Gender inequality and environmental risks in Panchagarh’s stone quarries

In the northernmost district of Panchagarh, stone quarrying from the Mahananda and Dahuk river long served as a cornerstone of the local economy, offering a crucial source of livelihood for many, particularly women. 

According to the reports of The  Business Standard from 2022, stone lifting primarily from the Mahanada river and other parts of the area provides livelihood for 40,000 people in Panchagarh.

Furthermore, around 200 trucks filled with stones worth Tk2 crore are delivered from this northern part of Bangladesh to the rest of the country. 

Even though the works related to stone, i.e., stone quarrying and stone lifting, have been providing steady income sources to families that are driven by extreme poverty and inequalities, this economic boon comes at a significant long-term environmental cost.

Stone quarrying poses threats to the landscape of Panchagarh in terms of environmental degradation, riverbank erosion, soil erosion, depletion of natural resources, disruption of local ecosystems— making the area prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. 

Research indicates that large-scale stone collection can lead to unnaturally high concentrations of some chemical elements, such as arsenic and sulphuric acid, over a significantly large area of surface or subsurface. This disruption of natural systems significantly affects water quality and quantity, especially in rivers and other water bodies. 

Additionally, the extraction process adversely impacts soil fertility, as the removal of topsoil makes land unsuitable for agricultural use. Moreover, communities near mining sites experience considerable noise pollution due to heavy machinery and blasting operations, which can negatively affect their quality of life.

However, this environmental impact is just one side of the story. Stone quarrying and lifting are labour-intensive operations that demand hard physical work, often under harsh conditions.

Gender discrimination is prevalent in this workplace, with women workers typically remaining underpaid compared to their male counterparts despite equal contribution.

During our recent visit to Panchagarh for one of our Centre for Sustainable Development (CSD), ULAB's project work, we got the opportunity to speak to a few of the workers involved to get an overview of the work dynamic and labour-intensive process behind the stone extraction and the challenges these workers face every day. 

Both men and women are involved in stone quarrying in Panchagarh, but their roles and wages differ significantly. The process begins with groups of men collecting stones from the rivers. These stones, often large and mixed with silt and soil, are washed clean before being handled. 

Once cleaned, the stones are carried by workers and placed in machines that break them down into various sizes— typically large, semi-large, and small. After the stones are crushed, they are again carried by workers and loaded into trucks for transport to Dhaka and other parts of the country, where further sorting and processing occurs.

While both men and women participate in the work, their roles follow traditional gender lines. Men usually handle the physically demanding task like excavating stones from the rivers. 

On the other hand, women are responsible for carrying the stones, feeding them into machines, and loading them into trucks— a task that is no less labour-intensive but typically less recognised.

Despite the effort required, women are often paid less for their work. 

There are no fixed working hours or wages in this work. Generally, workers toil from early morning until evening. Men who collect stones from the rivers earn around Tk700-800 per day, while women and other workers who carry and sort the stones receive approximately Tk400-500 per day.

These jobs are precarious, with no formal contracts or job security. Workers can be dismissed at any time or moment without any notice. 

One female worker shared her thoughts on the challenges she faces, "Every day, I lift stones heavier than you can imagine. It feels like the weight could break me sometimes. On certain days, my fingers feel numb. Even then, I wake up every day knowing my body will ache, knowing I will carry more than I can, but it's either that or going hungry."

Meanwhile, another female worker expressed her frustration about the uncertainty of their job, "If our Malik (the boss) wishes, he can fire me from work any time. It's tough not knowing where you stand, especially when you're giving your all and everything depends on it."

Despite a government ban on stone quarrying in Panchagarh, the region's poverty encourages many to engage in the illegal practice. Hundreds of families depend on meagre wages from stone quarrying, even though the work is harmful to the environment, offers insufficient pay, and exposes labourers to serious health risks. 

The need for alternative livelihoods is urgent, as it's necessary to raise awareness and empower local communities to understand the long-term consequences of their actions on the environment.

Addressing this issue requires a bottom-up approach, as top-down solutions, instructions, and actions from the higher authorities alone are unlikely to bring sustainable change or effectively address the root causes of the crisis. 

Sanzida Alam Lisa is a Research Assistant at the Center for Sustainable Development (CSD) at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) and an Early Career Researcher at V2V Global Partnership.  Nayma Akther Jahan is a Lecturer and Research Associate at the Center for Sustainable Development (CSD) at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB). Dr Shahana Afrose Chowdhury is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Center for Sustainable Development (CSD) at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB). 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard