Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 12 (3), July 2013, pp. 427-440 Traditional Ecological Knowledge on Flow and Erosion processes in the Braided Jamuna river in Bangladesh: Part-II Mohammad Nazim Uddin* & Md Munsur Rahman *Department of Civil Enggineerig, Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology, Gazipur, Bangladesh E-mail: nazimduet@yahoo.com Received 24.05.12, revised 25.03.13 The Jamuna is a large scale sand bed braided river. It always changes it courses within its braid belt. Erosion is a major problem along the Jamuna river. More than thirty bank protection structures have been constructed along both banks of this river to protect bank from erosion. The response of these structures to the river is different. The people neighborhood of these structures has already gained experience-based traditional ecological knowledge. The main objectives of the present study are to investigate experience-based Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) on flow and erosion around different bank protection works. Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) method was used to investigate the (TEK) around different bank protection works. Different tools of PRA such as: Focus Group Discussion (FGD), Key Informant Interview (KII) and Informal Group Discussion have been used around some selected bank protection works along the braided Jamuna river. Finally, comparisons are made among the experienced-based TEK, field engineer’s knowledge, field measure result and result obtained from laboratory experiment. It has been found that there are similarities among the experienced-based traditional knowledge, field engineer’s knowledge, field measure result and result obtained from laboratory experiment. The following Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) have been investigated from the present study such as: (i) the TEK on flow and erosion processes around Sirajganj hardpoint, Betil and Enayetpur spurs, Shuvogacha spurs and around bandal structures, (ii) the experienced-based TEK on flow and erosion processes are very similar to scientific analysis from the field measured data, (iii) the causes of failure of the Sirajganj hardpoint, Betil and Enayetpur spurs and Shuvogacha, (iv) the indication of failure of bank protection works. It is clear that the local peoples experienced-based TEK can play a vital role in the management activity during emergency situation. Keywords: Traditional knowledge, Flow and erosion, Bank protection works, Braided Jamuna river IPC Int. Cl. 8 : A01, E02B, E02F 5/28, E02F 5/28, E02B 3/00, B23H, E02B 3/00, G05D 7/00, B21B 17/00- B21B 25/00, E02B 3/04, A01G 13/00, A01G 15/00, G05B 13/00, E02B 3/00 It is a companion paper on Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) on flow and erosion processes in the braided Jamuna river: Part-I. The definition of Traditional Ecological knowledge (TEK) given by Huntington (1998) 1 is the system of experiential knowledge gained by continual observation and transmitted among members of a community. It is set in a framework that encompasses both ecology and the interactions of humans and their environment on physical and spiritual planes. The term technical or scientific knowledge is attributed to some facts and principles that are acquired through the long process of inquiry and investigation. The investigation takes long time because it goes through various aspects to come to a conclusion and the aspects include all the laws theories, concepts and models. It has already been discussed in Part-I that the people of Bangladesh use much TEK in their daily life. The TK has enormous role in different sectors. So, Bangladesh Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge (BARCIK) has taken scheme in preservation, documentation, and dissemination of TEK in a variety of development related fields including agriculture, health care and environmental conservation. A number of papers have already been published by BARCIK 2,3,4 on traditional knowledge for sustainable biodiversity conservation, health development, wise use of water and watershed resources, sustainable agriculture, and everyday survival. It has been discussed in Part-I that the Bangladesh is a disaster prone country. The people of this country always combat with different types of disaster such as: cyclones, tornadoes, tidal bores, floods, river erosion, droughts, and earthquakes. The people inhabiting a disaster-prone country in particular have their localized knowledge and practices, developed through cumulative experience, that constitute a survival strategy in the face of natural disasters 5 . —————— *Corresponding author