Evidence of power and resilience in the char and haor regions of Bangladesh

CARE Bangladesh organised a dissemination event on the completion of a collaborative research project between CARE Bangladesh and the University of Arizona titled "Gender, Power and Resilience in Char and Haor Communities of Bangladesh". This research project used an innovative research methodology named "Community-based Ethnography (CBE) for the first time in Bangladesh.  

The event took place on October 17, 2023, at Hotel Sheraton, Banani, Dhaka. It featured presentations on Community-Based Ethnography (CBE), Sequencing, Layering and Integration (SLI), and the unveiling of key research findings in these climate-vulnerable communities followed by panel discussions. 

The Char and Haor regions of Bangladesh are home to some of the most marginalized communities who were the key focus of this research presented in this enlightening event. It highlighted the intricate changes in dynamics of gender, power, and resilience within these communities and explored sustainable solutions to address their unique needs. 

Ram Das, Deputy Country Director- Programs inaugurated the event and gave a welcome speech. He also thanked the University of Arizona and CARE Bangladesh Research team to successfully conduct the research.  

The event brought together a diverse audience, including participants from international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), local NGOs, development practitioners, researchers, and academics. This gathering of stakeholders fostered collaboration, knowledge exchange, and networking opportunities to enhance the collective impact on these communities. 

"We need to share ownership and engage the community in the design and the implementation of the project. Also, we need to make the communities Makers not Takers," said Tim Finan, Development Anthropologist and Professor in the School of Anthropology at the University of Arizona. 

The panel discussion featured academicians and development practitioners, which led a thought-provoking dialog on the challenges and opportunities in Char and Haor communities. The panelists were from University of Dhaka, University of Jahangirnagar, USAID, ACDI/VOCA, ESDO and CARE Bangladesh. The panel bodies were graced by Mohammad Abu Eusuf – Professor of Department of Development Studies, University of Dhaka, Ms. Sharmind Neelormi – Professor of Department of Economics, University of Jahangirnagar & Climate Change and Gender Expert, Mr. Md. Shahid Uz Zaman - Executive Director, ESDO, Muhammad Nurul Amin Siddiquee – Chief of Party & Country Representative of ACDI/VOCA, Marc Nosbach – Chief of Party, SHOUHARDO III Plus Program of CARE Bangladesh, Tofayel Alam – Project Management Specialist, USAID and Mohammad Mehrul Islam – Senior Director of CARE Bangladesh. They provided valuable insights on how government and development practitioners can support sustainable and localized development efforts in these regions as well as complex program designing.