Assessing Disaster Risk Resilience: A SWOT Analysis of Jaliya Kaibartta Society in Indo-Bangladesh Borderlands

This chapter examines the disaster risk resilience of the Jaliya Kaibartta society, a traditional fishing community inhabiting the ecologically fragile Indo-Bangladesh borderlands, with particular attention to the Indian Sundarbans. The study seeks to identify the community’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) through the application of a SWOT analysis framework. Primary data were collected through a household survey of 200 families, selected using purposive-cum-stratified sampling to capture variations in livelihood practices, exposure to hazards, and resource dependence. Additionally, 15 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted with fishers, women, youth, and elderly members to document collective perceptions, traditional knowledge, and community-based adaptation strategies. The data were thematically coded and systematically organised within the SWOT framework. Strengths included indigenous fishing knowledge, social solidarity, and adaptive livelihood practices, while weaknesses reflected poverty, inadequate infrastructure, and social marginalisation. Opportunities emerged in the form of government policy support, community-based disaster management initiatives, and livelihood diversification. Threats were associated with intensifying cyclones, saline water intrusion, ecological degradation, and youth outmigration. The findings suggest that disaster resilience in the Jaliya Kaibartta society is supported by indigenous coping mechanisms but constrained by structural vulnerabilities and external pressures. The SWOT analysis offers a structured perspective on resilience dynamics, providing valuable insights for future research, policy interventions, and community-based adaptation planning in the Indo-Bangladesh borderlands.