideline to make the implementation of RP transparent and accountable.

g. Formation of Resettlement Advisory Committee (RAC) during implementation stage to involve APs and various stakeholders in decision making process should also be mandated in the Plan.

h. The Independent Monitor should be engaged in time and the observation made be followed also in time.

Conclusion

33. The review asserts that the disbursement of compensation has generally been successful although some payments are still pending for various cogent grounds and Social Development Program as provided in LRP is yet to be implemented. The implementation is running behind the schedule.

34. The Project further provides several 'best practice' examples in resettlement management by encouraging community consultation and participation of Affected Persons (APs) in decision making process. Mitigation of loss of Assets and Restoration of Livelihood are the main focus of the Resettlement Plan. Social Development Program was there in LRP as an

11 innovative experiment to restore livelihood of APs. Hence it deserves to be implemented. These best practices need to be strongly emphasized and mandated in any future policy development.

35. Some strengths that are core elements of planning and the weaknesses which were badly experienced during implementation as discussed earlier deserve to be noted as 'Lessons Learned' for future and Recommendations there under require to be followed. All these are made to provide feedback into the formulation of new direction and procedures in future resettlement Policy development in Bangladesh.