The boat woman of Barishal

by Thaslima Begum (United Kingdom (Great Britain))

A leap into the unknown Bangladesh

Every year, thousands of hectares of land quietly crumble into the restless rivers that wind through the old provincial city of Barishal in southern Bangladesh, swallowing homes and sinking communities deeper into poverty. Perched precariously on a massive river delta, erosion has long been a part of life here; devouring both the land and the livelihoods of its people, washing away their hopes and dreams. Yet the adversity of the elements, to which Bangladeshi’s seem to have adjusted as best they can, is worsening day by day. Rising sea levels, monsoons, cyclones and the increasing melting of the Himalayan glaciers, where the rivers of the delta originate, make Bangladesh one of the world’s most vulnerable to climate change. Rushing waters constantly shift and transform the lives of those who live here. Mishti, 37, was born on a boat and thinks she’ll probably die in one too. “It’s all I’ve ever known,” she says. Draped in a black floral print sari, Mishti is a boat woman - a rare trade for women in Bangladesh. Married with four children, Mishti’s whole life has been impacted by extreme weather. In November 2007, her boat - and only source of income - was destroyed by the devastating Cyclone Sidr, which struck the south-west coast of Bangladesh, with menacing winds of up to 240 kilometres per hour, killing over 15,000 people. The cyclone was so fierce it sunk Mishti’s boat while she and her small children huddled together onboard. They all toppled into the water and swam desperately for their lives. “Nothing was saved - the water took everything,” Mishti explains woefully. “I am just grateful to Allah that my children and I made it to shore safely.” A few months later, Mishti built a make-shift home she pieced together with iron sheeting and other scrap metal - not far from the same river that swallowed her boat. Things took a turn for the worse when one day, she received an eviction notice informing her that she had illegally erected the structure on government land and needed to evacuate immediately. Today, remnants of her old house remain on the riverbank; a lasting reminder of a place she temporarily called home. This has left Mishti longing for a real home and she is now saving the money from her income to buy land, so she can build a proper house for her children. “The river has always been my home, but it felt secure to have a roof over our head,” says Mishti. “It wasn’t much but for the first time, I wasn’t living in a boat and there was land beneath my feet.” Every day, Mishti ferries roughly 160 commuters from one side of the river to the other, including students, workers and small families. She makes around 400 taka per day - bringing home just over £100 a month. Without the money she earns, Mishti wouldn’t be able to feed her family, pay the rent for her home or fund her children’s education. But despite working every day from 7am to 5pm - with little to no breaks - Mishti still earns less than her male counterparts. She also misses out on further earning potential as she is unable to work night shifts like the men due to the threat of sexual harassment. Squabbles with other boat drivers are common. “We all have our own stretch, but the river doesn’t belong to anyone. So, you need to get there first to claim your spot,” she says firmly. Though there have been recent efforts on the river to put a process into place. “When it’s busy, we form a queue and take it in turns to carry customers across. Not everyone follows the rules though, so you need to edge your boat forward.” Climate change continues to affect Mishti, with weather patterns becoming more erratic and less predictable than before. Though some people in her community think boat work should only be done by men, Mishti doesn’t let that discourage her. “I work to survive," she states matter-of-factly. "I don't listen to what anyone has to say." The tide is turning for Mishti, and a leap into the unknown means she is finally saving enough to give her children the life they deserve.