Border Culture in the South-Eastern Region of Bangladesh: A View from the Ground

Abstract

The livelihoods of the border areas in Bangladesh have led to the development of a unique culture, but there is a constant worry about the legality of their activities. Both landlocked and coastal countries experience widespread illegal trading. To shed light on this issue, the study was conducted on the basis of both qualitative and quantitative methods in the border areas of Parshuram upazila of Feni district in South-Eastern Bangladesh in 2022 and 2023. The article aimed to examine the livelihood patterns and the concept of "border culture" in relation to illegal trading. The aim was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors especially the internal and external challenges in land border area influencing the borderlanders’ way of life, particularly in relation to their occupation and economic activities. In this study, a descriptive research approach is used to conduct an anthropological ethnographic investigation, with an emphasis on reflexivity throughout the study. During the field study for this research, techniques and instruments from the qualitative research approach, such as observation, key informants’ interviews, and semi-structured interview were employed. The border community serves as the research's unit. For analyzing quantitative data, this study has employed simple statistical measures through SPSS software. This study reveals that existing internal threats like financial insecurity, the lack of adequate educational and medical facilities, constant harassment by various law enforcement agencies, economic instability, political instability, social class discrimination, etc. and external threats like to raid Bangladeshi border villages, pillaging homes and crops, kidnapping and torturing civilians, and even killing people along the border by the Indian BSF poses livelihood of the Parshuram borderlanders differently. The border culture of Parshuram is multifaceted, particularly when it comes to occupation. The border trading occupation is characterized by a prevailing "shared culture." One significant aspect of this culture is the existence of illegal trading, which has deep historical roots. The increasing size of families, the limited income from agriculture, and the availability of easy money from illicit commerce all motivate Parshuram residents to engage in this activity, which has become a necessary aspect of their existence and primary source of income. Illegal border trade has a significant impact on the culture of border residents and has become an inherent aspect of their subsistence. Despite its negative consequences, it cannot be fully eliminated as it has shaped the unique identity of border regions and its inhabitants. It becomes apparent that individuals residing further away from the border, particularly in Parshuram Sadar, are less prone to being affected compared to those living in closer proximity to the border. The informal economy of illegal border trade has become an integral part of the border dwellers' way of life in Parshuram, carrying both positive and negative implications.