Every year, thousands of hectares of land 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, the city’s erosion has long been a part of life, devouring both the land and the livelihoods of its people, washing away their hopes and dreams.
Yet the adversity of the elements, to which Bangladeshis seemed 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 areas to climate change.
Rushing waters constantly shift and transform the lives of those who live here. Mishti, 37, from Rasulpur, was born on a boat and thinks she’ll probably die on one too. “It’s all I’ve ever known,” she says. Draped in a black floral-print sari, Mishti is a boat driver – a rare trade for a woman in Bangladesh.
Every morning before the sun rises over Barishal, Mishti unmoors her small wooden boat from the banks of the Kirtankhola River and sets off to catch the early commuters. “My father taught me everything there is to know about working a boat,” she says. “I was steering by the age of nine.” Growing up on a boat means that living and making a living on the river comes naturally to Mishti.
“I remember falling into the water and my father had to jump in to save me,” she laughs, her grey eyes glistening as she speaks. “It was difficult to learn at that age, but I enjoyed it.” Looking after four children on her own, Mishti’s whole life has been affected 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 almost 150mph. It is estimated the death toll was 15,000 across affected areas of Bangladesh and neighbouring India.
The cyclone was so fierce it sank 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,” she says. “I am just grateful to Allah that my children and I made it to shore safely.”
A few months later, Mishti pieced together a makeshift home from iron sheeting and other scrap metal – not far from the same river that swallowed her boat. She took out a microloan from a local NGO to help build the shelter but struggled to pay back the high interest rates. Every week, a collector came around to collect Mishti’s dues, and there were days when she would go without any food.
Her home was broken down by winds and floods in 2010, prompting Mishti to move with her children and what little belongings they had, before she received an eviction notice informing her that she had illegally erected the structure. They were on the move once again, barely surviving and renting a boat on and off. But after receiving a cash grant from the Red Cross, Mishti was able to buy a new boat, enabling a stable income for her family.
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 approximately 200-300 taka (£2) a day and, each week, Mishti saves a little of her income. “I have a bank account now and I’m saving money in case of an emergency,” she says. 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. “Tidal surges can make paddling more difficult,” she says. “The waves are strong, and you need a lot of strength to overcome them.”
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. I don’t listen to what anyone has to say,” she states matter-of-factly. Mishti is one of just five women out of a total of 40 boat drivers in Rasulpur; she says there are more women who know how to operate a vessel but can’t afford boats. “It feels good to have my own boat,” she says. “I don’t have to worry about renting one or returning it by a certain time. Right now, I decide when I work.”
With firsthand experience of working in a male-dominated environment, Mishti is determined to give her children the best chances at life. “It’s important for me to be able to send all my daughters to school,” she says. “My son works as a tuk-tuk driver to support me, but I don’t want my girls to miss out. Having an education will help them succeed in the future.”
The British Red Cross campaign, It Starts With Her, is helping women in Barishal to learn new skills, improve their lives and make their communities more resilient to disasters. Through UK Aid Match, every pound you give to the British Red Cross up to the value of £2m will be doubled by the UK government. With your help, they can support thousands of strong women – and, as a result, their communities – to be even stronger. To donate, visit donate.redcross.org.uk
