Marginal Within The Marginals: Intersecting Inequalities, Gender and Climate Resilience of Hajong Ethnic People in Bangladesh

Abstract (English)

The Hajong ethnic people live in the central North and the Northeast borderline of Bangladesh. However, the region is known as “Garo Hills” (Garo Pahar) in the name of the other ethnic group living in the country. The politics of identifying the ethnic groups in the northern hills of Bangladesh has connections with the colonial past and the construction of national identity in the era of nation state. Climate change is one of the significant factors that shape the life of Hajong people. Due to the politics of identity the Hajong people are not visible in the climate change vulnerability and management. The gender, particularly Hajong women, face more troubles due to their historical coherence along with men as a part of the Hajong tradition now disappearing due to the climate calamities like storm, drought and flood.
This research follows anthropological methods like fieldwork, interviewing, focus group discussion, case study in the timeline of 2023 to 2024. The study is basically based on empirical data and selected methodology to grasp the deeper understanding of Hajong people's life in the context of climate change challenges. The vulnerability, adaptation, livelihood, culture, occupation, gender role, resilience and living strategies in the Hajong ethnic people's life are creating intersections of inequalities where climate change is playing a vital role. The effects of climate change are playing a role in reshuffling gender roles, natural resources, ethical medicinal practices and local knowledge. In this journey the whole identity, culture and the life of Hajong people are facing new frontiers and dilemmas throughout generations.
This research focuses on the integration of complexities along with the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCT) from a policy framework and Jahangirnagar University from the academic perspectives on climate change. The study attempts to bring the Hajong people’s own perception about climate change and their problems and crisis regarding the problem of gender, climate resilience and inequalities. The new fear from the non-human actors like the elephants from the Indian borders and sufferings through the shifting rate of the storms, flood and drought which are not in their hands to get rid of are also highlighted in this research to understand the complexities of livelihood strategies. The combination of all the risks and vulnerabilities are making Hajong people's lives more challenging. The climate issues and environmental challenges without adequate community knowledge and their adaptation strategies will not be possible to understand. Hence, this study tries to understand the climate change vulnerability and Hajong people's adaptation from historical timeline to the present context from an anthropological lens. The effects of climate change are working as both latent and manifest factors to define the identical journey of Hajong ethnic group in Bangladesh.