DOI: https://doi.org/10.59321/BAUETJ.V4I1.3
AUTHOR(S)
Khandoker Faiaz Ishtiak1, Sadhon Chandra Swarnokar2*, Md. Robin Ahmed3
ABSTRACT
This research aims to investigate the socioeconomic condition and livelihood vulnerability of coastal communities in the Mongla Port Paurashava, Bangladesh. Data were collected from the respondents through household surveys, focus group discussions (FGD), and key informant interviews (KII). A total of 50 household responses, 2 FGD, and 5 KII were considered to address the socioeconomic and livelihood attributes. This study considered 9 basic criteria (e.g., income, livestock, reserve resources, ownership of land, frequency of natural disasters, the impact of natural disasters, impact on specific resources, economic loss, and hazard mitigation) to assess the socioeconomic condition and physical variables of human vulnerability. Community vulnerability enlightens the different stressors and shows the overall impact on coastal inhabitants. The results revealed that over fifty percent of respondents (54%) suffer from fresh scarcity and salinity intrusion, mostly in the dry season, where climate change impact is comparatively high. The overall condition is intensified by various socioeconomic issues like low income, resource depletion, environmental degradation, and the absence of bottom-up approaches from the ground level. Lastly, hazard ranking and risk evaluation denote that Mongla Paurashava lies in the high-risk zone (Zone II), which demands immediate mitigation, resource optimization, and adaptive planning as emergency response.