Live In Field Experience Final Report

Bogura, RDA.

Submitted to:

Tanvir Ahmed Haroon

Sayeeda Sharmin Chowdhury

Mohammad Fahad Noor

Submitted By:

Shagufta Kabir, 1810090

Mohammad Azwad Saadat Sarwar, 1910902

Tamanna Sarkar, 1910150

Sorna Akter, 1821168

Amitesh Das Amit, 1610377

Date of Submission:

24th September, 2022

Contents
Chapter-1 ......................................................................................................................... 6
Introduction: ................................................................................................................ 6
Purpose and Objective of LFE-................................................................................... 6
Chapter 2: Methodology ................................................................................................. 7
2.0 Methodology ......................................................................................................... 7
Chapter 3: Village-Resource Mapping and Transect ...................................................... 8
Introduction: ................................................................................................................ 8
Village Mapping: ........................................................................................................ 9
Objective: .................................................................................................................... 9
Site Selection ............................................................................................................... 9
Rapport Building ......................................................................................................... 9
Drawing the village map on the ground:................................................................... 11
Description of the Map: ............................................................................................ 12
Para Mapping: ........................................................................................................... 15
Para Resources and its landmark: ............................................................................. 17
Transect Mapping: .................................................................................................... 18
1.3.1Procedure: ..................................................................................................... 18
Analysis and findings from the transect map:....................................................... 18
Conclusion:................................................................................................................ 24
Chapter 4- Social Change Process ................................................................................ 24
Introduction ............................................................................................................... 25
Objectives of the report ............................................................................................. 25
Parameters of our social change process analysis..................................................... 25
Household type.......................................................................................................... 26
Household type in Kalshimati ............................................................................... 26
Household type in Demajani ................................................................................. 26
Occupation ................................................................................................................ 26
Occupation in Kalshimati ...................................................................................... 27
Occupation in Demajani ........................................................................................ 27
Food Habit and Nutrition .......................................................................................... 27
 Communication ......................................................................................................... 27
Wild Life ................................................................................................................... 27
Trees and agriculture ................................................................................................. 28
Health and Education facility .................................................................................... 28
Education facility in Kalshimati ........................................................................... 28
Education facility in Demajani ............................................................................. 29
Income ....................................................................................................................... 30
Dowry ........................................................................................................................ 30
Marriage .................................................................................................................... 30
Permitted activities for women ................................................................................. 32
Changes that occurred post-liberation war ............................................................... 34
Major Findings .......................................................................................................... 35
Analysis of major findings ........................................................................................ 35
Conclusion................................................................................................................. 35
Chapter 5: Economy and Rural Production .............................................................. 36
5.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 36
5.2 Objectives ............................................................................................................ 36
5.3 Explorative method for the study and discussion on income assessment and
wealth ranking ........................................................................................................... 37
5.4 Economic Conditions and Income Assessment ...................................................... 37
5.4.1 Profession ..................................................................................................... 39
5.5 Amount of Land .................................................................................................. 40
5.5.1 House type .................................................................................................... 41
5.5.2 Household Facilities Figure 3: Household Facilities Chart ....................... 44
5.5.3 Domestic Animal ......................................................................................... 45
5.5.4 Agricultural product and frequency of cultivation....................................... 46
5.8 Conclusion........................................................................................................... 47
Chapter 6: PRESENT ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH CONDITION ........ 48
Introduction ............................................................................................................... 49
Objectives .................................................................................................................. 50
Source of Water......................................................................................................... 50
 Toilet Facilities.......................................................................................................... 52
Cooking and Disposal ............................................................................................... 53
Type of fuel and its effects on health and environment ............................................ 54
Fuel Type: ............................................................................................................. 54
Health effects: ....................................................................................................... 55
Environmental effects: .......................................................................................... 56
Vaccination Rate ....................................................................................................... 56
Treatment of family members ................................................................................... 56
Problems of government health care service ............................................................ 57
Conclusion................................................................................................................. 58
Chapter 7- Rural Market Analysis ............................................................................ 59
Introduction ............................................................................................................... 59
Objective ................................................................................................................... 59
Methodology ............................................................................................................. 59
Concept of Market, Haat and Bazaar ........................................................................ 60
Market ....................................................................................................................... 60
Haat ........................................................................................................................... 60
Bazaar ........................................................................................................................ 60
Noi mile Haat, Bogura .............................................................................................. 60
Communication and Transportation Facilities .......................................................... 61
Transportation facility ............................................................................................... 61
Available stores and vendors in the haat ................................................................... 61
Vegetables vendors ................................................................................................... 61
Rents and Profits ....................................................................................................... 62
Vegetable Supplied to other cities ............................................................................ 62
Clothing stores .......................................................................................................... 62
Local produce and produces outsourced from other cities ....................................... 63
Kalshimati and Demajani Markets ............................................................................ 64
Case Stories ................................................................................................................... 65
10.1 Case Story 1: Single mother.............................................................................. 65
10.2 Case Story 2: Construction worker ................................................................... 66
 10.3 Lessons learned ................................................................................................. 66
Chapter 8- Conclusion................................................................................................... 67
Chapter-1
Introduction:

Since the majority of the population of Bangladesh are villagers, they have a big impact in our
country’s image. About 70% of the population of Bangladesh is living in rural area. This greater
portion of the population mostly has come from the peasant community. As peasant economy
is the main mode of production in Bangladesh, an understanding of the village community, the
peasantry and their relationship with the nation at large is essential for us to know. The future
leaders of the nation lie among the students of today. So, without having gone through this
greater portion of the population our education will remain uncompleted. Seeing the village by
going through the book cannot give us the clear picture of the village, but seeing with our own
eyes by keeping in touch with the village and villagers can give us the real picture.

Purpose and Objective of LFE-

The purpose of LFE is manifold. One of the prime objectives of the study is to familiarize us
with socio-economic condition of the villagers. Our lives in the cities are independent from
those of villagers and therefore our only exposure to rural life is via this LFE program. It is
important to gather knowledge about the situation of the village and the villagers. By studying
this information, we can get a clear image of the rural village scenario of Bangladesh.

The theory of this LFE course and the proposition of this report are shortly given below:

● To know about rural life by estimating literacy rate, living condition and working status of
the population.

● To find out the different NGO activity in the village.

● To identify the changes of, the social structure and economic condition by measuring their
monthly income and expenditure, the ownership of land.

● To know their agricultural method, cropping pattern, rotation of crops, and their seasonal life
pattern.

● To get the real scenario of the present environmental condition of the village, like source of
water supply, toilet facilities, and kind of fuel they use.

● To find out health awareness, vaccination and other medical facilities are available in the
village.
 ● To identify the existing market structure of the village.

Chapter 2: Methodology
2.0 Methodology
The data collected for this report were of two types: qualitative and quantitative.
Qualitative data collection included participatory rural appraisal (PRA). PRA is a
method of data collection which involves people from the rural area to directly
participate and share their knowledge with the concerned authority. Firstly, we tried to
establish an understanding between the villagers and us by revealing our identities and
the objective of our work. After the establishment of a mutual understanding, we
requested for their help to draw the map of the para. The map of the Demajani
dokkhin para was drawn with the help of a local boy in front of a house. Also, a
woman helped to verify the map of the para. For drawing the transect map, we
recorded our steps and observed our surroundings. The prepared questionnaire allowed
us to collect data for both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Data was collected via
surveys conducted with the members of the house. The houses were selected with the
help of RDA guides. Finally all the data that were collected qualitatively and
quantitavely were discussed with the group members for the report.

Mutual Survey Observation

Understanding (transect map)

Data
collection

Data
compilation
 Group
discussion

Report

Fig 2.1: Methodology

Chapter 3: Village-Resource Mapping and Transect

Mohammad Azwad Saadat Sarwar

ID: 1910902

Introduction:

Villages are an important part for the people of Bangladesh. It is because the origin of the
Bangladeshis is considered to be from the villages. There are people who ask "You are
from which village (Gram)". In our culture it is believed that the characteristic of a human
being depends upon the village or area the person belongs to. Day by day the people from
the village are migrating to the cities for a better living. The villages in Bangladesh cover
about 75% of the total population. The occupation of the majority of people is Agriculture.
The food that is needed by the people comes from the villages. When one eats a Burger,
he might think that it is not a product of the village. But indirectly it is, the body of the
burger is made from flour and flour is made from wheat and wheat is produced in the
villages. It is villagers who quench the hunger of people in the cities. If the economy of
Bangladesh is to be improved, the condition of the villagers is needed to be improved. For
that one needs to understand the economic condition of a village and that is why the map
of the village is important. It is because a map gives a clear picture of what resources a
village has. The way the map is done of a village is part of the technique Participatory
rural appraisal (PRA). The map of the village also gives an idea of the activities done by
its inhabitants.
Village Mapping:

The village mapping gives the idea of the geographical settings (road, mosque,
shop, house, school, Madrasa, pond etc.) of the village.

Objective:

The main objective of the study is to understand the rural demographic

condition, socio- economic condition, involvement with the different NGOs,
environmental condition, wealth ranking situation, social change process,
gender role and the findings from the combination of the Qualitative and
Quantitative Survey.
Our first day's job was to draw the village, para and transect map. The drawing
of the village map helped us to know some of the villagers, area and location,
important parts (Schools, Mosque, Graveyard, etc.), the occupations of the
villagers, the water and electricity facility in the area, the high and low zone,
the soil type, the land usage, some of the problems.

Site Selection

The villages assigned to our section were Kalshimati and Demajani

respectively. Since it would have been difficult for a single group to cover the
whole village, each para was divided between a number of groups as per
convenience. For Kalshimati we were assigned “Poschim Para” on the first
day and “Purbo Para” on the second and for Demajani we were assigned
“Dokkhin Para” for the first day and “Poranbaria” for the next respectively.

Rapport Building
Rapport building is the most important task for conducting such surveys as it
helps one to know another and share ideas. The first day of survey at
Kalshimati was on the 28th of August, 2022. Our group - 6 was supervised and
guided by the monitors – Tanvir, Shakib and Tiasha and escort of RDA official
Ms. Atika upon reaching our destination around 9:25 a.m. The first household
had their own shop of fertilizers where the son of the family would oversee
the business mostly. The shop would often host nearby villagers among which
a curious villager and the shipowner’s son – THIS AND THAT assisted us
with a rough outline of the map of their para. While we went around the
village, a teacher and common villagers also rearrange and verify the initial
map upon what we got a more verified and refined map outline. Walking
around the para, our group retraced the prominent land marks and achieved
the proper outline of the para map. Along thWe stopped by a shop where we
found an old man and the shopkeeper. We politely asked them about the
village. The old man named Hazrat Ali Muazzim gave us basic ideas about the
village. Afterwards we thanked both of them and began to walk towards our
assigned para. Our supervisor Mr. Jewel guided us the whole time. After 5
minutes we stopped by a house. I told Mr. Jewel to talk to the house hold head
so that he could help us out with the village and para map. Mr. Jewel talked to
the hose hold head named Mr. KorbanAli and introduced us with him. I asked
him about his occupation, age, number of family members. An interesting
thing is that this guy started to behave in such a friendly way as if we were
known to him for a long time. He answered all my questions very politely.
Meanwhile a lot of villagers started piling up just to see us. After a few
moments later I met a young guy named Rubel. I should say that he is an
awesome person because he helped me to carry out all the surveys throughout
the course. He also introduced me with some of the other villagers named Mr.
Zahidul Islam and Mr. Imtiaz. They also helped me with lots of caluable
information. The cooperation that I received from the villagers was simply
outstanding. The villagers were at a point very kind to us and have also offered
us ‘Aam Vorta.’ It was simply impossible for me to undertake the work
without the help of the villagers.
Drawing the village map on the ground:
As solid verification we were instructed to make our aiders on the map
drawing to be done on the ground along with picture references for
documentation. Our aiders were reluctant to draw the map outline themselves
on the ground and would insist that we let them dictate the outline and we
draw it on our papers. On the contrary, our aiders in the Demajani village were
comparatively more willing to draw the outline both on paper and ground
themselves. We utilized the concept of using cooking materials such as pulse,
rice, and flour along with red mud and sand to make a proper map on the
ground after we drew the outline on the paper. As we were assigned to at most
2 para we were instructed to draw the para maps of the villages and not the
entire village map. With the help of our aiders and other villagers, we
eventually got to know about the demographics of our village and para.
Description of the Map:
Kalshimati

1. Houses - there are mainly four types of house in the village:

• Concrete- the wall is made of bricks; the floor is cemented, and the
house has a tin roof.

• Tin- the wall and roof are made of tin and the floor is solid mud.

• Mud- the wall and floor are of solid earth and the roof is of tin

• Thatched- the wall is made of hay, the floor is solid earth and the
roof is tin
2. Mosque- there are a few mosques here.
3. Shop - There are a number of shops in Kalshimati village.
 4. School – There are few schools here, primary and higher, and girls and boys
have different schools along the same area.
5. Graveyard - There is one grave yard.
6. Ponds – There are multiple ponds and few have fishing facilities
7. Roads – Mostly concrete roads with occasional brick and mud roads
8. Bridges – Only one while entering the village
9. River Channel – Korotoa river that flows beside the Poschim Para
10. Eidgah Field – One located beside the primary school of Primary school
11. Electricity - Several people of the village enjoy the benefits of Electricity.
There are several electric poles in the village of which we saw while roaming
around our assigned para.

Demajani
1. Houses - there are mainly four types of house in the village:
• Concrete- the wall is made of bricks; the floor is cemented, and the house has
a tin roof.

• Tin- the wall and roof are made of tin and the floor is solid mud.

• Mud- the wall and floor are of solid earth and the roof is of tin

• Thatched- the wall is made of hay, the floor is solid earth and the roof is tin

2. Mosque- there are a few mosques here.

3. Shop - There are a number of shops in Kalshimati village.

4. School – There are few schools here, primary and higher, and girls and boys have different
schools along the same area.

5. Graveyard - There is one grave yard.

6. Ponds – There are multiple ponds and few have fishing facilities

7. Roads – Mostly concrete roads with occasional brick and mud roads

8. Bridges – Only one while entering the village

9. River Channel – Korotoa river that flows beside the Poschim Para

10. Eidgah Field – One located beside the primary school of Primary school

11. Electricity - Several people of the village enjoy the benefits of Electricity. There are several
electric poles in the village of which we saw while roaming around our assigned para.
Para Mapping:
A village is generally formed by a group of Paras. This concept is nationwide recognized in
Bangladesh. Para is basically a small portion of a village, and a village can have more than a
single para. Now let us talk about our assigned paras. For Kalshimati we were assigned
“Poschim Para” on the first day and “Purbo Para” on the second and for Demajani we were
assigned “Dokkhin Para” for the first day and “Poranbaria” for the next respectively. Upon
reaching Kalshimati the first house we were assigned to helped us provide the outline the
para map of Poschim Para and the Purbo Para Map was done on assistance from passing by
villager accumulated together. For Demajani we had come across a school student and a
villager who had enrolled in the Army who helped us by drawing the map on the ground for
us and we later cross checked it with another Master’s Student from the village.
After drawing the para map, we began to collect information about the para by asking the
villagers.
Para Resources and its landmark:

In Kalshimati, most of the people are farmers, occupation holders and businessmen. Women
are basically involved in household work, farming and cattle raring. While Kalshimati is not
your daily sight of a village as the officials have implemented their vision of a “modernized
village” on it. As a result, most of the houses are built with tin roof and cemented walls. We
have found one mosque in our para and an Eidgah field. The vegetation was very diverse
with trees of various fruits, bamboo, betel nut, lemon, chili and coconut. There are also a
good number of people involved in the cattle trading and poultry breeding and selling
business. In addition, they sell cows and goats during eid-ul-fitar. There were also several
ponds owned which facilitated fishes in them. Most of the villagers have tube wells in their
home premises and all of them use ring slabs with septic tanks. We also encountered a bajar
with a club house for recreation facilities such as board games available in the para.

In Demajani, most of the people again are farmers, occupation holders and businessmen.
Women are mostly involved in household work, farming, and cattle raring. Unlike Kalshimati
this was not a “modernized village” and their establishments were far better with most houses
being built on concrete and it was all done by the owners without any help from established
govt facilities like RDA. There we multiple mosques in our para and an Eidgah field attached
with it. The vegetation again were very diverse with trees of various fruits, bamboo, betel
nut, lemon, chili and coconut. There are also a good number of people involved in the cattle
trading and poultry breeding and selling business. There were also very few ponds in general
and only a few which facilitated fishes in them. Most of the villagers have tube wells in their
home premises and all of them use ring slabs with septic tanks. We also encountered a massive
bajar with shops of clothes and tailors there as we came along and into the village.

Transect Mapping:

It is the last stage of the mapping procedure. Transect map also known as the resource map
illustrates the relationship between the different important components of the village. Village
transect is one of the PRA techniques which is directly built upon the village map to help the
team learn more about the environmental, economical and social resources of a society. It
illustrates a cross section of an area on which a number of physical provisions are recorded.
They are mainly topography, soil type, land type, land use pattern, vegetation, plantation, fish
culture, poultry and livestock, crops and cropping pattern, problems etc.

1.3.1Procedure:

Our supervisor helped us a lot in selecting our transect place. We started to walk from the
north of our village. We covered 400 - 420 steps to collect ample information about
Kalshimati while we covered 1400 steps for Demajani which eventually helped us to draw
the transect map.

Analysis and findings from the transect map:

Our transect mapping consists of 4 different segments. These segments will focus on the
findings from the transect map by performing analysis of each study zone.

For Kalshimati village Poschim Para,

Step 0-70

In this segment land height was plain; road type was concrete. We came across some
landmarks such as mosque, school, tea stall. Clinic, residential shop, and RDA construction
sites. The house structures consisted of tin-roof and concrete walls only. Primary water
sources are tube well and piped water and the vegetation was diverse with banyan, bamboo,
tamarind and mango trees. Lands were being utilized for grazing and trees and plantations
while the livestock available were cows, goats, and chickens. Lastly other facilities included
electricity poles, trash dispose areas and portable stoves.

Step 70-140

In this segment land height is plain and road type is concrete with mud roads. We came across
some landmarks such as residential, and ponds. The house structures consisted of tin-roof and
concrete walls only. Primary water sources are tube well and piped water and the vegetation
was diverse with grapefruit, papaya, bamboo, banana and mango trees. Lands were being
utilized for cultivation, fishing and trees and plantations while the livestock available were
cows, and chickens. Lastly other facilities included electricity poles, trash dispose areas and
portable stoves.

Step 140-210

In this segment land height and road type is the same as the previous segment. We came across
some landmarks such as Eidgah field, RDA Valobasha, and residentials. The house structures
were the same and so were the primary water sources. The vegetation was diverse with
papaya, bamboo, chili, lemon, banana and mango trees. Lands were being utilized for farming
and plantations while the livestock available were cows, goats, and chickens. Lastly other
facilities included electricity poles, dish and portable stoves.

Step 210-280

In this segment land height was plain and road type was the same as the previous segment
except had brick roads. We came across some landmarks such as cattle farm, pond and
residentials. The house structures were the same and so were the primary water sources. The
vegetation was diverse with betel nut, tamarind, chili, and mango trees. Lands were being
utilized for cultivation, farming, and plantations while the livestock available were cows,
ducks, and chickens. Lastly other facilities included electricity poles, and dish.

Step 280-350

In this segment land height is the same and road type is concrete and mud. We came across
some landmarks such as mosque, and residentials. The house structures were the same and so
were the primary water sources except an addition of a pond. The vegetation was diverse with
papaya, coconut, bamboo, and mango trees. Lands were being utilized for farming, recreation,
and plantations while the livestock available were cows, goats, and chickens. Lastly other
facilities included electricity poles and dish.

Step 350-420

In this segment land height and road type is the same as the previous segment. We came across
some landmarks such as bajar, clubroom, and residentials. The house structures were the same
and so were the primary water sources. The vegetation was the same and lands were being
utilized for farming, bajar and plantations while the livestock available were cows, goats, and
chickens. Lastly other facilities included electricity poles, dish and portable stoves.

For Kalshimati village Purbo Para,

Step 0-70

In this segment land height was plain; road type was concrete. We came across pond as the
landmark only. The house structures consisted of tin-roof and concrete walls only. Primary
water sources is tube well and the vegetation was diverse with banyan, bamboo, and mango
trees. Lands were being utilized for fishing, grazing, crops and trees and plantations while the
livestock available were goats, and chickens. Lastly other facilities included electricity poles,
trash dispose areas and dish.

Step 70-140

In this segment land height was plain; road type was concrete. We came across pond as the
landmark only. The house structures consisted of tin-roof and concrete walls only. Primary
water sources are tube well andpondand the vegetation was diverse with bamboo, betel nut
and mango trees. Lands were being utilized for fishing, and crops while the livestock available
were chickens. Lastly other facilities included electricity poles and portable stoves.

Step 140-210

In this segment land height was plain; road type was concrete. We came across pond as the
landmark only. The house structures consisted of tin-roof and concrete walls only. Primary
water sources are tube well and pond and the vegetation was diverse with banyan, bamboo,
and mango trees. Lands were being utilized for fishing, grazing, crops and trees and
plantations while the livestock available were goats, and chickens. Lastly other facilities
included electricity poles, trash dispose areas and dish.

Step 210-280

In this segment land height was plain and road type was the same as the previous segment
except had brick roads. We came across some landmarks such as cattle farm, pond and
residentials. The house structures were the same and so were the primary water sources. The
vegetation was diverse with betel nut, tamarind, chili, and mango trees. Lands were being
utilized for cultivation, farming, and plantations while the livestock available were cows,
ducks, and chickens. Lastly other facilities included electricity poles, and dish.

Step 280-350

In this segment land height is the same and road type is concrete and mud. We came across
some landmarks such as mosque, and residentials. The house structures were the same and so
were the primary water sources except an addition of a pond. The vegetation was diverse with
papaya, coconut, bamboo, and mango trees. Lands were being utilized for farming, recreation,
and plantations while the livestock available were cows, goats, and chickens. Lastly other
facilities included electricity poles and dish.

Step 350-420

In this segment land height and road type is the same as the previous segment. We came across
some landmarks such as bajar, clubroom, and residentials. The house structures were the same
and so were the primary water sources. The vegetation was the same and lands were being
utilized for farming, bajar and plantations while the livestock available were cows, goats, and
chickens. Lastly other facilities included electricity poles, dish, and portable stoves.

For Demajani village,

Step 0-200

In this segment land height was plain; road type was concrete. We came across some
landmarks such as mosque, school, tea stall, and stores. There were no houses along these
steps. The vegetation was diverse with banyan, papaya, and mango trees. Lands were being
utilized for grazing, stores, and trees and plantations while the livestock available were cows
and goats. Lastly other facilities included electricity poles, trash dispose areas and dish.
Step 200-400

In this segment land height was plain; road type was concrete. We came across some
landmarks such as fertilizer shops, and recharge centre. There were no houses along these
steps. The vegetation was diverse with banana, hog plum and mango trees. Lands were being
utilized for trees and plantations while the livestock available were chicken, cows and goats.
Lastly other facilities included electricity poles, trash dispose areas and dish.

Step 400-600

In this segment land height was plain; road type was concrete. We came across no landmarks
and houses along these steps. The vegetation was diverse with banana, sugarcane, and coconut
trees. Lands were being utilized for trees and plantations and paddy fields while the livestock
available were cows and goats. Lastly other facilities were not available.

Step 600-800

In this segment land height was plain; road type was concrete. We came across no landmarks
and houses along these steps. The vegetation was diverse with banana, papaya, mango and
spinach trees. Lands were being utilized for trees and plantations, pond and crop fields while
no livestock were available were cows and goats. Lastly other facilities were not available.

Step 800-1000

In this segment land height was plain; road type was concrete. We came across no landmarks
and houses along these steps. The vegetation was diverse with banana, jackfruit, mango and
spinach trees. Lands were being utilized for trees and plantations, pond and vegetation fields
while no livestock were available were cows and goats. Lastly other facilities were not
available.

Step 1000-1200
In this segment land height is the same and road type is concrete. We came across some
landmarks such as mosque, farms, and residentials. The house structures were consisted of
tin roof, concrete walls and mud base and the primary water were piper and pond water. The
vegetation was diverse with papaya, coconut, bamboo, jackfruit and mango trees. Lands were
being utilized for ponds, farming, crop field, and plantations while the livestock available
were cows, duck, goats, and chickens. Lastly other facilities included electricity poles, waste
disposable and dish.

Step 1200-1400

In this segment land height is the same and road type is concrete. We came across some
landmarks such as farms, and stores. The house structures were consisted of tin roof, concrete
walls and mud base and the primary water were piper and pond water. The vegetation was
diverse with papaya, coconut, bamboo, jackfruit and mango trees. Lands were being utilized
for ponds, farming, crop field, and plantations while the livestock available were cows, duck,
goats, and chickens. Lastly other facilities included electricity poles, waste disposable and dish.

Conclusion:

This part of our LFE course helped us to know about the problems and the diverse
characteristics of the village people’s lives. By doing this section, we got a macro and micro
view of the village. We learned many interesting facts and one of the most important aspects
of this section was the initial route of rapport building that we went through the first few
days. At the end, I should say that this section helped me to conduct the rest of the study at
a smoother pace.

Chapter 4- Social Change Process

Name: Tamanna Sarkar

ID: 1910150
Introduction

Social change can be defined as the changes that occur in a community over time. It takes
place over time and affects the environment, economy and lifestyle. It is natural to seek better
living standards and social change alleviates daily sufferings of one’s life through
modifications and improvisations of one’s thinking and interweaving with divergent cultures.
Social change is an ongoing process and it results in a better quality of life.

Objectives of the report

We were assigned to survey Kalshimaati village and Demajani village. Our objective was to
survey the local people in the village and identify the social changes that occurred over time.
We asked questions and tried to identify the social changes that transpired in the level of
education of both males and females. We also tried to associate the social changes that took
place that are responsible for the freedom of women in this new era. Finally, we tried to
pinpoint the positive and negative changes that came about since the liberation war and for
that we referred to the reign of a political party. The main objectives of the social change
process are:

• Extensively surveying and identifying the social changes.

• What is the conception of education and marriage in the community

• How the social changes are affecting the liberty of women

• What are the effects of the social changes

Parameters of our social change process analysis

• Household type (nuclear or joint)

• Occupation type

• Food habit

• Nutrition

• Communication
 • Wildlife, tree and agriculture

• Health and education facility

• Income

• Dowry

Social Change Process Analysis

Household type

Household type in Kalshimati

We surveyed a total of 10 households in the dokkhin and purbo para of Kalshimati. From the
survey data we can deduce that most of the families are nuclear. We found that 60% families
are nuclear while 40% are joint families. It was observed that some of the joint families are
at such a stage where they are trying to be nuclear as the father-in-law and mother-in-law
cook and eat their food separately from the son and wife. So, the number of households can
be expected to increase gradually as the families become nuclear.

Household type in Demajani

On the contrary, when 5 households were surveyed in Demajani 60% households were joint
families while only 40% households were nuclear. The difference between the household
types could be due to the dependency of the family on the father-in-law’s income. In
Demajani, most of the households that were surveyed involved father-in-laws who were
earning to sustain the extended families. However, in Kalshimati this practice is not noticed.
Rather the son takes care of his parents in their old age.

Occupation

The occupations of the villagers are getting more and more diverse day by day. Earlier,
villagers used to work as farmers only. Now, villagers are teachers, drivers, peons, shop
owners etc. This drastic change in occupation of villagers is mostly due to enhanced education
facilities. As population is increasing, lands are not increasing so this is a limitation. In order
to feed the individual families, villagers took up different occupations over time that will help
them to sustain their families over time.
Occupation in Kalshimati

From our study, we observed that most men work in agricultural lands while females are
involved in day jobs at their home. These include sewing ‘katha’, animal husbandry,
shopkeeping etc. They also sell poultry provided by RDA.

Occupation in Demajani

Demajani had more variety of occupations than Kalshimati. Men in Demajani worked in
industries, there were drivers, rickshaw pullers and farmers as well. Women in Demajani were
involved in tuitions. Since the households were mostly nuclear the differences in the
occupation are more significant in this village. In both the villages, the contribution of men
and women in daily sustainability seemed to be equal.
Food Habit and Nutrition

The primary food of the villagers is rice. Both the villages have rice fields which provide them
their main food. The second most common food is vegetables. Agricultural fields of
vegetables are present which acts as a food source for the families. Excess vegetables and rice
are sold in the market. Even though meat is not very common in rural areas, due to the
increasing number of poultry and domestic animals, meat has also become a part of the diet.
This change in food habit is probably due to the change in occupation over time which now
allows them to afford meat.
Communication

Earlier, human interaction was the only source of communication between villagers. For that
to occur, people had to travel from one land to the other. Due to the unavailability of proper
roads, communication was limited. With the advancement of technology, mobile phones were
introduced. Now everyone carries a mobile phone which is the key mode of communication
for the villagers of both the villages.
Wild Life

In both the villages, wild life can be considered non-existent. At present, there is no significant
wildlife due to increased numbers of households. We did observe some sparrows, cats and
crows but other than that not much wildlife is present.
Trees and agriculture

In Kalshimati village, we observed mango, banana, lemon, guava, coconutand many other
trees. There were many varieties of trees but the villagers claimed that there used to be more
trees and deforestation has increased drastically so variation of trees has decreased. In
Kalshimati, agricultural fields mainly consist of rice. Although, spinach, bottle gourd, papaya,
potato etc. were also present. In Demajani, the number of trees was prominent. There were
significant numbers of banana trees, mango trees, coconut trees etc. Agricultural fields were
also diverse just like Kalshimati and corn fields were also present. Over time, people are using
better technology; better equipment and they are being introduced to better species of
agricultural elements which are improving their productivity and also influencing their profit.
Health and Education facility

Previously, there were fewer hospitals and medical centers but now clinics are available in
close proximity to both Demajani and Kalshimati village. With the increased level of
education, more people are operating clinics to ensure healthy lives of the villagers.

Education facility in Kalshimati

Poor education has been a major obstacle in pursuing better jobs and earning money. Out of
the 10 households we surveyed in Kalshimati, all of them were aware of the importance of
education. They believe education is important and they also educate their own children as
well. The village has schools that provide education. Although many people used to think that
girls do not need education as they would eventually get married, people in Kalshimati have
the modern conception of the importance of education for both boys and girls. The village has
a school dedicated for the girls.
 70

60

50

40
Boys
30 Girls

20

10

0
Class 6 SSC HSC Bachelors Masters

Figure 1: Percantage of minimum education levels of boys and girls in Kalshimati.

Education facility in Demajani

The literacy rate is rising rapidly. In Demajani, the villagers are well-aware of the importance
of education. There are many schools and colleges that are providing education for the
children. Also, more girls are being educated. However, it is still believed that boys need more
education than females (Figure 2) as it is assumed that boys will be the sole source of income
in a household.
 120

100

80

60 Boys
Girls
40

20

0
HSC Masters

Figure 2: Percentage of minimum level of education for boys and girls in Demajani.
Income

In both Kalshimati and Demajani villages, income has increased significantly over time. This
is because people are more educated now so they find a way to earn. Also, due to the diversity
of occupations it is easier to choose one as a source of income. In both the villages the main
sources of income were agricultural fields, domestic animals and poultry.
Dowry

Dowry is an old tradition during marriage where the bride gives money and gifts to the
groom’s family. At present, this is considered illegal in Bangladesh. Thus, this practice is not
encouraged anymore. In Kalshimati, there were no claims about the dowry system. On the
contrary, in Demajani villagers claimed that no marriage takes place without dowry. They
also expressed that the amount of dowry is soaring day by day. At this point there are no legal
actions taken against it so they have to accept it otherwise their daughters would not be able
to get married. Since, income is increasing people expect more dowry from the bride’s family.
Presently, the minimum dowry in Demajani is at least 2 lakhs taka.
Marriage

Child marriage was a common practice in the villages. Better education and improved laws
have contributed to the reduction of the rate of child marriages. In both the villages, people
are aware of the laws and abide by them. They also understand the consequences of child
marriage for both boys and girls and therefore do not support it at all.

Minimum age for

marriage for boys

10%

30% 18-24
60% 21-24
25-30

Minimum age for

marriage for girls

20%
18-20
80% 21-24

Figure 3: Minimum age for marriage for boys and girls in Kalshimati

In Kalshimati, maximum villagers think that 25-30 is the ideal age for marriage because boys
need to complete higher studies. On the other hand, for girls it is 18-20 since higher education
for girls is not preferred in the village yet.
 Minimum age for Minimum age for
marriage for boys marriage for girls

33%
67% 21-24 100%
18-20
25-30

Figure 4: Minimum age for marriage for boys and girls in Demajani.

In Demajani, all respondents believed that 18-20 is the right age for marriage for a girl while
for boys it was mostly 21-24. So, from comparison it was observed that villagers from
Demajani are more aware that the mimimum age for marriage for boys is 21 than the villagers
in Kalshimati.
Permitted activities for women

In the ancient times it was prohibited for women to do a lot of daily activities like going out
on their own or owning a mobile phone. They were also restricted from doing a job. As people
are more educated, women are getting aware of their rights. They face no obstacles in doing
the activities of daily life. From the data collected from Demajani and Kalshimati, we
assembled charts which are given below (Figure 5 and Figure 6).
 Casting Vote 90

Shopping 70

Visiting relatives outside the

90
village

Watching TV 70 Yes
No
Owning a smart phone/cell
70
phone

Travel to other cities alone 40

Travel to medical facilities

80
outside of village

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Figure 5: Percentages of permission for activities in Kalshimati

Casting Vote

Shopping

Visiting relatives outside the village

Watching TV Yes
No
Owning a smart phone/cell phone

Travel to other cities alone

Travel to medical facilities outside

of village

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Figure 6: Percentages of permission for activities in Demajani

By comparing Figure 5 and 6, it can be concluded that women in Demajani village are more
independent than women in Kalshimati village. This difference arised due to the conventional
habit of women relying on male members of the family or seeking their permission before
doing any activity. However, these things are changing slowly and women are taking steps to
obtain their rights.
Changes that occurred post-liberation war

The positive and negative changes that occurred after the liberation were very similar for both
Kalshimati and Demajani villages. The only difference is that villagers in Demajani
responded more openly than villagers in Kalshimati. This might have happened due to the
mention of poilitical parties associated with the liberation war.

Table 1: Positive and negative change that occurred post-liberation war

Positive changes Negative changes

More education facilities Increasing population

More healthcare facilities Inflation

Women rights High education cost

More income More traffic

Better roads Dowry system

Electricity Deforestation

More food More diseases

More working opportunities

More working women

Better security

Better technology

Better sanitation

Source: Field survey, 2022, Group 6

From the survey, it can be inferred that for both the villages the major positive changes were
better education facilities and healthcare facilities. The major negative changes were inflation
and increasing population. The respondents expressed that even though income is increasing,
the cost of goods is also increasing. So, ultimately every day is still a struggle for them just
like the days before the liberation war.
Major Findings

• Improved healthcare sector

• Increased literacy rate

• People are more aware about education and proper age for marriage

• Women rights are more strongly established in Demajani than Kalshimati

• Sources of income have increased

Analysis of major findings

In both the villages, the social changes that occurred are note-worthy. The most crucial change
includes the improvement of the healthcare sector and education facilities. Despite the
financial conditions of the villagers, they educate their children to groom them for the future.
Many government institutes including RDA worked to improve the living conditions of the
villagers. In Kalshimati, the role of RDA in the daily lives of the villagers is prominent in
allowing them to have increased income (poultry). Due to their contributions, the villagers
have a better quality of life in both the villages. However, it was evident that Kalshimati
received more help from RDA than Demajani. Due to improved modes of communication,
people are more aware of the importance of the proper age to get married. Education and the
media are also working hand-in-hand to make more women be aware of their rights. With the
introduction of ‘Digital Bangladesh’ the rate of social change is increasing. The influence of
the internet in educating people is also eminent. Therefore, these factors are responsible for
driving social change in the villages.
Conclusion

Social change is a process that takes place eventually whether it is slow or fast. With the
introduction of the internet that connects the whole world together, changes are taking place
very rapidly. In order to cope up with the rapid changes people need to modify their thinking
and live the modern life. That is why it is immensely important that social change takes place
over time. Both Demajani and Kalshimati are quite well-developed modern villages but it
cannot be ignored that they are still in need of help from the concerned authorities to establish
a life that reflects ‘Digital Bangladesh’.

Chapter 5: Economy and Rural Production

Amitesh Das

ID: 1610377

5.1 Introduction
Although Bangladesh is currently pursuing industrial growth and service activities as a strategy of
economic development, the country's economy still mostly rests on rural economic activity. Asymmetrical
population distribution between rural and urban areas. Most of our human resources are now located in
rural regions. Many of them work in agriculture to support their families. Many of the rural people in
Bangladesh are also collaborating with other economic sectors as the term "Rural Development" is
becoming increasingly prevalent in the country's governing body, which leads us to Rural Development
Academy, Bogura. Bogura RDA has assisted us in surveying the households and collecting data.
In this section, we will be discussing the economic status and rural production cycle of the ‘Kalshimati’
village and ‘Demajani’ village. Both the village has mixed forms of occupation and flow of the economy,
depending on the need and accessibility to land.

Villages covered:
1. Kalshimati Village (Poshchim Para and Purbo Para)
2. Demajani Village (Dokhin Para and Poranbaria)

5.2 Objectives
The major objectives of doing such kind of study in Kalshimati are:
❖ To identify the different income groups and their occupation.
❖ To investigate the living standard of the residents of the assigned Para.

❖ To acquire knowledge about their different economic activities.

❖ To know how the village people continue their production cycles all through the year.

❖ To identify the different resources that villagers possess and how these resources are used in their
economic activities. Finally, this assessment and analysis will help to gather knowledge about the rural
economy.

5.3 Explorative method for the study and discussion on income assessment and wealth ranking
To identify the income of the households we have taken various methods in the count. We asked for the
annual income, if not then the gross or the monthly income, if not then the average income each household
has. We have divided the incomes into 3 parts High, Medium and Low. It shall be disclosed that the
estimation has been done following the questionnaire and in total 15 volunteers complied from the 4 paras
of the 2 villages.

5.4 Economic Conditions and Income Assessment

Most of the households in both villages were dependent on a single person’s earnings. A family of 4/5
relies on the head of the household. From the general view, Kalshimati village looked less economically
enriched than Demajani. Moreover, cultivating land is more evident in Demajani than in Kalshimati.
Kalshimati seemed to be more residential than an agricultural landscape. People in Demajani are wealthier
than people in Kalshimati. People in Demajani have more sources of income in various forms, on the other
hand in Kalshimati people were more dependent on jobs having a lesser amount of land of their own to
do agriculture.

As we can see 40% of the households in Demajani have higher income, and 60% have medium income.
Whereas in Kalshimati the significance of medium income is evident. 70% of households have medium
income amongst the 210 houses we surveyed, and the rest 30% have low income. Here a difference can
be seen between the two villages in the percentage of their annual income.

Table 1. Annual income comparison as different groups of the villages.

Income Status || Village Range (annually) Kalshimati Demajani
percentage

High 2,50,001- above n/A 40%

Medium 70,001- 2,50,000 70% 60%

Low 01-70,000 30% n/A

5.4.1 Profession

NOTE: A group of people sitting at a fertilizer shop.

There is a variety of professions occupied by the villagers. Some of them work in one place, but most of
them have several forms of occupation. As villages are enriched with land for cultivation and plantation
so it is obvious that most of them will be farmers, but surprisingly most of the villagers work as employees
in industries or private companies.

People of Kalshimati have less education and wealth to work in an industry or any private service. The
widespread profession in Kalshimati is being Agricultural Labor, which is mostly outside the study area,
for a 6- 12 months daily contract. In Demajani people are well set off and are likely to have a better source
of employment due to their educational background and the opportunities around the village. The majority
of the households have their own land, being landlord, they lease their property to others, or runs the
business from home.

Figure 1: Chart of Profession/ occupation

 Chart on Profession
7

0
Agriculture Agri. Labour Poultry/ Duck Cattle/ Goat Vendor Construction Service Transport
Worker worker

Kalshimati Demajani

5.5 Amount of Land

Households in both villages had a hefty amount of space. The owners have huge-sized lands, where they
built their house, does plantation, or build a farm. All these lands are mostly inherited from their parents/
ancestors. Tenants are not often seen here; everyone have their own land and house. 2 houses in the
Kalshimati village, house 4 and 6, stands out the rest with the most amount of land in possession. The
more the amount land is the larger the income is, as they do utilize the free land either for their own food
or for distribution.

Figure 2: Amount of Land per household (in shatak)

 160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0
House 1 House 2 House 3 House 4 House 5 House 6 House 7 House 8 House 9 House 10

Kalshimati Demajani

5.5.1 House type

Houses were well built in both villages. Kalshimati being a model village gets helped by RDA in building
infrastructure. Recently an initiative has been taken by the Director General of RDA to build houses for
people living below the poverty line, off their own funding.

In Demajani houses were well built and more structured. The presence of development is evident, as RDA
has a few years back invested there as well.

The dominance of Tin house is noticeable in both charts. Tin houses are easy and cheap to build, but not
as reliable as concrete houses.

Figure 3. House Structure in Kalshimati

 Tin
Concrete
30%
Earth
Bamboo Thatch
Wood
70%

Figure 3.1: House Structure in Demajani

Tin
Concrete
Concrete Earth
40%
Bamboo Thatch
Tin
60% Wood

NOTE: Picture of a tin house

NOTE: Picture of a concrete house

The structures of the house have been divided into 3 parts the roof, wall, and floor. A variation of all 3
components in building a house can be seen in both the villages.

Table 2: Kalshimati

Type Roof Wall Floor

Tin 9 5 -

Concrete 1 5 3

Earth - - 7

Table 3: Demajani

Type Roof Wall Floor

Tin 4 1 -

Concrete 1 4 2
 Earth - - 3

5.5.2 Household Facilities

Figure 3: Household Facilities Chart

Chart Title
Tube- well/ hand pump

Wall- clock

Bicycle

Bed

Bench

Chair

Table

Akmirah

television that works

Radio that works

Electricity

Boat

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Tube-
Radio television
Wall- well/
Boat Electricity that that Akmirah Table Chair Bench Bed Bicycle
clock hand
works works
pump
Demajani 0 5 0 4 1 5 5 4 5 1 2 5
Kalshimati 0 9 0 6 4 7 9 3 7 6 3 6

Demajani Kalshimati

As we can see on the chart above that the development in the rural villages is dominating. Electricity is a
major issue in third-world countries like Bangladesh, but it feels great to witness electricity almost
everywhere. As well as households have necessary furniture like chairs, tables, beds, benches, almirah
etc. The amount of furniture depends on the well-being of the family. The more the household income is
more they spend on furniture and necessary supplies. No radio or boat was located at the houses surveyed,
as their ponds are small to swim and catch fish, so having both is not essential; and for the radio, people
use their cellular cellphone as an alternative to listening music, hear the news etc.
5.5.3 Domestic Animal
Figure 4: Chart of Households with Domestic Animals

Chart Title

7
6
5
4
3
2
Demajani
1
Kalshimati
0
Cow Ox Goat Poultry Others

Kalshimati Demajani

Domestic animals are present in almost all residences. Some are pre-owned, and some are provided to
them by RDA as a part of the development program. An initiative was taken to help villagers become self-
sufficient in order to earn for themselves they were provided with 50- 100 poultries, 1- 3 goats. Villagers
are supposed to grow those poultries, and goats and sell them off to the local market as a source of income.
The majority of households having cows in their home claim to consume the milk and sell it outside, but
once the cow or goat is grown up they sell it off in the market or to personal buyers, especially during Eid.
NOTE: A farm inside the house

5.5.4 Agricultural product and frequency of cultivation

Bangladesh as a blessing from mother nature has one of the finest soils for harvesting any sort of plant,
vegetable etc. Greeneries cover most villages and dominate man-made infrastructures. Fruit trees,
vegetations and crop fields are the major plantations in Kalshimat and Demajani. Fruits like Banana,
mango, jackfruit, papaya, sugarcane, star fruit, and coconut stand off the rest, and potato, onion, chilli,
cucumber, and eggplant are amongst the mainstream. Rice cultivation is also prominent, grade 28,29 of
‘Kataribhog” is the most popular one. The type of rice that they mostly cultivated were “Aman” and
“IRRI”. According to the villagers Kataribhog can be cultivated twice a year, which takes around 6 months
to complete the process; vegetables like eggplant, and potatoes are harvested twice as well. Some
vegetables such as “seem” had to be cultivated thrice a year. Chilis, lemon is regular, there is no specific
season or time span for them to grow. Fruit plantations come as their seasons, most households plant fruit
trees for their consumption not for selling. In the local market fruits, and vegetables are cheap compared
to the cities as they are cultivated locally.

Demajani village has more harvesting land compared to Kalshimati which increases the variety of fruits
and vegetables that are available. Demajani’s crop fields are owned by households who reside beside the
land, own them or have taken lease from someone of the same village, but in Kalshimati people often to
work as agriculture labor in the fields are paid daily basis.

5.6.1 Output from the production

The crops, plants, fruits, or vegetables harvested in the villages are sold to the local market at a very
reasonable price. Rural market is a source of income for the local farmers and land- owners. These
products are sent to the different part of the country every day. It increases the work opportunity and flow
of money in the village. Often Government officials visit the villages and crops to check if any assistance
is needed, which helps entrepreneurs enrich their methodology on the plantation and succeed in being a
part of the commerce.

NOTE: Vendor at the bazaar selling locally grown potatoes

5.8 Conclusion
From the above discussion, it is quite noticeable that both the villages to some extents are on the same
page. Except few, like the cash flow in the villages Kalshimati village is being re-modelled by RDA, who
is investing a huge chunk of money to help the people of Kalshimati. It has been creating opportunity for
the villagers like getting job in the projects, working as a free- lancer for RDA’s different survey and
research program, Farming by growing the goats and poultries provided to them for free. On the other
hand, in Demajani these initiatives have already been taken and people are well off now. They have been
provided with houses, domestic animals etc. to help them get set in life.

Education in Demajani village is better than Kalshimati because the opportunity and option for better
education is present. Moreover, the geographical location of Demajani village helps it to get the vast
number of facilities. Demajani village is right in between the ‘Maria’ para, which the largest and densely
populated para amongst all other. The Demajani market has become a hub for people from Maria as it is
the connecting point for both sides. Therefore, there are several schools, college, mosque and variety of
stores. Accessibility to any necessity is not scarce. This is the reason the income status differentiated
between Demajani and Kalshimati.

So, in total we can say that Kalshimati has down- sloped economy whereas Demajani has more uprising.
Kalshimati has lesser opportunities for earning, Demajani has more. The people of Kalshimati were
economically poorer than people of Demajani, as most of them were agriculturalists and laborer and lived
their lives on a day-to-day basis. People of Demajani were economically self-sufficient as even to some
of them cattle and poultry were for personal consumption, not livelihood.

Lastly, I found the utmost beauty of Bangladeshi walking through the narrow half clay roads between
huge fields of greeneries. Met the most down-to-Earth people throughout the time and got so much to
know from the total process. I hope these villages will fight against all the odds and shine as bright as the
Venus.

Chapter 6: PRESENT ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH CONDITION

Sorna Akter

ID: 1821168

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

Introduction

Bangladesh is a country of cultural diversity; villages played a major role in this. Almost 75%
population of Bangladesh originated from rural areas. Every village holds its own culture,
specialties, food habit, traditions, and so on. The rural areas hold a history of civilization and
establishment, which played a major role in the success of our nation. To know the different
aspects of those villages it is important to understand their geographical location, people, and
their lifestyle. As citizens of a nation, it is our duty to know about the rural people and their
contribution to the development of our country for a very long time. A recent method found
to eliminate the gap between us and the rural people by directly communicating with them is
LFE, which stands for Live-in-Field Experience.

Human health and wellbeing depend on a clean environment. In addition, the surrounding
environment may contain stressors that are harmful to health, such as noise, dangerous
chemicals, and air pollution. Climate change has a negative impact on the health of the
population through heatwaves, floods, and changes in the distribution of vector-borne
diseases. In a broader sense, ecosystem services like freshwater access and food production
are threatened by climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation, which can have an
effect on human well-being. Healthy people live in healthy environments. Disease risk can be
decreased by it. We can lower the danger of contracting diseases if we are environmentally
conscious.

We have visited and surveyed two villages in the area under Rural Development Academy in
the district Bogura.

That two villages are:

1. Kalshimati (our assigned para is Poschim and Purbopara)

2. Demajani (our assigned para is Dokkhin and Poranbaria)

Here, we surveyed different aspects of the rural economy along with market research, cultural
aspect, health, and environment. There are some differences between that two villages such
as living standards, social changes, health and environment facilities. We would compare
some factors of health and environment like source of water, fuel type, toilet facilities, vaccine
and public health, cooking and disposal, treatment location and problems between Kalshimati
and Demajani village to find out which village is better.
Objectives

The main objective of LFE is to get the experience of directly communicating with the village
community and know about the lifestyle of the majority of Bangladeshi people.

➢ To assess the earnings and agricultural developments of the villages by witnessing the
economical stress and efforts for development.

➢ To get an in-depth knowledge of the socio-economic reality of rural areas of

Bangladesh.

➢ To gather knowledge about their health conditions and environment.

➢ To understand the social change that has been happening there since the historical
period.

➢ To develop the research and data collecting ability of the students.

➢ To get an idea of the rural market system.

➢ To develop communication skills by ensuring communication in a different

environment.

Source of Water

Water is a valuable natural resource found in different forms in our environment. As we

mentioned above we have surveyed two villages, from that two village we have seen there
were two primary sources of water first one is tube-well and another one is piped water. In
Kalshimati village we have covered some household of Poschimpara and Purbopara most of
the household that we survey they have use tube-well water for drinking, cooking, bathing,
washing etc. Some of them use piped water and few of them use pond water which is very
minor but not for drinking.
On the other hand, in Demajani village we have covered Dokkhinpara and Poranbaria
majority of them that we have survey they have use tube-well water as like Kalshimati village,
some of the household who have use piped water.

Here, differences between Kalshimati and Demajani village is that in Kalshimati few
household who have use pond water but in Demajani we didn’t find any household that who
use pond water.

Kalshimati

Piped water
Tubewell
 Demajani
100
80
60
40 piped water
20 Tubewell
0

Toilet Facilities

The types of toilet facilities in the surveyed area were ring slab, hanging latrine and septic
tank. In Kalshimati village we have found all of the household that we survey they use ring
slab and they have septic tank so we can say that 100% of the respondents used ring slab and
septic tank. On the other hand, in Demajani village most of the household use ring slab the
percentage is 80% and the other 20% of respondents use hanging latrine. 80% respondents
have septic tank and the other 20% of respondents doesn’t have septic tank.

So, in that case we can say that compare to Demajani village Kalshimati village is better
because all of the household use ring slab and they have septic tank.

Kalshimati Kalshimati

Ring Slab Septic Tank

 Demajani Demajani
Ring Slab Septic
tank
Hanging No Septic
Latrine Tank

Cooking and Disposal

In every kitchen, there is waste that must be recycled, waste that can be hazardous and waste
that must be stored in a certain way. In Kalshimati village we have found that 80% of
respondents who cook in the kitchen and the other 20% their cooking place inside their living
room. For waste disposal, 40% of respondents they have said they have specific place for
waste disposal, another 40% said they throw waste into a hole, the other 20% they doesn’t
have any specific place.

In Demajani, 70% of respondents who cook in the kitchen rest of 30% of respondents their
cooking place outside of the home. For waste disposal, 30% of respondents they have said
they have specific place for waste disposal, another 20% said they throw waste into a hole,
30% respondents they doesn’t have any specific place, the other 20% they dump their trash
in a nearby ditch.

So here, we can say that compare to Demajani village kalshimati village is better.
Type of fuel and its effects on health and environment
Fuel Type:

Solid fuels include coal, lignite, charcoal, wood, straw, plants, and grass as well as food crops
and animal waste. Electricity, LPG, natural gas, and biogas are all examples of clean fuels.
The accessibility, affordability, and convenience of the fuel, as well as the household’s
economic and technical options, as well as the relevant social and cultural factors, all have a
significant impact on the fuel choice. For instance, even if they have observable health and
financial advantages, other fuels are not as appealing in many households since cooking with
wood is so ingrained in their tradition. When planning a household energy project, these
factors must be carefully considered. They must also be closely monitored as the project is
being carried out.

In Kalshimati village 60% of households use firewood, 20% of households use gas, 15% of
households use leaves and twigs and the other 5% of households use straw. And majority
household of Kalshimati village they are not conscious of side effects from the fuel they have
used, and few of the household they are conscious but the percentage is very low which is
20%.
On the other hand in Demajani village 80% of households use firewood the other 20% of
households use gas. Out of the five households we surveyed in Demajni village, there was
only one household that used gas as the source of fuel to light their stove. The rest of the
houses used firewood, leaves, and twigs to light their mud stove. The probable reasons to use
these natural resources are that they are easily accessible, cheap, and convenient for them.
Gas is less used as it is comparatively expensive and it is still not that convenient for them.
All of the household of Demajani village they are not conscious of side effects from the fuel
they have used.

Health effects:

According to the survey, 75% of the people there preferred to burn wood, leaves, and twigs
to light a fire for their daily purpose. The process of cooking or burning fire using these
sources requires a constant human presence. When these things are burnt huge amount of
smoke is created. Moreover, one needs to keep on giving air to increase fire which increases
the smoke. Smoke contains many harmful substances like carbon monoxide. Due to inhaling
this smoke on regular basis, many lung diseases are observed in people there. It was observed
that most of them had mild to severe Asthma.

Both of the village households primarily use wood and gas fireplaces. Wood smoke can
inflame our lungs, irritate them, weaken our immune system, and increase our risk of
developing lung infections. On the other hand maximum environmental contamination from
LPG is at the Tama component level, and it also contaminates food with sound that is very
harmful to human health.
Environmental effects:

The mud stove where wood, leaves, and twigs are used as fuel creates a huge amount of
smoke. The smoke contains a great amount of harmful substances like carbon monoxide
which is harmful to both human life and the environment. The usage of these substances as
fuel plays a major role in air pollution.

On the other hand, the impact of gas stoves is not visible as the natural fuel. However,
according to recent surveys, it has come to light that the use of gas as fuel leaks a huge amount
of methane into the environment which plays a major role in global warming. Thus, this also
creates air pollution.

Vaccination Rate

In order to create immunity, vaccines act in conjunction with your body’s natural defense.
Our immune system reacts when we receive a vaccination. More than 20 deadly diseases can
now be prevented with vaccines, allowing individuals of all ages to live longer, healthier lives.
Currently, vaccinations stop 3.5-5 million fatalities every year from illnesses like measles,
diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and influenza.

In Kalshimati village all of the households that we have surveyed they have taken all the
vaccinations, which is 100 percent, in Demajani village they also have taken all the
vaccinations just like Kalshimati village. The most beautiful thing was the parents are quiet
aware about the vaccination. Local health complex and different NGO’s are successful to
make them aware about vaccination. So, here both village percentages are the same.

Treatment of family members

Generally, in villages, the known places where people go for treatment are Public Health Care
Facilities, Local Public Health Worker, Local NGO Health Worker, Local Pharmacy, Local
Priest, Homeopathy, and Herbal Treatment.
80

70

60

50

40 Kalshimati
30 Demajani

20

10

0
Public Healthcare Public Health Local Pharmacy Local Priest
worker

In Kalshimati village the vast majority of household (70 percent) prefer public healthcare
facilities, 30 percent of them frequently go to the local pharmacy. On the other hand, in
Demajani, mostly they have preferred healthcare centers and some of them rarely go to local
pharmacy and few of them frequently go to the local priest for any kind of illness.

Problems of government health care service

In Kalshimati village, when we asked them if they face any problems when they go for
treatment in their required place of those households, 30 percent said they faced no problems,
another 30 percent of households reported having to wait a long time to see a doctor, 10
percent said transportation facilities were not available, 20 percent said medicines are not
available, and other 10 percent said medicine costs are prohibitively expensive.

In villages, the households are usually far away from the medical facilities. Besides, due to
limited government clinics, the waiting hours get too long. In Demajani village the vast
majority of household which is 40 percent reported having to wait a long time to see a doctor,
another 20 percent of households they faced no problems, other 20 percent agreed that there
are lack of transport facilities for the people to go to medical centers, 20 percent of the
villagers said that they didn't get the medicines they required in the village markets.
Conclusion

Both of the village peoples lack some facilities since they are a small community. After the
survey, it can be stated that the environment and lives of people there are quite stable. They
are leading a healthy and satisfying life, keeping aside a few issues they face. They are
conscious about their health, they visit hospitals quite often and don’t rely on other superficial
means for treatment, they ensure that their kids received all the vaccinations, make sure that
they drink safe water, and so on. All these precautions help them lead a healthy life. However,
they have some lacking in their medical facilities and follow some unhealthy norms like using
natural fuels. There are families that go through financial issues. The people of Kalshimati
and Demajani village are friendly, cooperative, and conscious. Thus, attention from higher
authorities can help them overcome these issues.
Chapter 7- Rural Market Analysis

Shagufta Kabir

ID- 1810090

Introduction
Rural marketing is the process of developing the marketing mix (product, price, place and promotion) for
a product or service which involves interaction between rural and urban market, satisfaction of consumer
demands and achievement of organizational targets.

Market analysis is an important tool to see the change in the social behavior and in the economy. Products
in market reflect the spending power of the local people.

Objective
Our objective of the market analysis was

• To have a better understanding of rural market system.

• To identify the different kinds of products and services.
• To understand the different stage and media involved in production and distribution process.

Methodology
To study the Noi mile haat we had to study the producers, sellers, buyers who attended the weekly haat.
For this part of our work, we have used two techniques of PRA- semi structure interview and one to one
interview. These were conducted to understand the rural market mechanism. Using these techniques, we
tried to find out a detailed picture of the Noi mile haat to incorporate marketing’s four Ps (Product, Price,
Place and Promotion). It is also done for evaluation of the socio-economic condition of the village farmers,
entrepreneurs and other traders who come here.
Concept of Market, Haat and Bazaar
Market
Theoretically, a market is a place where “A group of potential consumers with similar needs who are
willing to exchange something of value with sellers offering various goods or services that is ways of
satisfying those needs.” (Basic Marketing, Macarthy/Perreault., Eleventh edition, 1993) From social
perspective, it is a place for socialization, gossip, politics as well as for relaxation. In the context of
Bangladesh, three types of market exist, i.e. Haat, Bazaar and permanent shop. In these markets all the
intermediaries like manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers play a prominent role.

Haat
Haat is a temporary form of market. It takes place on specific weekdays, once or twice in a week, where
buying and selling of desired goods and services go on in a large quantity. It is normally held beside the
bank of a river or under a big banyan tree. For the villagers haat is more important place than the bazaar
it is usually attended by the people of several villages. It is usually held in the afternoon. But there are
exceptions too. Some haats, for selling clothes or cow held early in the morning. There exists some semi-
permanent structure in a haat.

Bazaar
A bazaar is normally referred to a place that has a range of shops where business transactions are held
daily almost throughout the week. Usually in Bangladesh, rural bazaars are a cluster of “semi-pacca” and
“katchsa” shops, thatched or corrugated tin roofed with bamboo structures. A rural bazaar consists few
shops, which cater to the needs of the villager. Bazaar is also a common place for the villagers to exchange
their news and views. The shops have to pay a small amount of taxes to the market authority every year.

Noi mile Haat, Bogura

Noi mile haat is a mile away from our venue, RDA. This haat operates only on Tuesdays and Thursdays
every week. Over 300 shops and vender sets up their busness in this haat- with around 100 permanent
shops. Many goods and service are available in this haat. People from different village come in this haat
to conduct his trading. Noi mile haat plays an important role in the rural market economy due to it being
a major source of income for a lot of people. This haat has permanent shops that employees local residents,
so job and income opportunities are more.
Communication and Transportation Facilities
In Noi mile haat the major participants are the primary producers, pikars or the wholesalers, local traders
and buyers. They commonly use transportations like bicycle, rickshaw, rickshaw van, bus, tempo and even
truck. The bicycle, rickshaw, rickshaw van and tempo are usually owned by the local people and during
the harvesting season they have heavy demand. Rickshaw and rickshaw van are mainly used by the
primary producer and the wholesaler to bring the crop from their homes to the market. The wholesaler
also use truck to carry their products to the warehouse and to different parts of the country.

Transportation facility

• Rickshaw Van
• Rickshaw
• Tempo
• Truck
• Bus

Few farmers pull rickshaw or rickshaw van by themselves during the off-season to have an extra income
for the family.

Available stores and vendors in the haat

Few of the shop categories that the haat offered were:

• Clothing stores
• Vegetable vendors
• Meat vendors
• Fish vendors
• Rice vendors
• Convenience stores

Vegetables vendors
Vegetables mostly sold and high in demand in this haat were brinjal(begun) and potol, which are locally
produced.
Begun was available in a few types: Plastic Begun- 30tk /kg, Mental Begun- 30tk /kg, Rongila Begun 35-
40tk /kg, Lomba begun 25tk /kg.

Others vegetables include potol at 40tk /kg, Mula 30tk /kg, Kakrol 30tk /kg, Coriander 200tk /kg,
Onion(mixed- fresh & old) 30tk /kg, Onion(fresh) 40tk /kg Lemon 5 pieces at 10tk, Papaya 15tk /kg, Lau
30tk /piece, Lady Finger 40tk /kg, Hogplum 40tk /kg, Lal Shak 5tk per stick, Mula Shak 5tk /stick, Palong
Shak 10tk /stick, Cucumber 60tk/ kg, Pumpkin(kumra) 40tk /kg, Kochu 50tk /piece.

Rents and Profits

220tk per day for each vendor in the haat where the profit varies from vendor to vendor- 200tk per day for
some and 600tk per day for some.

Vegetable Supplied to other cities

Begun, Potol, Lau, Kumra, Cauliflower, etc. goes from bogura to different parts of the country.

Clothing stores
Highly demand clothes are basically fabrics in yards. Fabrics like cotton-
Bexi cotton, Pakija Cotton. These are priced at at a range of around 70tk to
180tk per yard. Cotton Lungi(demanded by men)- 300-1000tk per lungi
and Maxi(demanded by women) 300-1500tk per maxi.

Shirts, pants, tshirts are high in demand by men- 500-2500tk per product.
Whereas, goj kapor, saree and 3 pieces kameez are high in demand by the
women.

The shop that we went to was Haji Bostraloy, which was a permanent shop
in the haat and operates all 7 days in a week. They had a total of 5
showrooms across the haat.

The rent of their 5 stores were 40,000tk per month. And they mainly source their products from Dhaka,
Shahjadpur, Bogura.

As per monthly employees’ salaries and electricity they have expense of around 1lac.
Local produce and produces outsourced from other cities
Among the vegetables mentioned, locally produced vegetables are mainly cucumber, begun, potol,
different kinds of Shak, Papaya, Lemon.

Green chilies come mainly from Rongpur and Mohasthan, Onion mostly comes from Pabna.

And for Clothing, materials mainly come from Islampur, Dhaka. Other places the materials are sourced
from includes Shahjadpur, Tangail, Sylhet, etc..
Kalshimati and Demajani Markets

Kalshimati had very few stores around the village. They had very few
convenience stores and had fertilizer stores.

One of the households we surveyed owned a fertilizer store right by the

house.

While in Demajani quite a few convenience stores where present where

people could buy just about anything- starting from cold drinks to shampoos,
soups, chips, ice creams and so much more. But instead of selling full sizes,
sachets of shampoos, smaller sized soups, small packages chips and cold
drinks are apparently more high in demand.

However, some of the products that we’ve come across seemed either
copied versions for other products available in
the urban parts of the country or fake as a
whole. For example, chocolates, candies,
chips, shampoo, etc.
Case Stories
10.1 Case Story 1: Single mother
Suraiya Tarveen Mala is a single mother with two sons. Her husband died a long time ago and since then
every day is a battle for her family. Her eldest son, Monirujjaman works in a nursery and earns 300/day
while her younger son, Mohon, is only in grade 9. Although, Mohon is only 14 years old he works in
fields and performs cross-breeding between plants. At the age where Mohon is supposed to play with his
friends, he is a helping hand for his mother. Mala’s house is entirely made of tin. In this small space she
accommodates her family and her three goats. Unlike most other families in Kalshimati, Mala does not
own any agricultural fields. RDA plays a major role in aiding Mala to be financially stable. They are
building her a new and improved concrete house which is a huge help considering her present living
conditions. Also, the nearby public hospitals and clinics provide medicines free of cost which also helps
out the family.

Fig 10.1: Mala with female members of group 6

10.2 Case Story 2: Construction worker
Amjad Hossain lives with his wife and his two sons. His wife is a homemaker and both his sons are still
studying. Amjad works at a construction site and earns 300/day. On his off-days he works on agricultural
fields and earns 300/per day. Altogether his earnings are not at all sufficient for running the household
and the education of his two sons. Fortunately, RDA provided them with sufficient poultry (110 chickens)
and they also own goats that they sell yearly and obtain around 10,000-12,000 taka per year. From selling
poultry they earn a small amount. Even though the amount is small, they are glad that RDA is assisting
them to reduce their daily struggles.

Figure 10.2: Amjad’s wife with the survey team.

10.3 Lessons learned

Both the case stories are from Kalshimati village. From our surveys from both Kalshimati and Demajani,
we concluded that villagers from Kalshimati require more help from RDA as they are not as financially
stable as the villagers from Demajani. Villagers from Kalshimati are receiving assistance from RDA and
it is a very big deal. Despite the help, the villagers are still struggling to survive every day due to the
increased price of goods. They still require more help so their everyday life is free of struggle. The lifestyle
of the villagers is very different from our and it was interesting to articulate how they strive each day.
Even though we did not get to spend a lot of time with the respondents, all the stories we heard from them
were unique in their own way.

Chapter 8- Conclusion

The majority of people in our country reside in rural areas. Through the Live-in-Field-Experience (LFE)
Program, we have the chance to learn more about Bangladesh’s rural areas. The opportunity to learn about
various facets of rural society had been fantastic. Like us, much rural society was unfamiliar to city
dwellers. Villagers were quite helpful to us throughout the field survey. Even they never grew irritated by
our disturbing them during a very good crop season. Rural society is evolving daily. Education, sanitation,
and hygiene are increasingly topics of greater public awareness. In addition to creating the infrastructure,
they are also influencing everyone to use it. There are certain issues that should also be resolved. The
social issue is very evident. Still, they do not grant women complete independence. The market is also
getting more active today, as peasants are more motivated to grow cash crops in order to increase their
income. Therefore, they must buy food to survive. The results of these research are, thus, very severely
constrained. However, in doing the report, we had never before encountered the realities of Bangladesh’s
rural districts. Consequently, it was a wonderful experience over there. We would like to thank IUB and
RDA, Bogura for giving us the chance to explore such amazing society and people.