Political Commitments and Aspirations of Grassroots Coastal Communities: a Micro-Level Study in Bangladesh

Mohammed Mamun Rashid^1,

¹Community Development Centre (CODEC) Plot No- 2, Road No-2, Lake Valley R/A Foy's Lake, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Cite this paper:
Mohammed Mamun Rashid. Political Commitments and Aspirations of Grassroots Coastal Communities: a Micro-Level Study in Bangladesh. American Journal of Rural Development. 2014; 2(2):24-33. doi: 10.12691/ajrd-2-2-2

Abstract

This paper attempts to find out perception of disadvantaged coastal communities about their lives and livelihoods. A total of 400 respondents were surveyed in 27 sub-districts by two sets of questionnaire. Coastal zone of Bangladesh comprises distinctive problems and prospects but relatively income-poor in comparison with rest of the country. Findings reveal that this zone offers immense potential for economic growth. This study finds that duration of Coastal Development Strategy (CDS) is ended in 2010; coastal people urge to revitalize a long-term comprehensive plan for coastal zone and mainstreaming with national & sub-national planning for escalating their well-beings. In concluding this paper, it is suggested to take special attention for coast by political leaders, policy makers, and other actors that will bring a bright and promising future of Bangladesh.

Keywords:
coastal communities manifesto parliamentary election political parties well-beings

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References:

[1]	Ahmed, A., 2011, ‘Some of the major environmental problems relating to land use changes in the coastal areas of Bangladesh: A review’, Journal of Geography and Regional Planning, Vol. 4 (1), viewed 20 August 2013, from
[2]	Alam, K., 1996, ‘Two fishing villages of Bangladesh: a community study’, PhD thesis, Department of Development and Planning, Aalborg University, Fibigerstraede 2, DK- 9220, Aalborg, Denmark.
[3]	Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics 2008, Preliminary Report of Agriculture Census 2008, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
[4]	Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics 2010, Household Income-Expenditure Survey 2010, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
[5]	Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics 2011, Population and Housing Census 2011, Statistics and Informatics Division, Ministry of Planning, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
[6]	Bangladesh Election Commission 2013, Parliamentary Elections, viewed 23 August 2013, from http://www.ecs.gov.bd/English/MenuTemplate1.php?Parameter_MenuID=19&ByDate=0&Year=
[7]	Bangladesh Parliament 2014, Tenure of All Parliaments, viewed 11 March 2014, from http://www.parliament.gov.bd/index.php/en/about-parliament/tenure-of-parliament
[8]	Bangladesh Police 2013, Metropolitan Police, viewed 10 September 2013, from http://www.police.gov.bd/content.php?id=282
[9]	Centre for Policy Dialogue, 2012, The Parliament of Bangladesh: Representation and Accountability, Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), House- 40/C, Road- 32, Dhanmondi R/A, Dhaka- 1209, Bangladesh.
[10]	International Organization for Migration, 2010, Assessing the evidence: Environment, climate change and migration in Bangladesh, Regional Office for South Asia, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh.
[11]	International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 2011, Sustainable Coastal Zone Management of Bangladesh: A scoping report for Mangroves for the Future, IUCN Bangladesh country office, House- 16, Road- 2/3, Banani, Dhaka- 1213, Bangladesh.
[12]	Islam, T. & Neelim, A., 2010, CLIMATE CHANGE IN BANGLADESH, A CLOSER LOOK INTO TEMPERATURE AND RAINFALL DATA, The University Press Limited, Bangladesh.
[13]	Khan, A.R., Khan, Y. & Ullah, M.S., 2012, Life and Livelihood Conditions of the Coastal Communities and Policies, Community Development Centre (CODEC), Chittagong, Bangladesh.
[14]	maplecroft.com, 2013, Climate Change Vulnerability Index 2013, viewed 26 August 2013, from http://maplecroft.com/portfolio/mapping/maplecroft/?initial_map_slug=cc_climate_change_vulnerability_2013
[15]	Ministry of Public Administration 2013, List of Upazila Nirbahi Officers, viewed 10 September 2013, from http://www.mopa.gov.bd/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=432&Itemid=486
[16]	Planning Commission of Bangladesh 2011, Sixth Five Year Plan, FY2011-FY2015, Accelerating Growth and Reducing Poverty, Ministry of Planning, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
[17]	Program Development Office for Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan (PDO-ICZMP) 2003, Delineation of the Coastal Zone, Water Resources Planning Organization (WARPO), Ministry of Water Resources, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
[18]	United Nations Development Programme, 2013, The Rise of the South: Human Progress in a Diverse World, Human Development Report, UNDP.
[19]	Water Resources Planning Organization 2005, Coastal Zone Policy 2005, Water Resources Planning Organization (WARPO), Ministry of Water Resources, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
[20]	Water Resources Planning Organization 2006, Coastal Development Strategy 2006, Water Resources Planning Organization (WARPO), Ministry of Water Resources, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
[21]	World Bank, 2013, Bangladesh Poverty Assessment: Assessing a Decade of Progress in Reducing Poverty, 2000-2010, The World Bank Office, Dhaka, Bangladesh.