Performance evaluation of the rubber dam for improving socio-economic status of Rural Bangladesh

Chowmohani Rubber Dam was accountable for socio-economic enhancement as well as improvement of agriculture farming that was constructed over the Sonai River in Habiganj district of Bangladesh. A survey research was conducted to investigate the performance of the rubber dam on the basis of agricultural and environmental aspects in order to improve the socio-economic status of rural life. Both primary and secondary data were collected by conducting focus group discussions (FGD) with the 100 stakeholders by using a questionnaire and people of relevant local organizations of the dam area. The parameter such as Annual income, Employment opportunity, Agricultural production, Fish production, Command area Efficiency (CAE), Management Performance Ratio (MPR), and Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) were calculated. The result was demonstrated that about 88% increased annual income, 60% Employment opportunity, 45% agricultural production, 92% fish production increased that of earlier situation. However, it is observed from the study that the CAE of scheme-1 and scheme-2 of the project is 28.88% and 26.74% respectively, MPR is 0.018 and 0.021 and BCR is 1.36 and 1.53 in that order indicating substandard. Thereupon, the rubber dam project was economically preferable in respect of socio-economic condition and farmer profitability of that area.