Springer Geography Advisory Editors Mitja Brilly, Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia Richard A. Davis, Department of Geology, School of Geosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA Nancy Hoalst-Pullen, Department of Geography and Anthropology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA Michael Leitner, Department of Geography and Anthropology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA Mark W. Patterson, Department of Geography and Anthropology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA Márton Veress, Department of Physical Geography, University of West Hungary, Szombathely, Hungary The Springer Geography series seeks to publish a broad portfolio of scientific books, aiming at researchers, students, and everyone interested in geographical research. The series includes peer-reviewed monographs, edited volumes, textbooks, and conference proceedings. It covers the major topics in geography and geographical sciences including, but not limited to; Economic Geography, Landscape and Urban Planning, Urban Geography, Physical Geography and Environmental Geography. Springer Geography—now indexed in Scopus More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/10180 Mohammad Zaman · Mustafa Alam Editors Living on the Edge Char Dwellers in Bangladesh Editors Mohammad Zaman Mustafa Alam Hohai University University of Dhaka Nanjing, China Dhaka, Bangladesh ISSN 2194-315X ISSN 2194-3168 (electronic) Springer Geography ISBN 978-3-030-73591-3 ISBN 978-3-030-73592-0 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73592-0 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland Char at a distance within a river (source www.dhakatribune.com) This book is dedicated to the teeming millions of riverine and coastal char dwellers in Bangladesh, who impress us with their resilience in ‘living on the edge’; to whom we owe an obligation of ensuring a life better than what they currently eke out. Preface The idea of this book triggered following a series of op-eds by Mohammad Zaman in the Financial Express, Dhaka (March–June 2019) on the plight of communities living in chars within the rivers of Bangladesh. Mustafa Alam, who earlier conducted extensive studies on chars under the aegis of the Flood Action Plan, followed up on the op-eds, suggesting we could together edit a book on the subject of chars in Bangladesh. We were both enthused by the idea and sent out a Call for Papers in June 2019, which received encouraging responses from many of our erstwhile colleagues and other professionals around the globe. It is gratifying to note that our initiative has brought together a multidisciplinary and global team of international and national experts, contributing chapters to the book on the diverse physical, environmental, socio-economic and institutional issues concerning chars in Bangladesh. We hope all this will prove valuable to academicians, policy planers and development practitioners alike. Looking back, compiling this volume was not an easy task. As editors, it was a challenge going through multiple levels of professional interaction with all so many authors, providing feedback on their drafts and pulling the net together at the end. This truly collaborative task was possible only because we received full and continuous support from all concerned in the entire process. We like to thank Jakia Akter and her Team at the Centre for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS) in Dhaka for producing a number of maps used in the introductory part of the book. We also want to thank Dr. Robert Doe, Editor of the Springer Series in Geography/Human-Environment Research, and the Springer Production Team Lead Rajan Muthu and Ritu Chandwani for their understanding support. Sadly, Hugh Brammer (1925–2021), one important contributor to the volume, died of COVID-19 in January 2021. A geographer and a soil scientist of repute, he had a deep love for Bangladesh, which he considered his second home. He was advisor to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)—Bangladesh. He will be remembered for his wisdom as well as his warmth and generosity. Our objective, and indeed, the driving force behind the book, has been to bring the isolated chars and char people into the forefront of development discourse in the ix x Preface country. We will consider our sincere effort in producing this volume a success only when this objective is met. Finally, our families and friends shouldered additional burdens in more ways than one during the stretch of time over which we prepared the manuscript of the book. We thank them all. Vancouver, B.C., Canada Mohammad Zaman Vancouver, B.C., Canada Mustafa Alam About This Book Panoramic view of charland in the dry season (source The Daily Star, Dhaka) In Bangladesh, the chars within the river channels are an important part of its land- scape. However, these land masses continue to remain isolated, deprived of services, and pockets of poverty in the country. The char dwellers are vulnerable to natural hazards like flood and erosion. In addition to these hazards, the coastal chars are faced with the imminent problem of widespread inundation due to sea level rise resulting from climate change. Within this context, the book Living on the Edge: Char Dwellers in Bangladesh has brought together valuable scholarship on the diverse issues relating to the chars and the communities living in there. This comprehensive collection, with contribution of experts on the subject from across the globe, provides an understanding of the xi xii About This Book problems faced by the char dwellers and also comes up with policy prescriptions for ensuring overall welfare of char communities in the country. Contents Part I Introduction 1 Background, Approach, and Issues ............................. 3 Mohammad Zaman and Mustafa Alam Part II The Delta and Charlands 2 The Delta Frontiers: History and Dynamics ...................... 15 Mohammad Zaman and Mustafa Alam 3 South Asian Chars as Destabilizers ............................. 25 Jenia Mukherjee and Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt 4 Dynamic Land and Adaptive People of Bengal Basin and Its Charland ..................................................... 41 C. Emdad Haque and Mohammad Jakariya 5 Char Dwellers’ Right to Development in Bangladesh ............. 57 Indrani Sigamany and Jay Drydyk Part III Chars in Bangladesh: The Geo-Physical Context 6 Geographical Perspectives on Riverbank Erosion, Charlands, and Floodplains ............................................... 73 Harun Rashid and Munshi Khaledur Rahman 7 Application of Remote Sensing to Study the Behavior and Dynamics of Riverine and Coastal Chars .................... 89 Iffat Huque, Maminul Haque Sarker, and Knut Oberhagemann 8 The Morphology of Riverine Chars ............................. 121 Knut Oberhagemann, Maminul Haque Sarker, and Iffat Huque 9 Formation and Dynamics of Coastal Chars in Bangladesh ......... 141 Maminul Haque Sarker, Jakia Akter, Iffat Huque, Knut Oberhagemann, and Md. Kamruzzaman Akand xiii xiv Contents 10 The Soils of Charlands in Bangladesh ........................... 167 Hugh Brammer 11 Evaluating Future Threats of Climate Change on Riverine and Coastal Chars ............................................ 185 Shampa, Anisul Haque, M. Ashiqur Rahman, Delowar Hossain, A. Alauddin Azad, and Samsunnahar Mita Part IV Flood and Erosion Disasters: Coping Strategies and Survival 12 Floods, Charland Erosions and Settlement Displacement in the Ganges-Padma River Basin .............................. 215 Shafi Noor Islam 13 Coping Strategies of People Displaced by Riverbank Erosion in the Lower Meghna Estuary .................................. 227 Bimal Kanti Paul, Munshi Khaledur Rahman, Thomas Crawford, Scott Curtis, Md. Giasuddin Miah, Rafiqul Islam, and Md. Sariful Islam 14 Role of NGOs in Post-Flood Rehabilitation in Chars .............. 241 Babul Hossain 15 Flood Proofing to Reduce the Vulnerability of Char Communities: Experiences and Future Directions ................ 253 Ian Tod and Monzu Morshed Part V Livelihood