Livelihood dynamics and hazard perception in a deltaic landscape: a hydrosocial assessment of riverbank erosion in the lower Meghna River, Bangladesh

Keywords: Bangladesh, riverbank erosion, hydrosocial landscape, hazard perception, deltaic geography
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Saturday
Session Start / End Time: 2/26/2022 02:00 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/26/2022 03:20 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 23

Abstract

The southern delta region of Bangladesh is a unique hydrosocial territory characterized by riverine dynamics and the ongoing hazard of riverbank erosion, both of which have shaped the livelihood strategies of the region’s riverside communities for generations. In recent years, the government of Bangladesh has sought to mitigate riverbank erosion through the construction of concrete revetments along selective segments of shoreline, resulting in a patchwork of protection that has altered the nature and spatial characteristics of the erosion hazard. In this paper, we present a case study of a recently-built concrete embankment along a 3.5 km stretch of shoreline in the lower Meghna River. Drawing on a series of semi-structured interviews, we examine the local livelihood impacts of the embankment and highlight the changing perceptions of residents. In particular, we show how the shoreline hardening has created a new and uneven landscape of hazard risk and livelihood opportunity along the river. More generally, we argue, our case study provides one example of the ways in which infrastructural practices shape hydrosocial territories in differential ways.