Multipurpose uses of cyclone shelters: Quest for shelter sustainability and community development

This study tries to identify multipurpose uses of cyclone shelters at Morelgonj and Sarankhola upazila under Bagerhat district of Bangladesh for the quest of shelter sustainability and surrounding community development. Focus Group Discussion (FGD), questionnaire survey and consultation with stakeholders are executed to accomplish the study. The findings demonstrate that people of the shelter catchment areas prefer to consider the shelter as a service providing center instead of a production center. This study finds that decorator service, van rent service with garage and repair facilities, and venue for meeting/training hold the top-three positions, respectively among various alternatives for economic development of the people living in the shelter catchment areas. The quantitative analysis results indicate that a better road infrastructure and access to electricity encourage cyclone shelter-centric space rent related activities, whereas, access to electricity and road infrastructure discourage ‘Shelter Management Committee’ initiated business and production activities in a cyclone shelter, respectively. The study results indicate that shelter-wise yearly income may vary from 400 to 2000 US$ during 2013–2015. The study also finds that exploring cyclone shelter-centric income generating activities solely from a business motive may hamper the prime objective of the shelter – providing shelter to disaster affected people. Therefore, exploring income generating activities through multipurpose uses of cyclone shelters need to be done carefully.