New Program on Natural Resource Management (NRM)

Bangladesh Conservation Approaches and Technologies (BANCAT) Program: 

Mr Sudibya Kanti Khisa is the Program Coordinator of BANCAT

BANCAT is a network and implementation program recently based at Bangladesh Integrated Social Advancement Programme (BISAP) Chittagong. BANCAT has a Working Group whose members have wide experiences of evaluating and documenting Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) and other Natural Resource Management(NRM) practices in Chittagong Hill Tract(CHT) in particular and Bangladesh in general .

BANCAT is a National focal point and Bangladesh Chapter of WOCAT (World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies) which is a network of Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) specialists from all over the world with its secretariat at the Center for Development and Environment (CDE) University of Bern, Switzerland. 

BANCAT’s vision is to achieve healthy ecosystem services with well-managed natural resources linked to improved and secured livelihood of the communities and its mission are to explore and document SWC/NRM approaches and technologies from  Bangladesh , facilitate documentation by the SWC specialists and bridge the information gap between the policy-makers and the SWC practitioners. The other missions of BANCAT are: to enhance the activities of SWC practices, facilitate research, education and capacity building for SWC documentation and dissemination of Conservation Approaches and Technologies(CATs) with quality assurances, monitor and evaluate the SWC documentation processes and ensure funding for BANCAT activities and provide necessary logistic support.

BANCAT facilitates the SWC specialists including the land users in sharing their valuable knowledge in soil and water management; assist them in their search for appropriate SWC technologies and approaches that will support them in making decisions in the field and at the planning level. It facilitates more efficient use of existing knowledge and consequently of development funds. Thus it helps proper implementation of appropriate SWC practices avoiding duplication errors for achieving the goals of  socio-economic and environmental sustainability.

BANCAT is also committed to contribute to the implementation of UN Conventions such as the Convention to Combat Desertification. The Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and working closely with WOCAT, HIMCAT, and WASWC to achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). 

In order to achieve the BANCAT objectives and implement its program, BISAP has been in the process of developing a consortium with the participation of six NGO’s TAUNGYA, CIPD (Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Development), TOYMU, GRAUS, ALO, and ZABARANG in the three hill districts of Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Empowerment of Distressed Women:
BISAP has been implementing Women Empowerment Programme in Alleviation of Poverty and Hunger of Chittagong Coastal Region with the financial support of MRDF U.K.  In alleviation of poverty and hunger through Federation Building (People’s Organization) training, raising saving fund social mobilization, distribution of sapling for home based social afforestation in socio-economic advancement through activities of group dynamism for promoting their status and enabling them to establish their due rights in the society. Specific aims of the project are: 1) to ensure build up people’s institution and explore the people’s strength. 2) to develop human potentialities, knowledge and skills of the group members and leaders through imparting appropriate training to change their situation either collectively or individually with mutual trust and equity, 3) to facilitate employment and increase earning opportunities for the group members (old and new) 4) to improve health status and plan families among the group members through providing primary health, nutrition, and family planning education 5) to establish human rights legal aid, women’s rights and democratic values among the group and federation members/leaders and 6) Advocacy to reduce exploitation and violence against women through their united strength and voice. The project involves the government sectors for taping available resources/ facilities in favor of the group members so that they are capable to initiate actions for establishing rights and responsive against injustice.

Capacity and Working Environment Enhancement Programme of Garment Workers:
BISAP has been implementing Capacity and Working Environment Enhancement programme with the financial support of European Union. BISAP since its establishment works in the Chittagong Division. From its experience it has seen that Chittagong Metropolitan city has a large number of garment industry of different size. According to number Chittagong is probably not far behind of the capital Dhaka, because of the port facilities. Therefore the urban life and the urban economy of Chittagong Metropolitan City is controlled to a large extent by the garment industries and its workers. The well being of these poor people if not hardcore poor matters a lot for the well being of the city. Every development organization is working with the hard core poor and these groups are often left out of the development initiatives. Development of this class of the society is of a higher priority. BISAP has been implementing the programme to increase the worker friendly environment in the Garment Industry & thereby contribute in the employment generation of neglected people and improving the workers capacity.

Advancing Sustainable Environmental Health:
BISAP has been implementing Advancing Sustainable Environmental Health (ASEH) with the financial & technical support of NGOF for DWSS and Water Aid, Bangladesh in 17, 18 and 19 no ward of west Bakalia of Chittagong city Corporation - the second largest city of Bangladesh and also one of the most important sea ports of the world. Improvement is found among the targeted beneficiaries to change their own situation. At present they are more conscious about hygienic education and its practice. BISAP is maintaining good touch with local administration to introduce 100% sanitation coverage in the area. Necessary Hardware and software support is being provided to the beneficiaries for strengthening programme activities for sustainable environmental health.

Human Rights and Good Governance:
A new challenge has arisen to the development actors in all fields with the increasing need for good governance as an essential pre-requisite and foundation for realizing human rights and sustainable social progress. Consequently, a range of operational elements of good governance has come to the forefront to be considered and dealt with. In one pole of the spectrum of healthy governance is a strong public sector institution particularly at the local level, through which citizens and groups articulate their interests, mediate their differences and exercise their legal rights and obligations. The experience of Bangladesh manifests that inadequate capacity and low performance of local government administration especially Union Parishad (Parishad means council) the newly formed Gram Sarker (Village based governance institution formed by the government) and other public sector institutions has always been a hindering factor in realizing good governance. While implementing different programs geared to promoting good governance Bangladesh Integrated Social Advancement Programme (BISAP) has been exposed to similar barriers to fostering good governance. These factors entail, among others, lack of effective grassroots civil society organizations, insufficient political commitment, lack of transparency/accountability or democratic practices, non-cooperation between development actors and absence of mechanism to promote strong voice of poor people. The vision of BISAP is to seek “freedom from poverty, freedom from hunger, freedom from oppression, freedom from deprivation, and exploitation, a society which will beckon global peace and harmony at home and nations abroad”.

With the understanding about the breadth and depth of multiple barriers to realizing human rights the project will put its primary role as capacity builders to animate the key proponents of democratic governance. Project will try to promote reciprocal relationships of responsibility and accountability and frequent interface between community people, civil societies, NGOs, local government and representative of other public service institutions which will increasingly articulate demand for and manage services.

Social Mobilization for STD/AIDS Prevention and Control:
BISAP is working through 3360 formal groups targeting clients of prostitutes especially rickshaw pullers, truckers, dock laborers and garments workers. BISAP normally carry out the outreach activities through these formal groups. Under HIV & STD prevention, the outreach activities includes prevention message, VCT & STD referral, and provide protection skills. Besides this, BISAP intents to include initiative to provide decision making ability among the targeted population to have STD treatment through providing all necessary information like; importance of having treatment and its compliance, referral service information, general sign & symptom of STD etc. One hour weekly orientation is being rendered. As BISAP have their own skill human resources to conduct the activities, in that case except lump-sum refreshment, all other cost will be borne by BISAP its self.

Education for Unschooled and Dropout Children:
BISAP has set up 2 Basic Non-formal Primary Education Schools (BISAP Shisu Shikkha Niketon). One at Feroz shah Refugee Camp (Barguna Bastuhara Colony) of Khulshi Thana and another at Sardar Bahadur Refugee Camp of Jhautala under Khulshi Thana of Chittagong City Corporation for imparting basic primary education to unschooled children of 6-10 years of vulnerable families for their growth and development along with ensuring their rights which is still running with the help of local community and Chittagong City Corporation. It is noted that students of said schools belong to floating and lower income group families. It is impressive to note that the children of the community families around the schools have been receiving the decorum of education with the effective measures taken by BISAP. The guardians have become more conscious and aware of education of their children.
Under this Programme, unschooled children of 6 - 10 years are getting 3 years non-formal basic education and co-curricular activities for their comprehensive growth and development.

Drug & Substance Abuse Prevention and Control:
BISAP adopted activities with an integrated approach to reduce the abuse of drugs and other substances in Bangladesh. It organizes anti drug and anti tobacco campaigns, develops messages and education materials on the issues, conducts surveys among drug addicts etc.

MCH and Family Planning:
From the very beginning BISAP has started the MCH and Family Planning program emphasizing its importance and need of the project areas, to cope with the increasing population rate and death rate, BISAP has been implementing MCH and Family Planning activities in all the working upazillas. The main activities are : PHC and Nutrition education , family planning education, MCH education, Training, seminar and  workshop TBA training, conducting safe deliveries, antenatal and postnatal services, balanced diet preparation, ORS preparation, growth monitoring, feeding to malnourished children and mothers, contraceptives supply, referral cases, Vasectomy, sterilization, follow up, curative services through clinical services etc. It also conducts growth monitoring and EPI among the community people regularly. The organization has organized a health center at Segun Bagicha where a Professional M.B.B.S doctor and a Paramedic are providing services. The said health center was established under financial support of .C.R.S. USA.

WID/Gender:
BISAP has no separate program on WID but it mainly emphasizes on women development. o, about 95% of its beneficiaries are women and children. All the programs of the organization are planned, implement and managed by the women beneficiaries, It always emphasis’s on gender sensitivity in all its programs, so, in every case, gender response is given highest priority and try to make gender balance At present in maximum cases and steps, gender balance have been maintained, It is citable here that about 90% program are implemented for the women.

Health Care:
In addition, BISAP has been running a Health Care Centre at Chittagong City Corporation where from poor patients of lower income groups especially mother and children are getting Medicare facilities both preventive and curative against common diseases.

Employment and Income Generating Activities:
During the said period, BISAP has extended revolving micro credit support to 21,035 organized women against viable income generating activities for poverty alleviation and promoting women’s economic right and control over resources by regular income whereby women’s access to decision making process both in the family and society are being ensured to some extent. Achievements of the said component are significant in terms of installment-wise recovery, planned utilization of credit money and poverty alleviation. In this regard, BISAP believes that poverty is not only a state of deprivation, but also a reason of vulnerability.

Disable Development Scheme:
Although Bangladesh is rich in natural resources  a big section of people have been victims of disability caused due to malnutrition, improper supply of food and lack of protein rich materials, . A poor country like Bangladesh has been bearing the burdens of 60 lakh disables constituting the part of the nation. They are not only curses to their family but also big liability for the nation  BISAP has taken a bold step to rehabilitate the disabled by providing them means of  household products viz, sewing machine candle making machine and manufacturing incense stick and training on repairing radio , TV, radio and other mechanical instruments.

Paralyzed & Disable Street Children:
Children are part of a nation who after attaining maturity appears as citizens of the country. Bangladesh is one of the Poor countries of the world.  As the country’s people are poor its children are succession of poor family members who grow up without getting any care and guidance, love and sympathy from parents and other members of the family. These children become compelled to move towards town or city in search of food for survival. They fall detached from their family and roam about the roads and streets of the town while they fall victim to different vicious activities. For mere survival they have to commit illicit works of theft, burglary, pick pocketing etc. These children are found to concentrate at bus and launch terminals where they become undue followers, messengers, and bearers of the bus, track and taxi drivers or many other miscreants. They are homeless and they have no particular identity with which they could produce themselves as fair persons of the society. They dry in sum and wet in rain and pass their living as streets children.

Tribal peoples Development programme:
BISAP has extended programme in hilly regions of the country with a view to changing the socio-economic status of the tribal people. The area selected primarily for the purpose includes 7 villages inhabited by 22000 people has been brought under the scheduled programme which will empower the poor  neglected beneficiaries through prescribed jobs, The  selected job in the region are cow, goat, sheep, boar and poultry  rearing, agriculture, forestry wood works etc. The programme enhanced tribal people’s participation dynamism and activated them towards self development to establish their rights and control over resources in the region.

Cultural Promotion through organizing Theatre:
Culture in Bangladesh is a part of daily life of the people. In past, culture played very important role as supporting force in promoting social education and social change. In present context using culture generates a scope to establish rights and raise awareness of marginalized people. BISAP feels that if culture can be included in rights practice, a positive trend will be initiated in maintaining social harmony. There are not more cultural initiatives that are tied to development or more specifically, in favor of rights establishment. Cultural activities encourage understanding and participation in democratic processes. Create jobs and contribute towards poverty reeducation. An active cultural life reflects tradition, innovation and creativity and is also instrumental in important social processes. BISAP realizes that culture is a powerful approach in development process. It will play more effective role in human development. With this realization, BISAP has been implementing its program to boost up consciousness level of people through cultural activities mainly of the marginalized communities of the society.

Rehabilitation of Children with a disability:
BISAP is emphasizing to rehabilitate disable children by providing necessary Vocational & technical training  candle making sewing carpentering and other skill, small trade along with income generating activities for increasing their capabilities knowledge & skill for their growth and development . So that the deprived disable children leave with happy & prospers live with dignity.

Social Afforestation:
For environmental up gradation BISAP has launched a wider programme of social afforestation with the cooperation of its beneficiaries. The said initiative will not only save the people from air pollution, rather it will promote economic viability and balance their financial and social status. BISAP's beneficiaries are taking more interest in respect of plantation works of different tree plants at their home side yards and abandoned spots. in view of the afforestation steps taken by BISAP.

Thus, it is essential to lead the programme towards sustainability through empowerment and local resource mobilization. Presently, intensive motivation on agricultural technology transfer are being imparted in the light of national policy for boosting up agricultural production and productivity both in farm and non farm sector for individual and national interest.