Making a Living in Monpura Island: An Ethnographic Study of Livelihood Strategies of the Coastal People of Bangladesh

Abstract

This doctoral research, entitled Making a Living in Monpura Island: An Ethnographic Study of Livelihood Strategies of the Coastal People of Bangladesh, presents an in-depth anthropological exploration of two rural communities—Sonarchar, primarily engaged in agriculture, and Machpara, whose livelihoods revolve around fishing—located in Monpura Island, Bhola District. Conducted over a sustained period of eighteen months of intensive fieldwork between 2017 and 2023, complemented by preliminary visits in 2016, the study investigates how these communities navigate an intricate web of environmental, climatic, and socio-economic challenges. Monpura Island occupies a precarious position within the Meghna estuary, a low-lying char land formed by centuries of sedimentation, tidal movements, and human settlement patterns. As part of one of Bangladesh’s most ecologically fragile regions, Monpura is highly exposed to riverbank erosion, cyclonic storms, tidal surges, saline intrusion, and the gradual loss of arable land. Yet the story of Monpura is not one of unmitigated vulnerability; rather, it is equally a narrative of resilience, adaptive ingenuity, and the preservation of cultural heritage under conditions of perpetual change. The research employs a classic ethnographic methodology, drawing on participant observation, life history interviews, focus group discussions, and the examination of archival and historical sources. By conducting fieldwork during multiple seasons and agricultural and fishing cycles, I was able to capture the seasonal rhythms of work, the dynamic interplay between environmental shifts and social life, and the subtle ways in which human relationships anchor economic survival. This long-term engagement made it possible to observe not only how people respond to sudden climatic shocks but also how they plan for, adjust to, and sometimes resist slower, more insidious transformations in their landscape. Bangladesh’s coastline extends for approximately 710 kilometers, encompassing a variety of estuarine and deltaic ecosystems. The southeastern and southwestern stretches are particularly marked by complex estuarine environments in which human livelihoods are intimately tied to the interplay of biotic and abiotic forces. Estuaries serve as critical transitional zones linking inland freshwater systems with the saline waters of the Bay of Bengal. Monpura Island itself, positioned at the mouth of the Meghna River, is composed of a cluster of small islands that reportedly emerged as a floating char in the early sixteenth century. Historical accounts indicate that between 1600 and 1666, the area came under the influence of Arakan Mug rulers and Portuguese maritime raiders, leaving traces on its settlement patterns and local memory. The coastal zone of Bangladesh—where land, sea, and atmospheric systems converge—remains one of the most dynamic yet vulnerable geographical regions in the country. Recurrent cyclones, Page | vii rising sea levels, and storm surges have had a cumulative effect on its low-lying areas, reshaping shorelines, altering agricultural viability, and threatening human security. Understanding this complexity requires an integrated, multi-scalar approach that considers environmental processes alongside social structures, economic systems, and cultural practices. Monpura’s recorded settlement history spans roughly two centuries. Early settlers contended with dense mangrove forests, wild animals, and unpredictable flooding patterns. Clearing mangrove stands to create arable land marked the beginning of sustained agricultural activity. Administratively, Monpura became a distinct Upazila in 1983, comprising four Union Parishads, eighteen Mouzas, and thirty-three villages. The agricultural economy today centers on crops such as paddy, pulses, chili, onions, sweet potatoes, and coconuts, alongside seasonal production of fruits including mangoes, jackfruit, papayas, watermelons, and bananas. As in many other parts of coastal Bangladesh, rice cultivation forms the backbone of the local economy. Agricultural land use is shaped by factors such as periodic flooding, physiographic conditions, soil salinity, drainage congestion, and irrigation availability. Bangladesh’s coastal belt contributes significantly to national food security, with about 16 percent of the country’s total rice output coming from these regions. Rainfed monsoon paddy dominates agricultural cycles, covering approximately 70 percent of cultivated land in coastal districts. The cropping intensity in these areas stands at around 170 percent, reflecting efforts to maximize productivity under challenging conditions. Beyond rice, farmers produce pulses, oilseeds, betel leaves, winter vegetables, and potatoes, diversifying their livelihoods in response to shifting environmental constraints. Yet, agricultural livelihoods in Monpura are increasingly shaped by environmental stressors. Farmers grapple with saline intrusion, seasonal flooding, and topsoil erosion. Adaptive strategies include altering crop varieties, raising field levels, diversifying income sources, and relying on reciprocal labor arrangements within extended kinship networks. Access to land remains a crucial determinant of resilience; landless households are especially vulnerable to livelihood shocks, as their capacity to implement adaptive measures is limited. The fishing economy presents a different yet equally complex set of challenges. Monpura’s fishermen operate within a volatile environment marked by seasonal fishing bans, declining fish stocks due to overfishing and ecological shifts, dependence on market intermediaries, and the dangers of venturing farther into open waters in search of catch. Adaptation here often involves altering fishing techniques, pursuing temporary wage labor during restricted seasons, or migrating seasonally for alternative employment. As with agriculture, environmental shocks can quickly reverse hard-won gains, driving some households into cycles of debt and economic precarity. Despite these differences, the study finds that both agricultural and fishing households rely heavily on shared survival strategies rooted in kinship and reciprocity. Informal networks of Page | viii exchange and mutual assistance frequently fill the gaps left by inadequate or poorly targeted government interventions. Women, though often excluded from formal decision-making spaces, play indispensable roles in household economy—engaging in food processing, small-scale trading, and resource management. However, their contributions remain underrecognized in policy frameworks, reflecting broader gender disparities in rural Bangladesh. One of the key findings of this research is that adaptation in Monpura is not a simple matter of adopting new techniques or technologies. It is an ongoing process of negotiation between inherited knowledge systems—shaped by generations of environmental engagement—and innovations prompted by necessity. While such adaptations often demonstrate remarkable creativity, they are also constrained by structural inequities: unequal access to land and capital, dependency on exploitative market actors, and policy approaches that privilege external technical solutions over local experience. Without addressing these underlying issues, climate change is likely to deepen rather than alleviate existing vulnerabilities. This thesis makes three primary contributions. First, it fills a notable gap in the anthropological literature by offering a richly detailed ethnographic account of a coastal char community that has been largely absent from previous scholarship. Second, it engages directly with policy debates on climate change adaptation and rural development, presenting grounded empirical evidence that explains why certain interventions fail to achieve their intended outcomes. Third, it proposes a framework for integrating local knowledge into development planning, arguing that sustainable livelihoods in fragile coastal environments cannot be achieved without recognizing and strengthening the social systems that communities themselves rely upon. Ultimately, Making a Living in Monpura Island provides both a scholarly and human perspective on life in one of Bangladesh’s most vulnerable regions. The research reveals the intertwined realities of environmental risk, economic necessity, and cultural resilience. It demonstrates that the people of Monpura are not passive victims of climate change, but active agents continually reshaping their strategies to survive and, where possible, to thrive. However, it also underscores that resilience has limits—without structural change in land tenure, market relations, and development policy, even the most resourceful communities will face mounting hardship in the decades ahead. In presenting this ethnographic portrait, the thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of how coastal Bangladeshis live, work, and imagine their futures amid uncertainty. Its findings have implications not only for academic anthropology but also for policymakers, development practitioners, and environmental planners concerned with the complex realities of climate-vulnerable regions. Given that roughly one-quarter of Bangladesh’s population resides in coastal areas, the stakes of this research extend far beyond Monpura itself, offering lessons for the sustainable management of fragile ecosystems and the equitable support of the communities who call them home.