http://reposit.library.du.ac.bd:8080/xmlui/xmlui/handle/123456789/309 Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:21:55 GMT 2026-04-08T12:21:55Z http://reposit.library.du.ac.bd:8080/xmlui/xmlui/handle/123456789/3640 The Role of Local Government in Managing Disaster Induced Risk: A Sociological Study in Munshigonj Afrin, Sadia This thesis is submitted for the degree of Master of Philosophy. Sun, 16 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://reposit.library.du.ac.bd:8080/xmlui/xmlui/handle/123456789/3640 2025-02-16T00:00:00Z http://reposit.library.du.ac.bd:8080/xmlui/xmlui/handle/123456789/1916 Mapping Water Use and Risk: A Study on Turag River Area in Tongi Prodhan, Shamima Safe water at home is critical for living a healthier life. Though water scarcity has never been a problem in the riverine Bangladesh, a reliable supply of water is becoming increasingly scarce. Water pollution places a greater strain on people’s ability to afford water in both urban and rural areas, especially those who belong to low-income category. Unplanned urbanization, industrial expansion, and a massive population have increased interactions between various water users, altered water environment, poisoned river sources, lowered ground water tables, and modified the water regime. The present study focuses on urban water sources, their usage pattern, and the associated risks following mixed method approach- household survey using a standard semi-structured questionnaire at twelve different locations along the Turag River in the capital city Dhaka. A survey of water use behavior (observation) was held for eight days at two locations from 7 am to 5 pm. Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were also conducted at the six sites of Turag River area. The Key Informant Interviews (KII) were also conducted to get detailed information from different locations. Electric/motor tube well (73.8%), public pipe and tap water (23.3%), shallow and deep tube well (2.6%), and other open sources such as rainwater, river, lake, pond, etc. (2.8%) were documented as the primary sources of water for researched communities. In terms of their interactions with the Turag River, the community was mostly observed to gathering water for the home, washing (clothes or dishes or properties), navigation/transportation, commercial use, duck rearing, bathing, and a variety of other recreational activities with a gender variation- women (56.9%) interacting with the river more than men (43.1%). Communities also reported about suffering from different waterborne diseases such as gastric/ulcers/stomach pain (36.6%), skin disease (12.6%), dysentery (12.5%), chikungunya/dengue/malaria (11.1%), jaundice (9.2%), typhoid (6.0%), tuberculosis/pneumonia (5.4%), cholera (0.8%) and various other illness such as body pain, back pain, respiratory problem, gynecological problem, tonsil, fever (30%) in the past one year. The occurrence of these illnesses may be the result of poor water quality from sources or other reasons such as poor hygiene at home, inadequate water supply, inappropriate water storage practices, and so on. Absence from the work or forgo income due to illness has risen issues in the workplaces such as wage or pay deduction, dismissed from the job, getting verbal warnings etc. The study also revealed that women (97.1%) are more proactive than their male counterparts in collecting water for daily necessities (29.6%). Similarly, girls (10.4 %) are more likely than boys to collect water on their own or accompanied by their mothers (5.0%). While fetching water, women face a variety of challenges along with some health-related issues. The lack of proper water management systems is cited as the primary cause of water scarcity in the country. Addressing all these issues holistically, a national policy framework to achieve sustainable development goals of ensuring universal access to water is of vital importance. This thesis submitted to the Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies (IDMVS), University of Dhaka in conformity with the requirements for the Degree of Master of Philosophy (MPhil). Wed, 15 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT http://reposit.library.du.ac.bd:8080/xmlui/xmlui/handle/123456789/1916 2022-06-15T00:00:00Z http://reposit.library.du.ac.bd:8080/xmlui/xmlui/handle/123456789/1654 Gendered Culture and Water Security: an exploratory study in some selected coastal areas of Bangladesh Zaman, Sabrina Access to sufficient water is a human right and part of human survival, health, wellbeing, and livelihoods for consumption and domestic use. However, the gendered culture of water access, use and livelihoods has remained silent in the world of water management. The dimension to development perspectives also denotes that gendered behavior in ensuring water security is also an imperative aspect of achieving sustainable growth and development. But, this dimension is invisible worldwide and overlaid by patriarchal system and gender inequality. Although, different water usage behaviors generate risks among people of different ages in the line of the coastal region, the water situation is worse when compared to other regions, because of salinity, river erosion, unpredictable rainfall, and cyclonic situation. Thus, the abortive water management process could not minimize the water risk in the coastal area. The present research is an effort to bridge between science and policy in mitigating water risks of the vulnerable coastal people in line with the REACH framework. Water risks of the coastal people identified as one of the constraints towards achieving sustainable livelihood. The REACH Khulna observatory is especially looking for alternative dimensions in reducing water risks to build a resilient community. The prime objective of the study is to appraise the nature of water-related risks and to identify water-dependent livelihoods of coastal poor using gender lens. The second objective is to explore the differential impacts of water risks on their livelihood. Finally, the researcher intended to address gender-based alternative adaptation options taken by the coastal people to reduce water risks. In this perspective, the study explores how gender dimensions form a nexus between water collection challenges, spatial differences, and gender division of labor comparing data from water-secure and water insecure mouzas. Using a sample from 515 households in southern coastal, this study conducted in four mouzas of Polder 29 from Khulna district of Bangladesh. The researcher applied the mixed-methods approach to examine the water usage behavior of coastal people. To conduct this research work, the researcher employed the structured interview questionnaire as the quantitative tool to measure some variables related to gendered culture and water security in coastal Bangladesh. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for processing and analyzing the survey data. For the qualitative study, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), Case Studies, In-depth interviews, Key informant interviews (KII) were conducted to identify the water risks and their impacts on the selected communities. The researcher presented the theoretical construction of methodology, the research tools and the methods of data collection, sampling, methods of data analysis and relevant others to gain an insight about the whole procedure of the study. The theoretical foundations of the present study stand on gender differences theory, liberal feminism, Gender and Development (GAD) approach, feminist theory, and gender-disaster resilient theory. These theories were reviewed to understand the significance and adaptability for the study. The findings showed that the quality of water deteriorated because of the high prevalence of saline water along with iron in southern polder of coastal region. Water collection is a gender-based role for women and for this reason and proximity to saline water, both women and girls suffered more compare to male counterparts. The present study also showed that women face various types of gender discrimination: women are often paid less than men, even for the same workload. They also worked longer hours than men. Women, who worked in the sector of agriculture and aquaculture, and as casual labors, earned only half the amount men earned. In contrast, those villages, which suffer from less water risks, most women, were able to self-sustain themselves without searching for a job in other areas. The findings additionally indicated that due to water insecurity many women and men had to work outside of their locality to sustain livelihoods. The present study explored the nature of water risks and vulnerabilities and to identify the genderspecific intra-household water using behavior from the concurrent literature and empirical evidences. Findings of the study additionally indicated that both women and men involved in harvesting rainwater and used their own indigenous methods to have better access to water. The study supported that gender based adaptation options such as involvement of women in workplace, preserving water system, decision making regarding water infrastructure have been reducing gender disparity and enhancing resilience capacity to water risks of coastal Bangladesh. Finally, a ‘people-centered’ participatory inclusive system will be needed to reduce water risks. Sustainable water management will be ensured by strengthening institutional capacities for effective, efficient and inclusive water distribution at the community level as well as state level. Community-level water resources distribution process-considering women’s strategic interests and practical needs at the center will be more priority issues. This thesis paper is submitted to the Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies (IDMVS), University of Dhaka for the partial fulfillment of the Degree of Master of Philosophy (MPhil). Sun, 10 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT http://reposit.library.du.ac.bd:8080/xmlui/xmlui/handle/123456789/1654 2021-01-10T00:00:00Z http://reposit.library.du.ac.bd:8080/xmlui/xmlui/handle/123456789/710 Communication technology and modernization’s impact on social dysfunction in Bangladesh: Addressing remedial measures Kamruzzaman, Muhammad Modernization is the replacement of traditional structural elements by modern ones and networks have become the basic units of modern society. A new society emerges when and if a structural transformation can be observed in the relationships of production, in the relationship of power and in the relationship of experience. These transformations lead to an equally substantial modification of social forms of space and time, and to the emergence of a new culture. We are living in the information age where a communication technological device like cell phone, internet, TV/radio etc. are not just modern technology but also used for making calls, video calls, sending text messages, chatting as well as in these devices users can use many features like operating system, facebook, you tube, third-party apps and user interface, reminder of important tasks, calendar, online libraries, dictionaries and so many more. Overall, it is arguably true that people tend to "take the easiest route," thereby becoming more dependent on technology. These are wonderful technological tools that can do almost anything and makes our life easier. But, these modern communication technologies are being abused by the users and have many bad impacts on our personal and social life. The relationship among modernization, communication technology, crime and deviance is highly complex in the network society. Many from the younger generation and students are highly dependent on smart phones and internet. They spend most of their time in using these communication technologies. People are too involved with their technological devices and hardly have time with their friends and family in real life. Addiction and dependence of using the most sophisticated communication decreases the academic performance, face to face communication skill, social relation and also created many psychological problems like depression, anxiety, insomnia and mental break down etc. Teenaged and youths are just getting addicted to these and cannot leave their communication technologies even for a few minutes. Criminals are also abusing these technologies for various purposes like cyber crime, cyber stalking, demanding extortion, eve-teasing, threatening, illegal use in examination, organizing criminal activity etc. Dysfunctional uses of these technologies have many bad impacts on our social norms and values, cultural, economic, politics and environment as well. So, dysfunctional use of modern communication technologies can bring many miseries on us and now a day it’s a matter of deep concern to everybody. The study objectives were to investigate different aspects of communication technology, modernization and social dysfunction; communication technology based crime & deviance; its causes & consequences relating social dysfunction in Bangladesh. To conduct the study, purposive sampling method is used and total sample size (n) was 150. To supplement the survey findings case study, Key Informant Interview and non participatory observation were also took part in the study. The present study also gave some suggestive measures those can play a significant role for controlling dysfunctional use of communication technologies. This thesis paper submitted as partial requirement for the fulfilment of M.Phil degree in the Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Thu, 01 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT http://reposit.library.du.ac.bd:8080/xmlui/xmlui/handle/123456789/710 2018-02-01T00:00:00Z