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River island living
19 May 2008
Image courtesy of AFM Shamsuzzam/SW Multimedia
The Jamuna River in Bangladesh is the fifth largest river in the world. In the
Siranjganj area it is over 3.5 kilometres wide – but swells to over twice this width in
the flood season when it bursts its banks and floods the chars (or river
islands).
People living here are vulnerable to flooding and bank erosion. Chars only last
about 15 years - and even when a char is not completely destroyed families often
have to move as their land is submerged almost every year by flood water.
For now the solution is simple. Raising homesteads on plinths, above the flood
level, can provide some security and keep homes, possessions and livestock
relatively dry. And last year fewer than 2% of these raised houses were washed
away. But if these floods become more frequent and severe there will be a limit
to what more can be done.
This story was provided by the Chars Livelihood Programme.
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