Rural Heritage April/May 2026

the farm buildings and the adjacent usable areas, such as family gardens, was rather unorganized. Following the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, the agricultural sector, including forestry, fisheries, and livestock, remains a dominant employer, accounting for 37.09% of the country’s overall workforce in 2021, despite the rising importance of the industrial and service sectors. Industrialization in the late 20th and early 21st centuries led to the growth of ready-made garments, textile mills, paper mills,

Paul heads up Schaff mat Päerd (Work with horses) asbl, a non-profit organization registered in Luxembourg, with the following objectives: To promote the research on the welfare of draught animal, develop new equipment for animal traction, publish information on the subject of animal traction equipment and the welfare of draught animals and to actively participate in knowledge exchange aimed at improving the living and working conditions of draught animals. www.schaffmatpaerd.com

and fertilizer factories, as well as other cottage industries. Most urban and industrial expansion occurs in the capital Dhaka, centrally located in Bangladesh, the main port of Chittagong in the southeast, and the growing commercial and industrial center of Khulna in the southwest (BBS, 2021). Geographically, but also economically, the smallholder farmers on the Chars are far removed from these up-and coming urban areas. Nevertheless, their key crops are vital, not just as own food, but also for generating a modest income to alleviate poverty. But despite increased crop production, farmers are struggling to reap the expected benefits due to poor storage facilities, combined with poor transportation, particularly during the flooding season, requiring households to prematurely sell their produce at low prices. But here too, FRIENDSHIP is an important partner, as the organization establishes marketing concepts for the remote farms. Special thanks go to Esméralda Chupin of FRIENDSHIP in Luxembourg as well as to Ayesha Khan, Pollob Rafiquzzaman, Nayamat Ullah, Olive Hossain, and Nayeem Khan of FRIENDSHIP in Bangladesh, who not only led the thoroughly prepared field trip in a very friendly way, but also provided useful insights and information, and were always open for any discussion. The complete list of sources for this article may be requested from the author.

Crop storage and raised plastic bag growing near a Char homestead.

Bangladesh’s 3000-year-old heritage of wooden river boat building risks to extinguish.

April/May 2026

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