Exploring the livelihood pattern of the floating population using the SL framework: a case study of metropolitan Dhaka, Bangladesh

This study explores the livelihood pattern of the ‘floating population’ in metropolitan Dhaka, Bangladesh by using the Sustainable Livelihood (SL) framework. Data were collected by applying a mixed-method approach consisting of a semi-structured questionnaire survey, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and qualitative observations. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used for presenting the findings of this study. The findings reveal that the survival of the floating population depends on a complex fusion of coping and adaptation measures based on their social relations, communal living, and mental strength. While their livelihood pattern is sustainable to some extent in the social context, it is economically, politically, and environmentally unsustainable. The study identifies the absence of appropriate institutional arrangements as a major constraint in ensuring the sustainability of their livelihood pattern. This study finally offers policy suggestions and advocates further scrutiny of this limitedly investigated subject in the research and policy domain.