Exploring Non-Structural Flood Risk Management Measures in Haor Areas of Sunamganj, Bangladesh
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66050/yh3z5n98Keywords:
non-structural, flood risk management, boro farmers, haor areas, BangladeshAbstract
This is a qualitative study focusing on non-structural flood management measures to support Boro rice farmers in Tahirpur Upazila in Sunamganj District, a highly flood-prone area. The objective of the study is to analyze existing non-structural flood management practices, including flood forecasting and dissemination processes, as well as farmer education and training. This study found that floods, especially flash floods, are devastating and sorrowful for the farmers in the area, destroying their crops, hard work, and livelihood. They remain far from modern technology-based agricultural and information systems. According to experienced respondents, one of the major problems of non-structured flood risk management is the unavailability of timely upstream information, particularly for adjacent flood-prone areas in India, including Meghalaya, which leads to unexpected flash floods in the study area. Due to insufficient data or information, residents in the study area still rely on perception and indigenous knowledge regarding flood-related issues. This study gathers extensive data through in-depth interviews and Key Informant Interviews (KII). Additionally, other convenient techniques have also been used to collect relevant information.
Downloads
References
1. Narmilan, A. (2018). Structural measures for flood risk mitigation in the agricultural field: A review. ACEPS 2018. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326113722_Structural_Measures_for_Flood_Risk_Mitigation_in_the_Agricultural_Field_A_Review
2. Alam, R. (2025). Flood risks management in the haor region: A study of local knowledge and institutional interventions. http://lib.buet.ac.bd:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/4213
3. Alcamo, J., Moreno, J. M., Novaky, B., Bindi, M., Corobov, R., Devoy, R., Giannakopoulos, C., Martin, E., Olesen, J. E., Shvidenko, A., Araujo, M., Dlugolecki, A., Jeppesen, E., van Minnen, J., de Ronse, J., & Sweeny, J. (2026). Europe. In M. L. Parry, O. F. Canziani, J. P. Palutikof, P. J. van der Linden, & C. E. Hanson (Eds.), Climate change 2007: Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (pp. 541–580). Aarhus University. https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/europe-climate-change-2007-impacts-adaptation-and-vulnerability-c
4. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
5. Das, D. C. (2004). Experience with modern and hybrid rice varieties in plain land eco system in the Mymensingh region. Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, 1701, 19–21.
6. Dörnyei, Z. (2010). Research methods in applied linguistics. TESOL Journal, 1(1), 181–183. https://doi.org/10.5054/tj.2010.215611
7. Egli, D. (2002). Non-structural flood plain management measures and their effectiveness. International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine.
8. Haque, M., Moniruzzaman, S., Hossain, M., & Alam, M. (2022). Assessment of climate change risks and adaptation of improved farming practices in Dekhar Haor of Sunamganj District. Bangladesh Journal of Agriculture, 47(1), 39–65. https://doi.org/10.3329/bjagri.v47i1.60592
9. Hickel, J. (2020). Quantifying national responsibility for climate breakdown: An equality-based attribution approach for carbon dioxide emissions in excess of the planetary boundary. The Lancet Planetary Health, 4(9), 399–404. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(20)30196-0
10. Hirabayashi, Y., & Kanae, S. (2009). First estimate of the future global population at risk of flooding. Hydrological Research Letters, 3, 6–9. https://doi.org/10.3178/hrl.3.6
11. Islam, M. N., Atiqul Haq, S. M., Ahmed, K. J., & Best, J. (2022). How do vulnerable people in Bangladesh experience environmental stress from sedimentation in the Haor wetlands? An exploratory study. Water Resources Research, 58(7). https://doi.org/10.1029/2021WR030241
12. Job Lagat, Bett, H., & Shilisia, R. W. (2023). Impact of non-structural flood control measures on household welfare in Bunyala Sub-County, Kenya. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.108344
13. Kazi Rokonuzzaman, M., Abdur Rahim, M., Kumar Biswas, R., Nusrat Binte Nur, M., Faisal, M., Siddiqua, A., & Roy, D. K. (2023). Analyzing differentiated climate change impacts on women in the wetland area: A case study on Sunamganj District. Asian Journal of Social Sciences and Legal Studies, 266–276. https://doi.org/10.34104/ajssls.023.02660276
14. Kusunoki, S., Mizuta, R., & Matsueda, M. (2011). Future changes in the East Asian rain band projected by global atmospheric models with 20-km and 60-km grid size. Climate Dynamics, 37(11–12), 2481–2493. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-011-1000-x
15. Local Government Engineering Department. (2012). Bangladesh Haor and Wetland Development Board. https://oldweb.lged.gov.bd/UploadedDocument/ProjectLibraryGallery/585/HFMLIP-Brochure.pdf
16. Md. Al-Fahad. (2025). Haor: A unique wetland ecosystem of Bangladesh. Daily Country Today BD. https://www.dailycountrytodaybd.com/story/haor:-a-unique-wetland-ecosystem-of-bangladesh
17. Mondal, S., Akter, L., Hiya, H., & Farukh, M. (2021). Effects of 2017 early flash flooding on agriculture in haor areas of Sunamganj. Journal of Environmental Science and Natural Resources, 12(1–2), 117–125. https://doi.org/10.3329/jesnr.v12i1-2.52007
18. Tingsanchali, T. (2012). Urban flood disaster management. Procedia Engineering, 32, 25–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2012.01.1233
19. World Health Organization. (2024). Floods. https://www.who.int/health-topics/floods
20. Zainal, Z. (2007). Case study as a research method. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/41822817_Case_study_as_a_research_method
21. Inusa, M., Chukwudi Nnaemeka, E., Nyomo, J. D., Osawe, I. E., Obadaki, Y. Y., Ismail, A., ... Abdullahi Bichi, A. (2025). Nature and Extent of Flood Risk Downstream of the Kubanni Dam, Kaduna State, Nigeria. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.18485/ijdrm.2025.7.1.1
22. Perić, J., & Cvetković, V. M. (2019). Demographic, socio-economic and phycological perspective of risk perception from disasters caused by floods: case study Belgrade. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 31–45. https://doi.org/10.18485/ijdrm.2019.1.2.3
23. Ahmed, S. (2023, July 12). People’s participation imperative for combating haor disasters. Dhaka Tribune. https://www.dhakatribune.com/opinion/op-ed/320293/people%E2%80%99s-participation-imperative-for-combating
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Hajera Aktar Aktar, Syeda Ismat Ara Jahan, Md Rakib Mia Mia, Habibur Rahman Masrur Masrur (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This journal operates under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, reproduction, adaptation, and transformation in any medium, provided the original author and source are properly credited.
Authors retain the copyright of their articles.
The International Journal of Disaster Risk Management (IJDRM) encourages and permits authors to:
-
Post pre-print (submitted version), post-print (accepted version), and publisher’s version/PDF of their articles on personal websites, institutional repositories, disciplinary repositories, and academic networks such as ResearchGate, Academia.edu, or departmental websites,
-
Do so at any time, including before or after publication,
-
Provided that appropriate credit is given to the original publication in this journal, including:
-
Full bibliographic details
-
A clear mention of the journal name
-
A direct link to the article’s DOI (as an HTML link)
-
No prior permission is required from the publisher or editors for such actions, as long as the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license are followed.