78
5.4.2 Increasing Habitation and Illegal Encroachment
The existence of instable and ill-defined property rights creates scope for the politically and economically powerful groups to encroach into the forest of the Sundarbans
in illegal ways. The Sundarbans, particularly, locates within the three districts of
Khulna, Satkhira and Bagerhat. The density of settlement across these three regions
has been increasing over the years, and the trend will continue as the projection
indicates (Fig. 5.7). Shear dependence on natural resources of the Sundarbans,
therefore, is also increasing. Such increasing habitation is largely an outcome of
fragile property rights regime by the community over this ecological landscape. A
significant number of migrated people find it possible to encroach into the forest
and, therefore, intend to live in the nearby districts of the Sundarbans.
They are not the indigenous local people, and therefore, they do not respect the
local customary practices to conserve the forest resources and always intend to
extract the resources as much as possible and thus enhances the process of degradation. Moreover, politically and economically powerful groups are also found to continuously encroach into the forest region by making coalition at different levels.
5.4.3 Rent-Seeking Tendency and Extra-Legal Management
The government agencies, officials and functionaries are alleged to be rapacious in
their own right too. There are irregularities in fishing and collection of honey, timber
and golpata (Nypa fruticans). For instance, in every case the traditional collectors
have to get access right (BLC—Boat License Certificate) from FD to enter into the
forest by paying extra tolls in form of bribe. To cope with such excessive tolls, the
315
403
458
541
528
623
663
710
259
304
362
391
373
434
454
471
296
351
414
483
520
593
650
706
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
1974
1981
1991
2001
2011
2021
2031
2041
Khulna
Bagerhat
Satkhira
Fig. 5.7 Population density in the districts encompassing the Sundarbans (in number). (Source:
Authors’ calculation based on population census of 2001 and 2011 by BBS (2011))
R. A. M. Titumir et al.
5.4.2 Increasing Habitation and Illegal Encroachment
The existence of instable and ill-defined property rights creates scope for the politically and economically powerful groups to encroach into the forest of the Sundarbans
in illegal ways. The Sundarbans, particularly, locates within the three districts of
Khulna, Satkhira and Bagerhat. The density of settlement across these three regions
has been increasing over the years, and the trend will continue as the projection
indicates (Fig. 5.7). Shear dependence on natural resources of the Sundarbans,
therefore, is also increasing. Such increasing habitation is largely an outcome of
fragile property rights regime by the community over this ecological landscape. A
significant number of migrated people find it possible to encroach into the forest
and, therefore, intend to live in the nearby districts of the Sundarbans.
They are not the indigenous local people, and therefore, they do not respect the
local customary practices to conserve the forest resources and always intend to
extract the resources as much as possible and thus enhances the process of degradation. Moreover, politically and economically powerful groups are also found to continuously encroach into the forest region by making coalition at different levels.
5.4.3 Rent-Seeking Tendency and Extra-Legal Management
The government agencies, officials and functionaries are alleged to be rapacious in
their own right too. There are irregularities in fishing and collection of honey, timber
and golpata (Nypa fruticans). For instance, in every case the traditional collectors
have to get access right (BLC—Boat License Certificate) from FD to enter into the
forest by paying extra tolls in form of bribe. To cope with such excessive tolls, the
315
403
458
541
528
623
663
710
259
304
362
391
373
434
454
471
296
351
414
483
520
593
650
706
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
1974
1981
1991
2001
2011
2021
2031
2041
Khulna
Bagerhat
Satkhira
Fig. 5.7 Population density in the districts encompassing the Sundarbans (in number). (Source:
Authors’ calculation based on population census of 2001 and 2011 by BBS (2011))
R. A. M. Titumir et al.