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Abstract. Azad AK, Pitol MNS, Rakkibu MG. 2020. Livelihood status of Sundarbans dependent people at Shymnagar Upazila of Satkhira, Bangladesh. Asian J For 5: 28-35. The study aims to know the livelihood status and dependency on Sundarbans at Shymnagar Upazila in the Satkhira district. A questionnaire survey was carried from 130 respondents in three unions. Most of the respondents (65%) were middle-aged (30-50 years old) and 22% of them were female and 78% were male. Among them about 51% were illiterate, 24% had primary education, while 25% had secondary education. About 72% of respondents were fully dependent and 21% were partially dependent on Sundarbans for their livelihood. Only 37% of people in these areas had their shrimp farm (gher). The respondents collected fuelwood (92%), aquatic resources (80%), small timber (54%), honey (27%), goran (Ceriops decandra) (8%), and golpata (Nypa fruticans) (6%) from Sundarbans. Only 63% of respondents had their livestock like cows (2%), poultry (68%), and goats (30%), whereas 84% of respondents were involved with different NGOs. Among the respondents, 70% had the access to disaster warnings, whereas only 24% had shelter facilities. Only 28% of respondents had access to drinking water from deep tube-well and 33% from ponds. About 50% of respondents did not get better medical treatment and were dependent on village doctors and only 8% of respondents received treatment from Government hospitals. It was alarming to know that about 91% of respondents did not know co-management in Sundarbans. Most of the people living here were not satisfied with their present occupations and about 98% of them were eager to start a new occupation. Only 11% of respondents got benefitted from government Vulnerable Group Feeding / Vulnerable Group Development support.

The purpose of the study was to ascertain the attitude of the peoples towards social forestry and to explore the relationship between the selected characteristics of the respondents and their attitude towards social forestry. Attempt was also made to find out the rank order of attitudinal statements. Local community, local leader and social forestry beneficiaries of Puthia and Charghat Upzila of Rajshahi district constituted the population of the study. A total of 182 respondents were selected as sample. Interview schedule was used for collecting data from the sampled respondents during September, 2011 to December, 2011. The four selected characteristics of the respondents were considered as the independent variables. A 5-point rating scale was used to measure the dependent variable "attitude towards social forestry". The findings revealed that near about three-fifths (59.34%) of the respondents had moderately favourable attitude towards social forestry compared to 32.2 percent highly favourable and 8.24 percent slightly favourable attitude towards social forestry. Correlation were used to explore the relationships among the variables. Out of 4 independent variables, age and occupation of all groups of respondents had a negative relationship with their attitude forwards social forestry, whereas education and annual income did not show significant relationship. The comp uted t value indicated that there was no attitudinal significant difference among the three groups. Among the 30 statements "by improving local microclimate, social forestry can contribute significantly for the maintenance of ecological balance", "important way to create capital", "promotion of social forestry can bring improvement in aesthetic view of the area" and "social forestry will provide harbor to insects, pests and diseases which is detrimental for human health and agricultural production" was the 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd and 4 th , respectively.

A financial analysis of rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) plantation was made in February 2003 to determine economic profitability of rubber monoculture and rubber-agroforestry system in a rubber plantation of Sherpur district of Bangladesh. Rubber was intercropped with ginger (Zingiber officinale), turmeric (Curcuma longa), paddy (Oryza sativa), eggplant (Solanum melongena), different types of vegetables and fruits. Output was calculated on the basis of present market price. Financial indicators used were Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR).  Level of profit was determined at the 15th year of the economic life of the plantings while average profit was increasing. Using 6% nominal interest rate NPV was found to be Taka 57751 for rubber-agroforestry and Taka -78043 (negative) for monoculture of rubber, IRR was 9% for rubber-agroforestry and -12% (negative) for monoculture and BCR was 1.43 for rubber-agroforestry and 0.22 for monoculture. Higher profit in rubber plantation can be achieved by practicing agroforestry. Agroforestry practice in rubber gardens has great potential in terms of profitability and enhanced environmental amelioration.