SOCIALSCI JOURNAL

Socioeconomic Status of Local Communities and Their Relationship with Coastal Mangroves in Mirsarai, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Abstract

Anwar Hossain Choudhury

Coastalcommunities are mostly dependent on coastal resources for their social and economic needs. Mangroves are productive ecosystemwith a complex interactionamong people and resources. The present study wasaimedto assessthe socio-economic aspects of coastal communities who have beenliving within the boundary of Domkhali, Mogadia and Bamunsundorcoastal villages at Mirsarai, Chittagong. In the three villages, 90 respondents (30 respondents from each village) were interviewed for primary data collection using a semi-structured questionnaire. From the study,it was observed that male and female respondents of age class (31-40years) extracted maximum amount of resources having family size 5-7numbers. Most of the respondents had no institutionaleducation. The respondents who were engaged in fishing were the main extractor of resources (BDT 359035.3) followed by agriculture (BDT 231900), Businessman (BDT 109562.5), day labor (BDT 90800), housewife (BDT 80236.4) and others (BDT 100800).In this study,it was found that maximum 50% respondents in Domkhali got very low income of BDT < 10000 followed by Bamunsundor (30%) and Mogadia (20%). In three villages 93% household belonged tokacha house whereas only 7% was semi-pacca and not a single person had pacca house.Maximumrespondents of Bamunsundor village(90%) had livestock followed by Mogadia (80%) and Domkhali (60%). When calculated the villagewise resource extraction, it was found that maximum extracted resources were recorded in Domkhali (47%) followed by Mogadia (37%) and Bamunsundor (16%).This study suggestedfor creating the scope of higher education for the local residents who will be engaged in other professions avoiding much dependency of mangrove resources. Alternative income generating activities should be provided by government and NGOs for controlling the excessive resource collectionensuring social-economic and environmental balance.