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2. Community Governance During COVID-19: Case Studies from Rural Areas of Bangladesh
- Author:
- Tanvir Shatil, Md. Rohmotul Islam, Huraera Jabeen, and Shahaduz Zaman
- Publication Date:
- 01-2023
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), Brac University
- Abstract:
- This working paper investigates community-driven initiatives in rural Bangladesh that emerged in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and persisted beyond the crisis. Focusing on the sustainability of these initiatives, the study explores the preconditions for collective actions, the development of community-level governance during the crisis, and the mobilization and longevity of these efforts. Supported by the Institute of Development Studies, the research aims to contribute valuable insights into community governance mechanisms in low-resource areas, offering potential solutions for designing resilient emergency interventions and addressing long-term development challenges.
- Topic:
- Development, Governance, Rural, COVID-19, and Community Initiatives
- Political Geography:
- Bangladesh and South Asia
3. Slums During COVID-19: Exploring the Unlocked Paradoxes
- Author:
- Shahaduz Zaman, Faruq Hossain, Shamael Ahmed, and Imran Matin
- Publication Date:
- 04-2021
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), Brac University
- Abstract:
- Urban informal settlements commonly known as slums are characterized by a lack of proper housing, tenure security, and have insufficient living spaces and poor access to safe water and sanitation. Due to such living conditions, physical distancing and self-quarantine become virtually impossible in light of the global COVID-19 pandemic, and the rapid spread of infection is deemed to be highly probable. Dhaka is home to more than five million slum dwellers and has the highest number of positive cases in the country (UNICEF, 2020). However, in July 2020, the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) shared that the slums of Dhaka had little to no positive cases (Shaheen & Islam, 2020). BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) initiated an exploratory study named the “‘Paradox’ of Korail Slum During COVID-19: Ethnography of Governance From Below,” to explain this scenario by understanding the narratives and lived experiences of the slum residents, and how they understood and dealt with the pandemic. To gain a more general and holistic perspective about the slums in Dhaka, we extended this study to two more slums of the city, the Gabtali slum and the Sadek Khan slum. The study took an ethnographic approach and data were triangulated through several qualitative research methods such as in-depth interviews (IDI), key informant interviews (KII) and participatory rapid appraisal. The study revealed how the slum residents themselves used their collective agency to take several robust medical and communal measures to tackle the pandemic.
- Topic:
- Informal Settlement, COVID-19, and Slums
- Political Geography:
- Bangladesh and South Asia
4. Livelihood Transitions of Women Workers During COVID-19: Domestic Workers in Dhaka
- Author:
- Jaila Kabeer, Lopita Huq, Taslima Aktar, Saklain Al Mamun, Afsana Alam, Shravasti Roy Nath, and Razia Sultana
- Publication Date:
- 12-2021
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), Brac University
- Abstract:
- The paper draws on primary research into the conditions of domestic workers in Bangladesh and how they coped with the shocks and disruptions associated with COVID-19. We can see our research as a lens to view the lives and livelihoods of workers with no legal or social protection and with the tenuous relationship they have with their employers. The country’s trade unions bypassed these workers during this unprecedented crisis which they had to deal with almost entirely on their own. We carried out detailed qualitative interviews by telephone between January and February 2021 with 30 female domestic workers aged over 18 years. These were “untied” domestic workers who worked for more than one employer and lived in their own accommodation. We asked them to recall their lives and livelihoods before COVID-19 (Jan–Feb 2020), to discuss the period of strict lockdown (Mar–Apr 2020) and then the changes that may have occurred after April when the strict lockdown was lifted. Almost all domestic workers in our study had lost their jobs within a day after the lockdown was announced, pushing them into extreme uncertainty. Since domestic workers were the main breadwinners for most of the households in our sample, the loss of their jobs meant a total or substantial loss of income for at least two-thirds of our respondents. Some domestic workers received government relief, but lack of NID cards and contacts with influential community members made accessing it very difficult and impossible for some.
- Topic:
- Women, COVID-19, and Domestic Work
- Political Geography:
- Bangladesh and South Asia
5. Statelessness and COVID-19
- Author:
- Jamie Liew
- Publication Date:
- 07-2021
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Statelessness & Citizenship Review
- Institution:
- Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness, Melbourne Law School
- Abstract:
- Throughout the past year and a half, we have witnessed how no person or community on this planet has been untouched by COVID-19. There are countless reports about the differential experiences that various communities face in access to healthcare but also how some public health measures meant to stem its spread may actually be harming particular persons. The pandemic has put into sharp focus the inequities and the gaping fractures in societies all over the world. Moreover, the pandemic has made many realise that we cannot ignore the marginalised in our community given the interconnectedness of our existence. This issue’s critique and commentary part presents a snapshot of how some stateless persons are coping during the pandemic but also features the work of grassroots organisations and emerging researchers. We take a look at five stateless communities: the Rohingya in Bangladesh;1 LGBTQ+ undocumented in Brazil;2those seeking reproductive healthcare in Canada;3 the Bidoon in Kuwait;4 and the stateless in Sabah, Malaysia
- Topic:
- Public Health, Pandemic, COVID-19, and Stateless Population
- Political Geography:
- Bangladesh, Malaysia, Middle East, Canada, Asia, Kuwait, Brazil, South America, and North America
6. Dealing with Coronavirus Pandemic in the Bay of Bengal Region
- Author:
- Prabir De
- Publication Date:
- 05-2021
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- East-West Center
- Abstract:
- The coronavirus has had a devastating impact on the health and economies of countries in the Bay of Bengal. India, Bangladesh, and Nepal are the region’s most affected countries in terms of COVID-19 cases and deaths, followed by Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. It seems that Bhutan and Thailand, the least affected countries in the region, have successfully escaped the brunt of the pandemic. All these countries implemented strict lockdowns as early as March 2020, and the region’s recovery rates have been relatively high. However, the devastation from the pandemic did not reach its peak until after the lifting of lockdowns. The economic costs of the pandemic have soared and are still climbing. Today, most Bay of Bengal countries are facing a second or third wave of COVID-19 infections. India has been badly hit by a huge second Coronavirus wave, registered daily cases over 400,000 since Aril 2021. The damage being done by these additional waves is more intense than their predecessors. The Bay of Bengal countries are now looking for COVID-19 vaccines. India serves as the region’s primary producer of immunizations. Two Indian pharmaceutical companies have launched vaccines, with five more firms in the race to launch their own treatments. When vaccines are developed in India, they are easier to distribute across the region. In terms of availability, accessibility, and affordability, India’s vaccines are better suited to the needs of the region. In recent months, India has successfully supplied over 18 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to many Bay of Bengal countries, with Thailand being a notable exception. India has also ensured more supply of the vaccines in the neighborhood.
- Topic:
- Economics, Health, Pandemic, and COVID-19
- Political Geography:
- Bangladesh, South Asia, India, Nepal, Thailand, Bhutan, and Bay of Bengal
7. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the poor: Insights from the Hrishipara diaries
- Author:
- Risto Rönkkö, Stuart Rutherford, and Kunal Sen
- Publication Date:
- 03-2021
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- In this paper, we examine the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the livelihoods of the poor. We use an unusually rich data set from a ‘financial diaries’ study known as the Hrishipara Daily Diaries Project. The data set tracks the economic and financial transactions of 60 individuals and their families in a semi-rural setting in Bangladesh on a real-time basis from October 2019 to September 2020. We document individual diarists’ behavioural responses to COVID-19, which reveal the varied experiences of the poor during the pandemic. We find that the pandemic and associated government lockdowns had significant negative effects on the livelihoods of the poor in our study, with financial inflows and outflows, incomes, and household expenditures below pre-pandemic levels during the pandemic period. To cope with the pandemic, households drew down on their cash reserves at home, as well as cutting down on non-food expenditures to protect their spending on food.
- Topic:
- Economics, Government, Finance, Pandemic, and COVID-19
- Political Geography:
- Bangladesh and South Asia
8. What the Pandemic Reveals: Workers’ Rights in Bangladesh and Garment Supply Chains
- Author:
- Dina M. Siddiqui
- Publication Date:
- 09-2020
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
- Abstract:
- The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh has brought into focus both the striking power differential between Euro-American retailers and national suppliers and the damaging effects of this asymmetry.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Demographics, Labor Issues, Pandemic, COVID-19, and Supply Chains
- Political Geography:
- Bangladesh and South Asia
9. COVID-19’s Impact on Bangladesh Economy
- Author:
- Muhammad Shahadat, Hossain Siddiquee, and Avinno Faruk
- Publication Date:
- 11-2020
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), Brac University
- Abstract:
- This BIGD study examines the impact of COVID-19’s impact on the major economic and financial indicators of the economy of Bangladesh, including production, wages, price levels, advances, bills, investments, remittances and foreign trade, using the secondary data published by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), Bangladesh Bank (BB), and the Ministry of Finance (MoF). In addition to the recent impact of the global economic meltdown, Bangladesh also experienced severe demand contraction in the local economy; this exacerbated the overall economic crisis of the country. Considering the duration and severity of COVID-19, we examine its impact on major economic and financial indicators of the Bangladesh economy and recommended policy responses for recovery, based on the analysis. Both domestic and international demands declined due to the outbreak and subsequent lockdown, and, thus, producers responded by lowering output to minimize the loss, especially in the manufacturing sectors. Findings reveal that nominal Wage Rate Index (WRI) in the industry and service sectors fell in recent times, which now appear to be recovering. The national inflation rate has not been affected much based on point-to-point changes. Food inflation fell in May 2020 and stood at 5.09 percent, but it appears to have risen recently. Non-food inflation rates have been falling over the last six months from April-September 2020. Prudent measures should include constant monitoring and adapting to the latest developments in major trading partners and host countries to mitigate the economic losses caused. Bank credit would play a key role in the ongoing and upcoming recovery process, as the government has opted for a credit-led stimulus package. However, as the virus is yet to be contained and an effective vaccine for it is yet to be made available in Bangladesh everywhere and to everyone, its economic repercussions are likely to continue in the foreseeable future.
- Topic:
- Development, Economy, and COVID-19
- Political Geography:
- Bangladesh and South Asia
10. Qualitative Exploration The End User Context of BCC Materials on COVID-19 Guidelines and Handwashing
- Author:
- Tanvir Shatil, Sonia Afrin, Swagatam Saha, Dipanwita Ghosh, and Md. Kamruzzaman
- Publication Date:
- 12-2020
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), Brac University
- Abstract:
- As a partner of the “Hygiene and Behaviour Change Coalition (HBCC),” BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) initiated a rapid formative research to identify gaps in people’s existing hygiene knowledge and practice, as well as opportunities for intervention. In doing so, the study aimed to help BRAC design and develop new Behavioral Change and Communication (BCC) materials that can effectively address people’s particular hygiene behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic. The two specific objectives of this study included investigating how users perceive the awareness messages and translate them into their everyday behaviour, and finding out the facilitating factors and the barriers they face in following Coronavirus-related public health and social guidelines. We selected 30 different respondents from Dhaka and Khulna and conducted in-depth telephone interviews, online focus group discussions (FGDs) through video conferencing, and shadow and visual content observation (e.g. photographs and videos). It was revealed that respondents have different levels of knowledge and practices including correct, partially correct and misconception on three domains: hand washing, mask use and social distancing. The study also revealed the personal and structural barriers to comply with the guidelines.
- Topic:
- Development, COVID-19, and Hygiene
- Political Geography:
- Bangladesh and South Asia