CHAPTER TWO
METHODOLOGY
2.1. Selection of the Study Area and the Tribe
The Hajong are one of the ancient among the tribes of the North-East region of Bangladesh. They mainly live in three district of Bangladesh. These are Maymensingh, Sherpur and Netrokona. Sherpur has been selected for study by random sampling. Out of five upazillas of Sherpur district, the Hajong are concentrated in the hilly areas of Sribardi, Jhenagati and Nalitabari upazillas. A list of three upazillas of Sherpur district was arranged alphabetically and Nalitabari was selected randomly from the list. No study was carried out previously on Hajong related to their dependence on forest. So the Hajong tribe was selected purposively for the study. Nayabil Union of Nalitabari Upazilla is inhabited mostly by the Hajong. So this union was selected purposively.
2.2. Selection of the Respondents
The total population of Hajong tribe in Bangladesh is 11,477 (BBS, 1992). But the total populations of Hajong tribe in the study area are 436 in 77 households. A list of the Hajong hamlet and households (based on annual income) were collected from the office of ‘World Vision’, an NGO working locally for the improvement of the Hajong tribe.
Based on the total annual income, the study peoples were categorized into three groups as follows:
· High income group, having total annual income >Tk. 30,000.
· Medium income group, having total annual income range of Tk. 20,000- Tk. 30,000 and
· Low income group, having total annual income of Then 12 households were selected randomly from each farm category. Thus a total of 36 households were selected from the study area. 2.3. Selection of the Research Interpreter Before household sampling, a discussion was carried out at the local office of ‘World Vision’ with its officials, the member of local Union council, the headmen of hamlets and the member of farmer groups (beneficiaries of ‘World Vision’). The objective of that discussion was to convey them about the work intended and to identify the research interpreter. One interpreter was recruited from the study area who was from Hajong tribe. He was selected on the basis of the following criteria: · He was one of the most educated person in the study area. · He was very familiar and honored person and obeyed by the community members. · He could communicate in the local dialect. · He was also willing to work with the researcher and to assist him. 2.4. Explore Socio-economic Status The instrument used for that survey was a structured questionnaire worked out in advance. The survey was designed to gather information relating to: family size, household composition, educational status, total annual income, occupation of the respondents, total land holdings, different cultural activities, etc. Household heads (in this case all were male) were the respondents of the study and they took help from other members of the family when viewed necessary. 2.5. Exploration of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) Elicitation of IK regarding the daily life activities, the processing and management of forest produces and other resources were carried out using interview techniques. 2.6. Elicitation of Ethno-botanical knowledge Elicitation of this knowledge regarding the traditional utilization of various forest products for various purposes (such as food, fruit, medicine, timber, fuel wood, clothing, utensils, etc.) was also carried out using interview technique. 2.7. Gender Role Daily activity is used to assess gender role in household chores, extraction and processing of forest products. 2.8. Collection of Secondary Data Besides the information gathered by surveying in the study area, efforts were made to collect more information visiting the scientists and research officer working in different research institute and universities. Existing literature on the caption-related subject was viewed searching the Department of Forestry and Anthropology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, SHED (Society for Environment and Human Development), RIB (Research Initiative, Bangladesh), BBS (Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics) libraries as well as the Public Library of Dhaka. Secondary data were collected through literature review and general background information and map of the study area were collected from published sources and archives in the respective Upazilla Statistics Office. 2.9. Data Processing The surveyed questionnaire was processed through a data base program. Tabular methods of analyses were intensively used to analyze the data.
Absract
Introduction
Methodology
Literature Review
Study Area
Result And Discussion
Recomendation And Conclusion
References
Author
