Abstract:
Social sustainability encompasses a community's ability to preserve and enhance its well-being while safeguarding its cultural and social values over time. While evaluating the social sustainability of the dwellings in Tanguar Haor, it is imperative to consider environmental, social, and economic dimensions. These factors play a vital role in identifying and comprehending sustainable solutions that can significantly improve the quality of life for the region's dwellers.
Tanguar Haor, a large bowl-shaped tectonic depression, is one of the most significant geosyncline wetlands, located at Tahirpur and Dharmapasha upazila of Sunanganj district, in the northeast region of Bangladesh. Among the country’s 373 existing Haors, it was the first designated “Ecologically Critical Area (ECA)” by the GoB in 1999 and the second RAMSAR Site by UNESCO in 2000. It has abundant natural resources and biodiversity, which are essential to Bangladesh's economy. This seasonal wetland is a unique ecosystem, consisting of numerous rivers, canals, and beels, which receives seasonal flooding and grows into a large water body during the monsoon before drying out during the post-monsoon season. The upper grounds, referred to by the locals as "kanda," are dwelling areas situated at beels and river edges. The local inhabitants belong to the nation's most marginalized economic class, primarily dependent on agriculture in the dry season and fishing during the monsoon as an occupation. The physical features of these dwellings are predominantly governed by the seasonal variations in water levels, adverse environmental conditions, and inhabitants' lean economic affordability, which strive to withstand flash floods, strong winds, and persistent rain throughout the year.
Despite numerous studies on Tanguar Haor, there has been little focus on dwellings from a social sustainability perspective. The Haor dwellings, which are particularly susceptible to environmental risks, pose significant challenges for both the residents and the surrounding environment. This vulnerable dwelling circumstance results in a considerable number of fatalities, increased poverty, and urban migration, all of which have not been thoroughly researched and must be studied for social sustainability evaluation. This study evaluated the interplay of environmental challenges, social aspects, and economic contexts to encompass the overall social sustainability of the Tanguar Haor dwellings. Understanding social sustainability and its interpretation from the different secondary literature resources, a mixed-methods approach was employed for data collection during the field survey, integrating observation through a transect walk, focus group discussions (FGDs), key informant interviews (KIIs), and a semi-structured questionnaire. The selection of Kanda samples was meticulously chosen for an in-depth field investigation to explore both linear and clustered settlement patterns in the study area.
The research identifies key challenges to social sustainability in Tanguar Haor, stemming from environmental, social, and economic factors. Limited access to services, inadequate infrastructure, and seasonal isolation create hurdles for residents. Poorly designed dwellings compromise health due to insufficient airflow and poor solar orientation, while cramped conditions deny privacy, especially for women and children. The lack of community facilities, healthcare, and educational opportunities weakens social cohesion. Economic instability arises from reliance on local materials, limited job prospects, and seasonal resource dependency. These combined issues threaten the long-term sustainability of the settlement.