- Bangladesh has over 700 rivers divided among 4 river systems. The southwest region has over 170 rivers and is dominated by tidal rivers. - To increase agriculture and food security, polders were constructed in the 1960s, blocking tidal flows and causing widespread waterlogging over subsequent decades. - In response, local people organized and cut embankments in 1997, draining 70,000 hectares and restoring livelihoods. However, government projects failed to incorporate local knowledge and worsened waterlogging. - Future interventions should embed community-led approaches like locally initiated tidal river management for effective long-term solutions.

1. Hamidul Huq, PhD
Institute of Livelihoods Studies

2. Rivers of Bangladesh
• Bangladesh is a country of 700 rivers.
• These rivers are divided into four major river systems:
- Ganges river system;
- Brahmaputra-Jamuna river system;
- Megna river system; and
- South-East (Karnaphuli) river system.

3. Hydrological Regions of Bangladesh
1. South West
4. NW 2. NE 2. North East
3. NC
3. North Central
4. North West
6. SE
6. SE
5. South Central
1. SW
1. SW
5. SC
5. SC
8. RE
8. RE
7. EH
7. EH 6. South East
7. Eastern Hill
8. River & Estuary
Source: Mozaddad Faruque, 2009

4. Southwest Region:
• The Southwest region is covered by Ganges river
system.
This system is again divided into two types:
- Rivers originated from the mountain like Padma
and its braches; and
- the Tidal Rivers.
• There are about 170 river and canals in Sundarban
alone.

5. Hydrology of South west region
High density of rivers:
- 170 river and canal in
Sundarban
Tidal river system
Salinity
Tidal flood
Storm surge
Low flow
Sea level rise

6. Tidal River System
Rivers of South West zone are tidal.
Two high tide and two low tide times in every 24 hours. The
whole area gets inundated during high tide time and water
gets receded during low tide time.
Southwest region was dominated by capillary tidal rivers’
network including 170 river and canals of Sundarban.
Rivers of this region are Muroly, Rupsa, Bhoirab, Kapotakhkha,
Horihor, Muktashawry, Sree Nodi, Hori Nodi, Bhodra,
Buribhodra, Shalota, Sholemary, Telipati, Gaury, Modhumati,
Nobogonga, Chitra, and Isamoti on the Indian Border.

7. Tidal River System
This region was known as floodplain. The rivers of South West
zone are Bay of Bengal bound and brought fresh water from
Padma/Ganges in the past until the Padma was dried up with
the influence of Farakka.
On the other hand, tidal water brought saline water from the
Bay of Bengal that damaged the crops.
Local people built seasonal earthen dyke to protect their crop
field preventing saline water intrusion. They called it
Ostomashi bandh (eight months time dyke).

8. Functions of Floodplain
Floodplains perform an important hydraulic function by acting as
detention reservoir. The detention function moderates the flood
flow.
The inter-tidal lands create a flushing action through alternate
storage and release of water that helps in maintaining the river
morphology.
Floodplain water regime provides conditions for rich aquatic
habitat for fish, turtles and birds, and resort to migratory birds, and
harbor and support animal and plant bio-diversity.
The ecological resources of floodplain is an important source of
livelihood for the poor section of the society.

9. Storage of flood water Fish
Soil formation Shells
Groundwater recharge Crabs
Land/soil fertility Snail
Navigation Duck
Fish breeding site Shapla (Water Lily)
Fish nursery Shaluk
Wild life Grass for fodder
Wild birds Medicinal plant
Irrigation Water hyacinth
Domestic uses of water

10. Coastal Embankment Project (CEP)
With the objectives of protecting crops, increasing agricultural
products/grow more food and goal of creating permanent
agro-based production structure and food security, the
Pakistan Government implemented the “Coastal Embankment
Project” in Southwest Region.
During the period of 1960 - 1970, 37 Polders, 4000 km dyke
and 780 sluice gates were built and 540,000 ha floodplain
were brought under polders in Southwest region.

11. •Farmers could grow double, even triple amount
crops in following 10-15 years of CEP
implementation.
•Road communication improved.

12. Water Logging
Water logging appeared due to these polders, sluice gates and
embankment and got escalated over the period since 1985.
The whole floodplains of SW region got affected by water
logging.
Agriculture collapsed totally & Farmers were helpless.
Agriculture laborers became unemployed.
Fishermen became vulnerable.
Overall livelihoods had turned into extreme vulnerable,
people were forced live in permanent hazards.

13. Khulna-Jessore Drainage Rehabilitation Project
KJDRP
BWDB implemented Khulna-Jessore Drainage Rehabilitation
Project during the period of 1994 – 1997
The objectives was “poverty reduction through increased
agriculture production and creation of on-farm employment in
the project area”.
Specific objective was “to provide/enhance improved drainage
and flood control facilities to 100600 ha of gross benefitted
area”.
KJDRP was seriously contested, protested and opposed by the
local people because of its engineering physical structural
approach to address the water logging issues. But the KJDRP
continued.
KJDRP generated extreme level of Water logging in the area.

20. TRM by the local people
The Water Logging condition escalated up to an extreme level
in 1997.
Local people got organised under Pani Committee (water
committee)
Facilitated a ‘public cut’ of the embankment on Beel Vayena
to reopen the free flow tidal system,
Which made the area water logging free.
This system continued for four years and three months.

21. Impact of TRM
70,000 ha land got free from water logging
The linked Hori river bed level was higher than Beel Vayena
before TRM, which got free from siltation by the TRM and bed
if 10-12 meter deep and wideness of this river increased up to
two to three times.
Beel Vayena bed is leveled with the siltation, because 90% of
the tidal silt got deposited into the beel.
Villages are now free from water logging.
Agriculture is back to the area.
Livelihoods opportunities are also back to some extent.

22. TRM by BWDB
Drawing upon a report of CEGIS on People’s TRM, BWDB
initiated TRM project in 2002.
BWDB labeled the people’s initiated TRM as “unplanned TRM”.
BWDB implemented a planned TRM in Beel Kedaira during the
period of 2002- 2005.
This TRM generated extreme water logging in the area
because, only 1/13th amount of tidal silt got deposited into the
beel and the rest of the tidal silt got deposited into the river.
The planned TRM was again engineering physical infrastructure
dominant.

23. TRM by BWDB
BWDB initiated their 2nd TRM in 2006 in Beel Khukshia.
Local people demanded compensation.
BWB agreed. Implementation of this project continued
without paying compensation.
Local people think, it will need at least 10 years to fill up
Beel Khukhsia up to cultivation level.
Local people cannot use this beel.
More than 2000 families of 13 villages around Beel
Khukhsia are rather victims of this TRM project of BWDB.

24. TRM by BWDB
Local people expected that the BWDB should use the
knowledge and experience of people’s initiated TRM
But unfortunately BWDB followed their own traditions.
Hence, their “planned TRM” project failed.
TRM may be efficient and effective if it is embedded in
‘counter-development’ approach.

25. Acknowledgement
Prof. Rezaur Rahman, 2011
Crossing Boundaries project, 2011
CEGIS, 2011
Nandi