What is Panchayat

The Sundarbans is the mangrove forests of the Gangetic delta spread across parts of Bangladesh and India, with the majority lying in the former country. Over the past two decades, the people of the islands have been faced with growing restrictions on their access to the forests. They now look towards tourism as an alternative source of livelihood. Tourism is rapidly developing in the region since the beginning of the 21st century, and the area is popular among national and international tourists. However, the ill-effects of mainstream tourism on the local population are also visible here. This chapter traces the different phases of a community-based tourism initiative by the people of Kumirmari, an island in the Sunderbans. This alternative model of tourism aims to combine aspects of community involvement, ownership, governance, benefits, and empowerment, and support the local people in accessing their community and livelihood rights.