SIDR CYCLONE AND THE PERCEPTION OF RAKHAIN COMMUNITY

This article develops to focus the perception and of SIDR cyclone from the perspective of Rakhain community. Many indigenous communities are found in Bangladesh and Rakhain is one of them. The Rakhine community inhabits in the coastal areas of Patuakhali, Borguna and Cox's Bazaar. Due to their geographical position, they have hundred years experience to perceive cyclone or cyclone related disaster. The objective of this research is to document their knowledge, perception as well as reduce the damage by using their experimental knowledge based on primary information. In this article it is revealed that the Rakhain community uses the term modine to identify cyclone. Before hit the SIDR cyclone they were able to read the symptoms of cyclone successfully and also initiated some measurement to minimize their damage or resources. The study found that community level indigenous adaption practice such as special type of housing pattern, prediction of cyclones using different types of wind direction, weather, etc. and also their capacity to sustain without external interventions namely government help after the cyclone hits. Their local ecological knowledge, coping and survival strategies at before, during and after the cyclone may have important implication to other areas along the coastal belt of Bangladesh in case of disaster management. The findings of this article can help the policy makers to develop the integrated approach to fight the cyclone disaster like SIDR.