Water Scarcity, Seasonal Variation and Social Conflict in Mountain Regions of Bangladesh

Sep 1, 2026

The study assesses water scarcity, seasonal variation, and social conflicts through a cross-sectional design using community perceptions. Data were collected with a well-structured questionnaire and an interview schedule from 60 households in two mountainous villages in Waga union, Kaptai Upazila, Rangamati District, Bangladesh, using multi-stage random sampling. Findings indicate strong dependence on local sources, frequent domestic water scarcity, and perceived links between rainy-season shortening, upland shifting cultivation, and water-quality degradation. Respondents also attribute improved availability to forest conservation around water sources.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryGeneral

FormatDOCX

Pages22

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Water scarcity and global context

Watershed management and freshwater access

Abstract and study findings

Study design and sampling

Source dependence and reported scarcity

Perceived drivers and mitigation through forest conservation

Water Scarcity, Seasonal Variation and Social Conflict in Mountain Regions of Bangladesh Sheeladitya Chakma1, Md. Nuralam Hossain*2, Md. Kamrul Islam3, Md. Mohitul Hossain4, Md. Nazirul Islam Sarker5 1School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. Email: chakma@uqconnect.edu.au 2School of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China. Email: HYPERLINK "mailto:nuralam@cqu.edu.cn" nuralam@cqu.edu.cn 3USAID-Supported Nature and Life Project, Community Development Center (CODEC), Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Email: HYPERLINK "mailto:kamrul.forestry@gmail.com" kamrul.forestry@gmail.com 4School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. Email: mohitulh@yahoo.com 5School of Political Science and Public Administration, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang, China. Email: sarker.scu@yahoo.com *Corresponding Author ǀ ORCID: 0000-0003-0029-9367 Abstract The study intends to assess water scarcity, seasonal variations, and social conflicts through a cross sectional study based on people’s perceptions. A well-structured questionnaire coupled with an interview schedule was used for data collection from the 60 households living in the mountainous two villages at Waga union of Kaptai Upazila under Rangamati District, Bangladesh. The study employed a multi-stage random sampling technique. The analysis reveals that 90% of respondents in Sapchari Monpara village mostly rely on spring for water, while 83% of respondents in Debotachari village depend on tube-wells. The study also shows that 80% of the respondents have experienced water scarcity in domestic use, while 90% of respondents have reported short duration of the rainy season causes water scarcity. More than 80% of respondents believe that shifting cultivation in upland catchments causes water quality degradation in the study villages. Most of the respondents obtain water easily in a monsoon at Sapchari Monpara, while others get from tube-wells and traditional wells in all seasons. About (87%) of respondents mention that forest conservation around the water sources can increase water availability. Keywords Water shortage; People's perception; Water harvesting; Catchment area Introduction Water is a valuable natural resource, vital for life, development, environments, and ecosystems (Sivakumar, 2011; Loucks and Beek, 2017). Water is essential for the growth, development, and survival of plants, animals, and human societies (Sivakumar, 2011). The availability of freshwater resources is essential for any development and quality of life, especially in mountainous areas (Tampakis, Manolas, and Matoli, 2011; UNEP, 2009). However, due to increased human activities, population growth, and industrialization, this precious resource is under heavy demand and threat (Abu-Zeid and Shiklomanov, 2003; Hafizur, Hossain and Rumainul, 2017). A rising scarcity of freshwater in comparison to human needs is now evident in many parts of the world (Postel, 2000; Rajat, Jagjit, and Harpreet, 2019). Several parts of the world face water shortages and water commoditization. But how this is perceived is problematic, and its consequences in the form of policy responses become critical (Fougner, 2008; Boelee et al., 2017). Today, inadequate water availability and quality have become a significant challenge to human livelihoods, food security, and natural ecosystems (Luijten, Knapp and Jones, 2001; Krishna, 2011). In many parts of the world, overexploitation of freshwater for agriculture, industry, and urban activities threatens the health of aquatic ecosystems and their life support systems (Krishna, 2011; Covich, 1993; Postel and Carpenter, 1997). The current water consumption rate will only worsen the situation (Gobarah et al., 2015). It is estimated that two-thirds of the world’s population may experience severe water shortage by 2025 (Luijten, Knapp and Jones, 2001; Gobarah et al., 2015; Seckler, Barker and Amarasingh

FAQs

How were data on water scarcity and conflicts collected in the study?

The study used a cross-sectional design based on people’s perceptions, combining a well-structured questionnaire with an interview schedule. Data came from 60 households in two mountainous villages using multi-stage random sampling.

What water sources do respondents mainly rely on in the two villages?

Respondents in Sapchari Monpara mostly rely on springs for water (90%), while those in Debotachari depend on tube-wells (83%). The study also notes that monsoon access differs from other seasons.

What factors are reported to cause or worsen water scarcity?

The analysis shows that most respondents experienced water scarcity in domestic use and reported that short rainy seasons contribute to scarcity. More than 80% believe shifting cultivation in upland catchments degrades water quality.

According to respondents, how can water availability be improved?

More than 80% of respondents indicate that conserving forests around water sources can increase water availability.

Sep 1, 2026

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