Working Area and target People

Working Area

  • District: Gaibandha, Rangpur, and Dinajpur

  • Upazia: 10 (Sadar, Gobindaganj, Sadullapur, Sundarganj, Fulchari, Shaghata of Gaibandha district, Pirgonj of Rangpur district, Ghoraghat, Nawabganj and Birampur Upazillas of Dinajpur district)

  • Union: 36

  • Beneficiaries: 20,000 (±)

Main target groups

Ethnic Minority, Dalits, Char Community and Ultra poor people.

Context of the  Working areas

Situation of Ethnic Minorities

4 million indigenous people in Bangladesh are oppressed and excluded. The ethnic minorities population is comparatively higher but secluded in the working districts.  Of the 58 upazilas in the Rangpur division, 21 have ethnic minorities (adivasis) include Santal, Oraon, Pahari, Barman, Koch, Mahali, Mahato and Rajbangshi among others. These ethnic groups are in inhuman and marginalized condition, secluded and have no self-confidence. A large share of the ethnic minorities in the proposed location belongs to the extreme poor, which means low consumption, hunger and malnutrition (<1,600 kcal/day), illiteracy, as well as lack of access to education, health services, conventional micro-credits and safety-net support. Ethnic minorities are deprived of their rights to land, forest, other natural resources, customs, traditions and self-determination. They have been evicted from their traditional homes and lands and are forced to work as agricultural day laborers. In the location, unemployment is high and ethnic minorities are affected by severe seasonal food insecurity. As their skills are limited to agricultural work they do not have access to income for more than 6 months a year. Due to smaller number, the rights and legal aspects of these communities are often neglected and they are deprived of fair justice and legal system.There is also structural and physical violence against them often supported by political miscreants. Especially their land is taken away and they are facing multiple discrimination. Ethnic minorities are very often also excluded from development activities of NGOs. Because of self-exclusion as well as institutional negligence to these downtrodden communities, the government institutions are also beyond the access of them.There is almost no political representation of ethnic minorities as well as no provision of consultative prerogatives at any administrative level neither for participation in political processes nor for development programs. The women experience a triple marginalization: as women, as ethnic minorities and as extreme poor.

Situation of Dalit Community

The dalits(e.g. Horizons, Rabidas, Patni, Dome, Chandal, etc) and schedule caste fishermen are living in scatter throughout the region but in small numbers. Almost 200 hundreds years back, this Horizon Community were brought by the then ruler east India company on behalf of British government in this  part of then India  by giving assurance that they would get better job and remuneration. But when they came in this part (now Bangladesh), they found that the activities to be performed are treated as “Chotoloker Kaj” or odd job. As they are small in number and secluded, and have no self-confidence. They are living in an inhuman and congested condition. Livelihood situation of these people are the worst. The sufferings of women and children are no bounds and difficult to state in black and white. The rights of the people particularly Horizon/dalit, and schedule caste fishermen of Gaibandha district are often violated as they are very less in numbers. It seems that these people are stateless. They are not getting benefits as a dignified citizen of the country. They are treated with inhuman behavior and attitudes in the prevailing social, economic and environmental contexts.

River based livelihood

“River erodes one bank and constructs the other bank – this is the play of river.” Among 58 sub-districts (Upazilas), 22 are lying with the Teesta and Brahmaputra rivers. Moreover, 74 large to small rivers are passing through the division. These rivers have great influence in the lives of people. Flash flood and river erosion are the parts and parcel of the lives of river islands people as well as sheltered people in the embankment due to river erosion.   The livelihoods are vulnerable due to river erosion, flood and other effects of  climatic change. In Gaibandha, Rangpur, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat district, there are lots of chars of different sizes in the river. In these Chars and adjacent areas are the poorest districts in Bangladesh, where more than 60% people are living below poverty line.  The living conditions on the chars are ruthless. The land can only be reached by boat and foot. The people living there are exposed to nature. Due to geo-political circumstances, sometimes rivers also dried up. For both the reason, the livelihoods of people become seriously hampered. Diversity of markets and services are weak on the chars. Healthcare, education and other services are typically absent or severely underdeveloped. The local economy is principally agricultural, resulting in few income opportunities for residents. It is very hot in summer and cold in winter. The soils are relatively high sandy with relatively low contents of organic materials, which causes low fertility compared to mainland. Individual and household mobility is high and displacement is common in char’s areas. Fragile physical environment, limited assets, reduced income opportunities, remoteness and absence of government institutions and services together make char dwellers’ livelihoods vulnerable particularly to extreme poverty and destitutions.  The women are triple marginalized as they are poor, women and lack access to different services and resources. Among them, Chars communities are more vulnerable. The workings unions of the selected Upazilas are far away from district headquarter and de-linked due to rivers.  The areas are hard to reach due to sandy chars and river erosion.

Situation of Ultra/extreme poor

There are 47 million people (around 33% of the population) are poor in Bangladesh. Out of them, 12.6% are ultra poor as per government of Bangladesh. Among the river erosion affected and river island’s people, indigenous people and female headed household (HHs) the percentage of ultra-poverty is much higher (e.g. 40% of all female headed HHs are ultra-poor in Bangladesh). Women get less food than men. Protein and micronutrient deficient mothers give birth to underweight children. Ultra-poor are the primary victims of rising food prices since they spend more than 80% of their income for food.  Following the poverty map of WFP/GoB, the general prevalence of extreme poverty in the selected Upazilas is 31%-55%against the national average 28.6%. The Upazilas are in the most shocking condition regarding stunting (40-60%), and underweight children (51-56%). Among the ultra poor, there is a group of people without male income earner. They are getting even less income and are more vulnerable. These are female headed households, elderly people and families with persons with disabilities. 

Natural Disaster

Bangladesh is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world.  Increased frequency of natural disasters disrupts lives and livelihoods and exacerbates food insecurity. Increasing trend of drought and cold wave in the northern part is another climatic hazard. In the northern parts of Bangladesh, riverbank erosion also claims many homes with their property, assets and belongings, making them destitute. They are living in the embankments. Women and children are particularly vulnerable during emergencies such as natural disasters, which are unfortunately a common occurrence in Bangladesh. Women’s restricted decision making power and mobility puts them at increased risk of injury or death during cyclones or floods. For instance, an astonishing 90% of the deaths in Bangladesh’s 1991 cyclone were among women. Protection issues also often arise after natural disasters, because normal care mechanisms break down and women and children may not have the security offered by their usual shelter. These factors can put women at increased risk.

ABALAMBAN has a good track record in favour of establishing rights of these groups of people. ABALAMBAN has chosen these rights oppressed people as the target of the proposed project.