Bandarban

Ruma, a sub district of Bandarban Hill-District, has been very popular among young people for adventure tourism in recent days. Consequently, more emphasis is being given on sustainable community development through tourism as well as conservation of natural and cultural assets of the destination area. Community-based tourism (CBT) is often appreciated as an effective pathway to conserve the nature and to create alternative livelihood opportunities for the local people. Based on field survey, this paper examines the current structure of tourism in Ruma, undertakes SWOT analysis, and includes strategies and action plans for community-based tourism (CBT) development. Besides, a model trail village along a trekking trail has been proposed as a jackpot of successful CBT that can be suitable for any destination of similar type. A number of techniques were used in collecting data including interview of key stakeholders, direct observation, opinion of government officials and local people, and focus group discussion in Ruma. From the study, government agencies, international development organizations, and private sectors will get an insight of initiatives to be taken to develop Ruma as a role model for CBT in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is prone to numerous natural disasters, including floods, cyclones, storm surges and earthquakes. In recent years, landslides have become a prominent geological hazard in the southeastern region due to modification of natural slopes, deforestation, urban expansion and prolonged torrential rainfall. During the last 2–3 decades the frequency of devastating landslides has sharply increased, which has resulted in deaths of hundreds of people and significant loss of property. In South-Asia, Bangladesh ranks first in terms of landslide-related deaths. Understanding of landslide processes has become essential for disaster management and sustainable development. Geo-engineering evaluation of landslides in the region has recently been completed for Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Rangamati, Bandarban, Teknaf and Moheshkhali Island. The landscapes of these urban clusters are formed by dissected hills and valleys in a tectonically active region. Hills and slopes are underlain by young folded and faulted sedimentary rocks. Folds trend NNW-SSE and rock units are highly fractured, jointed and commonly distorted. Stratigraphic formations most susceptible to mass movements are the Dihing, Dupi Tila, Tipam and Boka Bil Formations. Slope movements in the region are classified as: lateral spreading failures, rotational and translational slides, and planer slides. Man-made slides are classified as rock fall and debris avalanches and are considered to be the most devastating types of mass movement.
For this investigation, rock masses were characterized by following ISRM suggested method and Slope Stability Probability Classification System and divided into eight geotechnical units. The present study reveals that contributing factors to landslides in this region include attitudes of bedrock units, faults and other discontinuities in rock formations, shear strength properties of constituent materials, and unusual hydrological conditions. Increase in the human interference has become a major factor in the slope failures. Landslides in the southeastern Bangladesh can be reduced when proper slope design and management are applied, and a monitoring system for geotechnical control is developed.

Farmers in the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) practice jhum farming raising several crops together with upland rice being dominant. For regenerating soil fertility farmers leave the plot fallow moving to another plot. In recent years shortening of fallow length resulted in declining land productivity impacting negatively on jhum farmers' food security. This paper mapped out the food security status of jhum farmers conducting a survey of 103 farmers across 23 villages (para) in four subdistricts of Bandarban district. Farms and farmers growing jhum crops were selected. Assessment of farmers' household demography and level of food security was made conducting questionnaire-based survey and FGDs. Rice yields were estimated harvesting sample plots from the selected farmers' fields. Majority of the households (83%) had 3-6 members per family and 74% households were headed by male farmers but women take on major responsibility of jhum farming. More than 56% household heads had no formal schooling. Land holding per family varied between 0.486 ha and 6.00 ha and about 54% farmers engaged two labors in jhum operations. The extent of food security in hilly region was measured based on the amount of rice production in relation to their annual demand. Rice grain yields varied greatly between 318 kg and 4,411 kg ha-1 among farmers' plots across locations. Rice production per household indicated that about 93% farm households suffered from food insecurity to varying degrees. As a coping mechanism, food-insecure farmers met up their food demand scavenging uncultivated forest products collecting vegetables, fruits, roots and bamboo shoots. This study indicates that jhum system can no longer support household food security due to poor yield of rice and thus not sustainable.