Community Based Organizations Function in Wetland Resource Management in Bangladesh

The research examines the role, strength and opportunities of microcredit and community based organizations in wetland resource management in Tanguar Haor of Bangladesh. Both qualitative and quantitative research approach were used to find out the research objectives and its hypothesis. As participatory Rural Appraisal tools focus group discussions, key informant interviews by using semi-structured checklist were used at different stages of the research. A total of 100 respondents were considered as quantitative survey using semi-structured questionnaire at households’ level to attain the study objectives. The research findings revealed that microcredit played a significant role in socio-economic development of Tanguar haor, especially household income increment, livelihood diversification, creation of self-employment, poverty reduction and women empowerment though it entrapped few households in vicious cycle of poverty. The research established that CBOs are instrumental and essential for community-based natural resources management through empowering the local communities, and NGOs are important for mobilizing local people, capacity building and providing legal services to the community. It was evident that CBOs faced challenges towards its sustainability due to limited resources and wetland policy changes by the government. The study also revealed the evidence of social learning through microcredit operation and project intervention which changed their perceptions and fisheries management practices. Reforming operational mechanism of microcredit, national wetland leasing policy and legitimating CBOs can remove the challenges of microcredit and help the CBOs to be sustainable. Future research is encouraged to reveal the other issues of microcredit and community-based organizations sustainability.