Understanding the Food Insecurity and Coping Strategies of Indigenous Households during COVID-19 Crisis in Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh: A Qualitative Study.

This study examined the food insecurity and coping mechanisms among the indigenous Bangladeshi population of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region to extract empirical evidence on the ongoing discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic-exacerbated food-insecurity situation. The study adopted a qualitative approach by interviewing 60 indigenous households. Data were collected in two phases between 15 June 2020, and 30 July 2021 in Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region. Thematic data analyses were performed using the Granheim approach and NVivo-12 software. The authors used Huston's social-ecological theory to explain the indigenous coping mechanisms. The research evidence revealed that most households experienced challenges over daily foods, manifesting in the decreasing consumption of them, the increased price of food items, a food crisis due to an income shock, malnutrition, the shifting to unhealthy food consumption, starvation and hunger, and food insufficiency, thereby leading to mental stress. This study further revealed that the indigenous population took crucial coping strategies to survive the pandemic. In response to COVID-19, they took loans and borrowed foods, reduced expenses, changed their food habits, avoided nutritional foods, relied on vegetables, sold domestic animals and properties, collected forest and hill foods, and depended on governmental and societal relief. This study also provides the in-depth policy actions for the urgent intervention of government, stakeholders, policymakers, NGOs, and development practitioners to take necessary initiatives to enhance the quality of life of the people that were affected by the post-pandemic recovery period.

Understanding rural local government response during COVID-19-induced lockdown: perspective from Bangladesh

This study intends to explore the responses of local government during the COVID-19-induced lockdown in the rural areas, with particular emphasis on Bangladesh. By adopting a qualitative phenomenological research approach and employing multi-method data collection techniques (for instance, Key Informant Interview (KII), Focus Group Discussion (FGD), participant observation, and content analysis), this study found that the local governments managed the crisis of the pandemic relatively well with its limited manpower and funding through adequate preparedness and prevention strategies;effective emergency responses;and consolidated post-lockdown measures. The study revealed that the Bangladesh local government promptly took some essential actions, such as preparedness and prevention, arrangement of home quarantine and isolation, the training program for readiness, and disseminated crucial information to the local people during the pandemic, such as using masks, hand washing and sanitizing, and social distancing. Besides, the local government delivered relief, such as food and non-food items and financial support. Furthermore, the rural local government took post-lockdown responses to tackle pandemic in rural Bangladesh. Nevertheless, the service delivery individuals from local governance encountered numerous challenges, like scarcity of manpower, less support, and superstition, while providing services during the pandemic.

COVID-19 induced impact on informal migrants in Bangladesh: a qualitative study

Purpose>This study intends to explore the impact of occupation and income on informal migrants in the face of COVID-19 induced lockdown in Bangladesh and their coping strategies to survive the pandemic situation.Design/methodology/approach>The study adopted a qualitative research design in which four urban areas were chosen purposively from various parts of Dhaka city. The authors conducted 21 semi-structured in-depth interviews, four FGDs and eight months over participant observation for achieving study objectives. The four stages of data analysis used a thematic approach in the interpretive phenomenological analysis.Findings>The results showed that respondents were massively affected due to loss of income and occupation in the period of induced lockdown. Besides, most people lost their earning sources entirely in this amid pandemic which bound them starvation in the mealtime along with several dynamic complications. The findings also revealed that they followed some surviving strategies such as taking loans, reducing expenses, consuming less food, selling land, jewelry, and goods, relatives and neighbor support, and government relief. Although these strategies somewhat supported them to struggle with the situation, their livelihood features became fragile immensely.Research limitations/implications>The findings will be an important guiding principle for the policymakers, aid organizations and development practitioners to prepare development policies for vulnerable informal migrants in developing countries like Bangladesh.Originality/value>This is the first study that explores the informal migrants’ occupation and income during COVID-19 induced lockdown in Bangladesh. This research also highlights coping strategies of the informal migrants to survive the pandemic situation.

Impacts of COVID-19 induced food insecurity among informal migrants: Insight from Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Food insecurity is one of the rising problems in Bangladesh, and it is severely prevalent among informal migrant workers. In this case, the COVID-19 pandemic has multiplied the food insecurity of informal migrant workers. This study explores and synthesizes the COVID-19 induced food insecurity impact among informal migrants and recommends policy actions to tackle the COVID-19 led food crisis in Bangladesh. A qualitative research approach, including in-depth interviews, four FGDs, and participant observation, has been applied to data collection from different parts of Dhaka city. A thematic approach to interpretive phenomenological analysis is followed in this study. The results show that COVID-19 induced lockdown significantly affects informal migrants' household food security. Most participants report severe complications due to food insecurity like consuming less food, price hiking, no fish or meat, potato, and vegetable. Food insecurity leads to migrant's chronic food shortage, starvation, malnutrition of mother and children, and unhealthy food. As a result, the way of life of informal migrants has been directed to more fragility and vulnerability during the pandemic; even they are not affordable to maintain a minimal level of family affairs and necessity. The findings of this study would be essential guidelines for the governmental and non-governmental organizations and development practitioners to address the food insecurity situations.