Haor (Wetland) Community in Bangladesh: Problems/Needs, Resources and Potential for Employing Smart Village Ideas

This article discusses needs and problems and resources in the Haor (wetland) region in Bangladesh and the potential for employing smart village ideas to address a few identified needs and problems. The study was conducted on 12 villages of the Tanguar Haor of Sunamganj District. A total of 20 key informant interviews (KIIs) and 12 focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted following purposive sampling. The findings indicated that Haor people experience acute poverty, ill health, low level of education and endemic unemployment which are being worsened by frequent floods and climate-induced damages. The Haor area occupies some potential resources, including land, livestock, marshlands, electricity and mobile telephones, all of which could be mobilised to improve the quality of Haor people’s lives. The paper suggests applying the smart village model that touches every facet of wetland life, including agriculture, education, employment and healthcare to improve the living standard of the people of the Haor region.