Farzana Sultana

River Erosion and Health Hazards: a Study Upon the People of Dacope Upazila in Khulna District of Bangladesh Farzana Sultana

The purpose of this research was to find out the nature of health hazards caused by river erosion and analysis patterns of economic and social adaptation among river-bank erosion-induced displaces in Dacope Upazila under Khulna District of Bangladesh. The need to integrate hazard analysis and mitigation with the broader economic and social context is discussed. It is argued that the capacity of people to respond to environmental threats is a function of not only the physical forces which affect them,but also of underlying economic and social relationships which increase human vulnerability to risk. People are very vulnerable in the study area owing to river erosion. In the study area,nearly every one of the respondents (91.67%) were ill health the greater part of the people (65.8%)collected drinking water from the ponds. large amount (79.2%) were victim of Diarrhea and Dysentery, half of the population (39.2%)were Illiterate (30.8%) were involved in daily labour,(46.67%) possessed income range between BDT 1001 to 2000. So time has come,a new era has begun, we have to address problems, faced by the victims of river erosion and have to take proper initiatives for their development.