Name of the Project: DISAPPEARING LANDS: Supporting Communities Affected by River Erosion
Location: Village Paschim Belkar Char, Gaibandha
Site Area: 2.21 Acres, 96317.24 sft
Built up area: 18,777.00 sft
Total number of accommodations: 46
Year of Commencement: April, 2004
Year of Completion: March, 2009
Cost: The project is financed by the Big Lottery Fund (BLF) of United Kingdom and Practical Action, with the grant of dollar 1.9 million on cost sharing basis (BLF contribution 59.3% and Practical Action contribution 40.7% of the total cost).
Photographs: Hasan Chandan, Ar. Sumon Mallick, Practical Action-Bangladesh, Getty Images
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Disappearing Land Project Team Members: J A Architects Design Ltd.: Practical Action-Bangladesh: Local NGOs: Awards: |
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In Bangladesh, river erosion is a frequent phenomenon. One bank is broken and char is produced on the other bank when the river’s current switches direction. The lives of people in different regions are threatened due to the river’s destruction. This deltaic region is formed by alluvium carried by rivers. Therefore, the soil on the two banks of the river is usually soft and of temporary structure. Different parts of Bangladesh are susceptible to natural calamities such as river erosion, regular flooding, and others because of their geographic location. The project site, Gaibandha District, is located in the northwestern part of Bangladesh at the confluence of two major rivers: the Teesta and the Brahmaputra. In this highly disaster-prone district, river erosion causes extensive damage to agricultural land and homesteads. |
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The project was implemented in West Belkar Char village of Gaibandha district. Affected communities in the region often take shelter on nearby dams or migrate to urban slums, which lack access to safe water and sanitation. People are deprived of basic services due to lack of good communication system in these areas. The project ‘Disappearing Lands: Supporting Communities Affected by River Erosion’ was formally launched by Practical Action Bangladesh to help the communities which are affected by flood and river erosion in this area. Consultancy farm J.A. Architects Ltd. was involved in design at implementation of the project, thus assisting them being self-sufficient. Two major components of the project were: |
Upper Image : One of the village (Uria) during winter season beside a dry river bed Lower Image : The same village during Monsoon season beside the same river |
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Image : Typical cluster layout |
The layouts of the villages were based on local tradition of clustering of houses around courtyards. Traditionally it is the centre of all the daily communal social activities of each of the cluster. The cluster villages are designed in such a way that all the basic needs and amenities of daily life can be used. A cattle shed has been constructed for a group of 10 households. Separate communal latrines and baths for male and females with hand tube-well were provided for a cluster of 10 households. Livestock rearing is a source of income for the villagers. Each of the houses was designed to meet the basic needs of a family of 4-5 members with a large room dividable according to their needs. A veranda facing the courtyard has been kept which acts as semi open multipurpose space for the family and also a transition between indoor and outdoor, the houses have provision for lateral addition of another room for future needs which can be built later by the family. |
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Image : House type A (plan) |
Image : House type A (elevation) |
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Image : House type B (plan) |
Image : House type B (elevation) |
| A community hall was provided in each of the villages. . The multipurpose community hall is an important element in the planning of the villages. Villagers use it extensively for different communal purposes. To minimize maintenance, instead of using windows, brick jalis (trellises) are extensively used for natural ventilation. A community school was provided in each of the villages in order that the children from the village and neighbouring villages get primary education. The school layout has few classrooms and a teacher’s room. A community mosque was designed for each of the community. |
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Image : Community Hall (plan) |
Image : Community Hall (elevation) |
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Image : School (plan) |
Image : School (elevation) |
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Image : Mosque (plan) |
Image : Mosque (elevation) |
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The community of the region directly participated in the construction of the project. Through this, a large part of them became skilled in construction work and later arranged their own employment. Some community shops were provided to meet the daily requirement of the villagers generating local employment. The project has demonstrated a very comprehensive, integrated and participatory disaster risk reduction model in the district. Successfully innovation, testing and adoption of a number of new technological options for the resource poor households e.g. cropping on unfertile and barren sand bar island, floating garden and fish trap and cage. Development of highly integrated housing model for the homeless communities to resettle them to resume their livelihood.
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Outcome of the project: 1. The capacity of communities and support Institutions enhanced to incorporate disaster Mitigation strategies into natural resources Management and planning. Through this project, the villagers as well as the members of the design team benefited in various ways. The cluster village design establishes a new paradigm for the affected population, so that the team members can later apply their new experiences. |
Image : Unskilled day laborers of the community taking part in earth cutting (over 155,000 man days of work was generated for the villagers through this project) |
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| This project is an inspiration for all the disaster-prone areas of Bangladesh. This model could be followed in aiding the homeless disaster affected deprived people and the spirit of involving the community from the very beginning of conceptual level to the last step of the construction. |
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Image : The affected community on their way to occupy a newly built village |
| Contributor : Ar. Faiza Fairooz Nirnoy upodestha ltd, Panthapath |
