The Country Boats of Bangladesh: Social and Economic Development and Decision-making in Inland Water Transport

This book deals with the country boats of Bangladesh; the traditional non-mechanized vessels that have plied inland and coastal waters for hundreds of years. Country boats, of which there are several hundred thousands in a great variety of shapes and sizes, are known to play a vital role in the transport of goods and people in a country shaped by some of the world's greatest rivers. Perhaps surprisingly, therefore, few attempts have been made so far to examine the role they play in a desperately poor country, and the contribution they make to processes of social and economic development. Still fewer attempts have been made to identify ways in which this contribution can be safeguarded and enhanced. This book is the first in-depth analysis of the country boat sector. It discusses the decision making environment of inland water transport, focusing upon official policies and attitudes toward the country boats. The book describes the changing river system of Bangladesh and the constraints imposed by natural conditions on inland water transport and country boat construction. Several chapters of the book describe the operational environment focusing on the boats, the boatmen and owners, and the relationships between the main actors of the transport sector. The last chapter of the book elaborates on the significant changes, which have occurred in the country boat sector during the late 1980s.