For as long as she could remember, Shefali Akter’s life had been inseparable from the rivers of coastal Bangladesh. Born into the boat-dwelling Vedic community in the southern district of Patuakhali, her days were spent casting nets and surviving storms. “When my father passed away, I was only three years old. My mother raised me alone, in poverty so deep that we sometimes went days with barely any food,” she recalled softly.
On Chor Montaz — an isolated char/island edged by shifting riverbanks and open sea — survival has never been easy. For women like Shefali, the odds are even harder. The island’s remoteness means basic services are scarce. Most families live without secure livelihoods, health facilities, or reliable schooling. And now, climate change is making things worse.
The once-generous rivers have become unpredictable. Rising tides, salinity intrusion, and frequent cyclones have robbed families of their livelihoods, flooded their homes, and deepened the struggle for daily survival. “Some nights, we stayed awake all night holding our boat ropes, afraid the wind would flip us into the water,” Shefali said.
When Shefali and her family were finally given a small house by the local government on Chor Montaz, it felt like the ground had steadied beneath her feet — literally. But even on land, opportunities were scarce. Her husband and son continued to fish, despite poor yields, simply because they had no other option.
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