Role of rural home-based enterprises on the housing transformation in Sirajganj

Abstract

Home-based Enterprises (HBEs) includes to all these income generation initiatives carried out by the household members within the premise of the dwelling. Although HBEs are studied in urban areas in developing countries, studies rarely investigate their impacts on rural housing transformation. As a result of home-based enterprises, the physical transformation of the traditional dwellings in the rural areas has been evident reflecting the occupant's cultural values as well as economic strength and status. HBEs affect rural housing in two ways. Firstly, the financial status affects the household and secondly initiating required housing transformation to accommodate the economic activities near or within the dwellings. The question for this research is what economic activities take place, and how do people negotiate them to contribute to their housing production and consumption. Three specific objectives have set for this research. First, understanding the changing patterns of rural house form as a result of economic activities within the homestead of Sirajganj district in Bangladesh; second, investigating the socio-economic benefits of HBEs within the homestead in the rural area and third, identifying the nature and extent of housing transformation due to HBEs in the rural context. The research has been designed in two parts. A theoretical part based on the literature review of the existing studies and analysis related to the research, and an analytical part based on qualitative field survey in the local context. The cases for investigation have been selected in the district of Sirajganj in Bangladesh. The selected cases are situated in two different contexts of ‘permanent’ and ‘floating’ households, and are considered for investigating the impacts of HBEs on housing transformation. These cases are analyzed in relation to several analytical scale factors to explain their contribution to housing transformation in Sirajganj. HBEs are found contributing more positively to housing transformation in permanent households than floating households. Through the levels of transformation, the housing pattern and their features are changed along with some local factors like the cultural and climatic issues. The housing features and the construction materials are varied with the permanent and floating homesteads. Households’ livelihood resources are engaged and affected widely by the HBEs and reciprocally the HBEs are also affected by them. Some households practices HBE only for their subsistence and some are involved for their household development. A major number of family members are engaged with the HBE. When HBE is induced within a household, it affects the homestead and gradually establishes its importance over other traditional housing factors like religious and cultural issues. In such situation the concept of privacy, gender and religious belief also play their role in influencing housing transformation. HBEs are used as way to create the livelihood of the rural people free from the chain of poverty. This research will serve its purpose if it can be used as a professional tool and a guiding document for future research. By contributing to research in this area, this study attempts to add to the body of knowledge regarding house forms and living patterns in the rural context. It also provides an insight into socio-economic issues in rural areas, as these are directly linked to the living environment.