Course code: URP 2215

Course title: Coastal and Special Zones Planning

An Assignment On
Comparison of Development Status before and after the
Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan Project
Submission Date: 05 July, 2020

Submitted to
Md. Kamrul Hasan
Assistant Professor,
Department of Urban & Regional Planning
Pabna University of Science & Technology (PUST)

Submitted by
Ritu Saha
Roll no:-151730
Session: 2014-2015
Department of Urban & Regional Planning
Pabna University of Science & Technology (PUST)

Department of Urban & Regional Planning

PABNA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

pg. 1
1. Introduction
Coastal zone of Bangladesh is geomorphologically and hydrologically dominated by the
Ganges Brahmaputra Meghna (GBM) river system and Bay of Bengal. The coastal zone of
Bangladesh covers an area of 47,201 km2, 32% of the country, being the landmass of 19
districts. Around 35 million people, representing 29% of the population, live in the coastal
zone [ CITATION Ahm19 \l 1033 ].

The Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan Project gives a brief description of the
project, goal, objective and general approaches. The ICZMP project has been executed by the
WARPO during the period February 2002 to December 2005. This project focuses on three
relevant terms i.e. ‘Coastal Zone & Poverty’, ‘Coastal Zone & Social Development’ and
‘Coastal Zone & Economic Growth’. The Government of Bangladesh (GoB), in
collaboration with the United Kingdom and The Netherlands, initiated the Program
Development Office (PDO) for Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan (ICZMP) Project
for a period of three years commencing from February 2002. A small but highly professional
team is responsible for carrying out the project. It is an Inter-ministerial arrangement with the
Ministry of Water Resources as the lead Ministry and the Water Resources Planning
Organization (WARPO) as the lead agency [CITATION WAR04 \l 1033 ].

Source: www.google.com
Figure 1: Coastal Zone of Bangladesh

2. Goal:
To create conditions in which the reduction of poverty, development of sustainable
livelihoods and the integration of the coastal zone into national processes can take place.

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3. Objectives:
 Economic growth;
 Meeting basic needs & creating options for livelihood opportunities for coastal
communities;
 Reduction of vulnerabilities and enhancement of coping capacities;
 Sustainable management of coastal resources;
 Equitable distribution of resources and economic benefits across social strata
 Empowerment of coastal communities;
 Women’s advancement and promotion of gender equality;
 Preservation and enhancement of critical ecosystems.

4. Comparison of Development Status before and after the Integrated

Coastal Zone Management Plan Project

The ICZMP project has been executed by the WARPO during the period February 2002 to
December 2005. It was aimed at developing capabilities and priority actions for coastal
development in Bangladesh. Coastal zone of Bangladesh consists of 19 coastal districts that
are Jessore, Narail, Gopalganj, Shariatpur, Chandpur, Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Pirozpur,
Jhalakati, Barguna, Barisal, Patuakhali, Bhola, Lakshmipur, Noakhali, Feni, Chittagong, and
Cox's Bazar.

3.1 Coastal Zone and Poverty

Before the implementation of ICZMP project, the poverty scenario was very poor in the
19 coastal districts than other districts in Bangladesh. In terms of caloric intake, 52 percent
were absolute poor and 24 percent were extreme poor. Most of the people in coastal area
dependent on agriculture and fishing activities. Almost every year, floods, tropical cyclones,
landslide, salinity intrusion caused a huge damage of agricultural crops and physical
structures. A table of poverty scenario in the coastal area in the context of Bangladesh before
the project is given below:

Table-1: Poverty Scenario before the ICZMP project

Indicators Coastal area Bangladesh
Absolute poverty 52 50
Extreme poverty 24 19
GDP per capita 18198 Tk. 18269 Tk.
Landless people 54% 250,000
Rural household 58% 53%
Source: BBS 1998, 1996

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From the table-1, it is clearly seen than poverty is very high. The coastal districts have higher
extent of poverty, low GDP per capita, landless people, and more rural households. Poverty is
aggravated as people are more vulnerable to disasters like land erosion (particularly in the
Meghna estuary) and cyclone and storm surge (all over the coast). Proportion of small farm
households is high with too many farmers crowding on limited cultivable area. Housing
conditions are poor, as many as 50 percent households use straw/bamboo/polythene as roof
materials in the coastal zone.

After the implementation of project, the poverty scenario is changed due to fulfill of
ICZMP and PRSP project objectives. Embankments, cyclone shelters were constructed under
the project in the coastal area. As a result, crops, livestock, property damage decreased than
previous years. Farmers also improve their earning conditions by shrimp cultivation. Their
rising income level contributed in the poverty eradication. Priorities to non-farm
employment, gas and renewable energy based power, manufacturing and processing
industries, priorities to islands and chars, private sector involvement created more job
creations in this area. Actions to reach poorest and remote rural areas and increased access to
resources also contribute in poverty eradication in this area.

In absolute terms, agricultural output across the region has recorded upward movement.
However, contribution of agriculture sector in GDP across the coastal districts has declined.
Thus, the role of non-agricultural activities should not be overlooked. In what follows,
structural composition of DGDP has undergone changes favorable to non-agricultural
activities across the coastal region. Favorable spread of non-agricultural activities across the
region is further strengthened by the observation that despite climatic disturbances, GDP
level improved across the region with contribution from agricultural sector drastically
reduced.

3.2 Coastal Zone and Social Development

Before the implementation of ICZMP project, livelihoods in the coastal zone are quite
varied and influenced by socio-economic and physical environment of the coastal area. Small
farmer, artisan fisher, rural wage labor and urban wage labor are the four major livelihood
groups that together form about 73% of coastal population while small farmer alone form
approximately 50%. Average size of household was high with consequent high demographic
dependency ratio.

Indicators Coastal area Bangladesh

Adult literacy 54 56
Primary Enrollment 75 95
Secondary enrollment - 65
Infant Mortality Rate 51-68% 66%

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 Household size 5.12 4.89
Child malnutrition 5% 5%-6%
Under – Five mortality rate 80-103 94
Life Expectancy 56 -
Population growth 1.6 2.1
Female (7+) literacy (% of male) 70 80
Density of Union Parishad 35km2 32km2
Access to safe water 64% 86%
Average population per hospital bed 3,782 2,981

Source: BBS 2000, 2001, 1996, 1998.

From the above data, it is clearly seen that average size of household is 5.12 in the coastal
zone, compared to the country average of 4.89. Higher literacy rate for both men and women,
compared to rest of the country, is a positive strength for further progress on social
development. Severe child malnutrition is high, 5 percent for all children and 8 percent for
girl children in the coastal zone, compared to 5 and 6 percent in Bangladesh respectively.

Lack of safe drinking water has been identified as the number one issue in the daily life of the
coastal population (Islam & Ahmad, 2004). Rural water supply is mainly dependent on tube
wells that abstract groundwater. Groundwater-based water supply in coastal areas is
affected by arsenic contamination of groundwater, and this has become serious concern
for drinking water supply. Proportion of households with access to potable water (tap and
tube well) is low. Only 28 percent households use tube well/tap/ring well exclusively for
domestic purpose in the coastal zone, compared to 64 percent in Bangladesh. In the coastal
zone, only 72 percent households have access to safe drinking water compared to 86 percent
in Bangladesh (2001, BBS).

The density of Union Parishad is low, 35 km 2 per UP in the coastal zone, compared to 32 km 2
in Bangladesh. Female wage rate is low, about half of the male wage rate. People in the
coastal districts are more vulnerable to arsenic poison. Health infrastructure is poor in terms
of low ratio of hospital bed to population. Average population per hospital bed is 3,782 in the
coastal zone, compared to 2,981 in Bangladesh (1996, BBS).

Under the ICZMP and PRSP project, there are many educational institutions were built in
the coastal area for ensuring education of children. Vaccination program, establishment of
health center, involvement of women in earning activities decreases the child mortality rate.
Several investigations of preventive measures have been done, yet more investigation is
needed to find cost-effective solution for mitigation of arsenic contamination. Extensive
programs of identifying arsenic contaminated tube well and raising public awareness of the
possible danger are going on. Storm surge flood is an enormous potential threat to human

pg. 5
lives and livestock. Shelters are constructed to provide refuge to the exposed population
during storm floods, and also intended for multi-purpose use as school and community
center. Presently there are about 2,000 shelters that can accommodate only 27% of the people
at risk (WARPO, 2001a). Such management strategy were taken to facilitate effective
community participation and ecosystem maintenance since livelihoods in the coastal region.
It helped in the identification of social and environmental costs and benefits of water
management interventions. It provided enabling environment for resolution of conflict among
different livelihood groups to find ways of preventing ecosystem degradation and create
conditions for sustainable livelihoods.

3.3 Coastal Zone and Economic Growth

Before the project, current annual economic growth is around 5 percent in the coastal area,
which is much lower than the required rate of 7 percent needed for achieving the MDGs.
Contribution in industrial sector in GDP is low, which has more opportunities for growth.
Industrial sector accounted for 22 percent of total coastal GDP during 1995-96 to 1999-00,
compared to 25-26 percent in Bangladesh during this period. Density of growth centers is
low, which limits market access to local products. Average density per growth center in the
coastal zone is 80 km2 compared to 70 km 2 in Bangladesh (1996, World Bank). Economic
infrastructure with respect to electricity connection is poor, which is a concern for economic
growth. In the coastal zone, as well as in Bangladesh, only 31 percent households have
electricity connection. However, the situation of the urban areas is poor in the coastal zone
with 63 percent households having electricity connection, compared to 67 percent in
Bangladesh (2001, BBS). Chars and offshore islands are difficult to access that impedes
investments (2003, PDO-ICZMP). Coastal zone offers immense potential for economic
growth but has so far not been fully explored. Renewable and non-renewable energy, marine
resources, tourism are some of the less explored areas.

Present Scenario:
Dominance of agriculture in coastal economy is well known. Some amount of variation
across the coast may not be given any serious weightage. Inter-regional discrepancy between
coastal region and national economy in agricultural performance contributed in accentuating
the differences.

Chittagong and Khulna, among the 19 coastal districts, are the two relatively advanced
districts of Bangladesh. Performance of Barisal, once the granary of Bangladesh, is
alarmingly poor - the estimated growth rate (0.12) is not even statistically different from zero.
This observation has an added significance since in all other coastal districts, growth rate
estimates are both numerically and statistically different from zero. In consequence, per
capita district gross domestic product of Barisal lost its earlier position. Despite slow growth,
all the coastal districts, excepting the smallest Noakhali and Barisal, have recorded per capita

pg. 6
district GDP above the national average. It requires mentioning that per capita income growth
of Noakhali also recorded upward trend but the district could not cross the national average
of per capita income [ CITATION Maz20 \l 1033 ].

Intra-regional inequality -- measured as a ratio of the highest to the lowest per capita income
-- thus changed adversely. If the present trend continues, value added might decline in near
future; adequate administrative remedy measures are essential to reverse the trend. Warning
should be read for Patuakhali district, as well, where crop growth is also negative. In
Noakhali, although crop growth estimate is encouraging compared to the above two districts,
it is substantially low compared to Chittagong and Khulna. Thus, it seems logical to state that
some kind of polarization tendency has started in the coastal belt.

Chittagong is the only exceptional district with CGR (Compound Growth Rates) of
agriculture sector above national average. But for all other coastal districts, the scenario is
dismal. In Barisal, agriculture sector is experiencing near stagnancy. No less significant is to
point out that crop growth in greater part of the coastal region (Barisal, Noakhali and
Patuakhali) is negative. However, it would not be wise to hold only the performance of
coastal belt responsible for adverse MGR at national level. That crop growth for Chittagong
district is substantially low compared to Khulna raises some doubts about the role of
agriculture sector in growth and development. Speedy expansion of non-agriculture activities
might play greater role in these two districts. Chittagong district, in the coastal region, is
favorably positioned in per capita income scale compared to other districts of the country.
The port has, perhaps, induced agriculture sector to play the second fiddle of growth and
development. However, one should not ignore the better performance of agriculture sector. In
other words, although high level of per capita income has been favorably contributed by non-
agricultural activities, it is difficult to contradict the hypothesis that industrial activity has
favorably influenced agriculture sector of the region.

5. Conclusion
Ensuring availability of basic needs and hazards management are important determinants of
economic growth and social prosperity in the coastal zone of Bangladesh. Development
decisions cannot be successful without giving due consideration to interdependence of land,
water, ecosystems and infrastructures, social and environmental consequences of water
management interventions, livelihood dependencies, community perceptions, basic right to
safe drinking water, and equitable distribution of community facilities. These are
implemented under the framework for ICZM that has been developed by the ICZMP project
by eradication of poverty, social development and economic growth.

pg. 7
References

PRSP & ICZMP, 2004. Contribution of Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan Project
towards formulation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) for bangladesh, Dhaka:
s.n.
Ahmad H., 2019. Bangladesh Coastal Zone Management Status and Future Trends. Journal
of Coastal Zone Management, 30 January, 22(1), pp. 1-6.
Mazid D. M. A., 2020. Financial Express. [Online]
Available at: https://www.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/views/views/containing-intra-regional-
imbalance-in-coastal-districts-1578061340
[Accessed 12 January 2020].

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