Author:

Atina Chakma

Location of the Resilient Story: The location of the Resilient story in Logang Union, Panchari

Upazila, Khagrachari District. The Chakma Indigenous community is living there and it’s situated in the southeastern part of Bangladesh, near the Tripura border of India. It is 29 Kilometers per away from the main town of the Khagrachari district. The population of the selected area is approximately 12,000. The literacy rate is only 40.1 percent.

Note: On December 25, 2024, I conducted two rounds of yard meetings with the community, attended by 35 residents, including men, women, youth, village leaders, and a local government representative. During these sessions, I introduced the project theme and its objectives. Community members, including inheritors, the village leader, and a youth representative, shared their thoughts on building resilient houses and discussed year-round disaster preparedness activities. And I also took interviews on the experiences of resilient house and how they deal with the danger etc. Illustrator Mr. Rupom Chakma actively contributed by sketching the structure of the Barba Ghar. Meanwhile, the youth team engaged in meaningful interactions with elders, asking various questions and learning from their wealth of inherent knowledge. Key topics discussed including the nature of disasters, inclusivity in housing design, and traditional approaches to mutual aid during crises. One of the most remarkable moments was when a knowledge bearer, Uddipon Chakma, Mangal Dhan Chakma, spontaneously Showed the structure of the Barba Ghar, adding a unique and insightful information and data to the discussion. Now I am working on the final document and editing the videos and footage from the fields.