Tunvir Ahamed Shohel

Purpose of this paper: This study aimed to investigate the impact of Purdah , a cultural norm, on the economic independence of women who have received microfinance in Bangladesh. The study also sought to understand whether the Purdah norm has an influence on microfinance loans, such as use, control, and repayment, relevant to female borrowers’ mobility practice. Perception, cultural value, and Purdah’s implications for everyday life were also considered. Design/methodology/approach: We selected women’s groups in development programs, such as microfinance, as the case for this study. By using a snowball sampling technique, we identified 25 microfinance recipients for interview– mostly women and their spouses living in the Dumuria and Tala Upazilas in the Khulna division of Bangladesh. The research employed thematic analysis to draw conclusions and explain the findings. Findings: The study findings show that traditional norms associated with Purdah hinder women’s economic engagement and that the practice of Purdah among women is institutionalized from a very young age, primarily before marriage. The findings further explain that Purdah norms limit women’s mobility, act as a cultural barrier to IGAs, create economic dependence on men, and enable men to control microfinance loans. Therefore, women are not fully in control of their microfinance loans, and microfinance participation appears to be a less satisfactory form of financial inclusion for participants. Practical implications and value of paper: This study suggests that viewing Purdah solely as a religious requirement limits understanding of its cultural roots. Cultural interpretation is needed to shape policies and reduce Purdah’s impact on women’s mobility.

The resources of the Sundarbans mangrove forest have provided livelihoods for communities in Bangladesh and India that depend on it. However, the role of the Sundarbans in ensuring the household dietary diversity of Sundarbans mangrove forest resource-dependent communities (SMFRDCs) remains unexplored. Considering the Sustainable Livelihood Approach, this cross-sectional survey study was conducted in three coastal districts (Khulna, Satkhira, and Bagerhat) to assess the prevalence and determinants of dietary diversity among SMFRDCs. Data were collected using a structured interview schedule from 782 households selected through a multistage stratified random sampling process over three months in 2023. Relevant statistical tests were conducted to assess the prevalence of dietary diversity and identify its determinants among households in the immediate vicinity of the Sundarbans. The one-sample binomial test showed that honey collectors and households in Shyamnagar Upazila had higher dietary diversity than those involved in other occupations and residing in other areas. The results of the binary logistic regression analysis indicated that individuals with higher education and those involved in multiple seasonal occupations were more likely to have diversified diets; however, spatial location had an inverse effect on the diets of SMFRDCs. Household assets, including domestic, transport, and livestock assets, as well as livelihood capitals such as social, natural, financial, and political, were positively associated with a diversified diet. In contrast, human and physical capital were negatively associated with household dietary diversity. The findings further show that physical vulnerability, along with household food insecurity, negatively affected dietary diversity among forest-proximate households. To ensure a sustainable, proper, and protein-enriched diet for forest-resource dependent people in the Sundarbans mangrove forest, context-specific, tailored, and well-integrated strategies are needed, including promoting alternative livelihoods, such as climate-smart agriculture, along with awareness regarding the consumption of locally available nutritious foods and government-aided food assistance programs, specifically during seasonal unemployment. Moreover, to improve access to diversified food items essential for the physical and mental development and well-being of forest-adjacent marginalized communities in coastal Bangladesh, certain factors suggested by the Sustainable Livelihood Approach, such as vulnerability, assets, policies and structures, and livelihood strategies, should be considered to ensure the sustainability of livelihood and resources, especially for climate-vulnerable communities.

This study was designed to unearth the beliefs, practices, and management of safe drinking water of Munda and Rajbangshi indigenous communities. To apprehend the safe drinking water-related behaviour and practice, the qualitative approach was followed where 20 in-depth interviews were carried out among the Munda and Rajbangshi communities in Shyamnagar and Kaliganj Upazila (sub-district) of Satkhira district, Bangladesh. Findings indicate that the intrusion of saline water due to climate-induced changes led to a scarcity of potable water for both communities in the last few decades. Despite the existence of centuries-old traditional practices of water purification, the indigenous communities, particularly women, were compelled to collect safe drinking water from, in general, distant sources as the other sources of water were contaminated with saline water. Despite their collective efforts, managing safe water sometimes, particularly in the rainy season, becomes impossible for these marginalized people as it costs a considerable amount of household income. To ensure their access to safe drinking water and to explore the underlying factors, whether social, economic, cultural or environmental, initiatives from both government and non-government organizations are required for a sustainable life for these unheard plain land indigenous communities in Bangladesh.