Study Site

Study region

The CRADLE trial is located in Chauhali and Belkuchi upazilas (sub-districts) in Sirajganj district and Nagarpur upazila in Tangail district, Bangladesh. This rural area includes hard-to-access, low-resource populations. Approximately 66% of households in the area have dirt floors. The region is vulnerable to flooding and erosion.

Around half of study households are located on sand bars. 

Chars are sand bars located in the middle of the river. They are highly vulnerable to climate change, flooding, and erosion: a sandbar typically only exists for 2-3 years at a time. People living on chars have to move frequently as the sand bars erode and during floods in the monsoon season. They rely on boat transportation to receive medical care. 

Typical rural households in the study area have unimproved sanitation and shared facilities.

Most households are part of familial compounds, comprised of 2-3 other single- or two-room households with a courtyard in the center. Family members share a kitchen, latrine, and tubewell for accessing water. Latrines are typically unimproved or limited.

People live in close proximity with animals.

The majority of families in the study site own animals, including chickens, goats, and cows. These animals typically live in and around the household/compound. They often roam freely during the day and are tied up at night. Cows are especially prized as household assets, and are often kept inside the household at night.