Women’s Livelihoods in the Flood Plains of Bangladesh

Most of Bangladesh lies in the delta of three of the largest rivers in the world. These rivers have a combined peak discharge in the flood season of 180,000 m3/sec (the second highest in the world, after the Amazon) and carry approximately two billion tons of sediment each year. Floodplains occupy 80% of Bangladesh making it susceptible to river and rain water flooding and, in lower-lying coastal areas, to tidal flooding during storms (MoEF, 2009).