1 APPLICATION OF VETIVER (VETIVERIA ZIZANIOIDES) AS A BIO-TECHNICAL SLOPE PROTECTION MEASURE – SOME SUCCESS STORIES IN BANGLADESH

Bangladesh, a country of many rivers and a very long coastline, is frequented by natural disasters due to its unique geological location. As the embankments, river banks and other hydraulic structures act as the first line of defense against natural disasters like cyclonic storm surges and floods, they experience the most severe damage. Protection of embankments is, therefore, of paramount importance. The cost of protecting embankments is high, and the national budget for such works is never sufficient which confines rigid structural protection measures to the most acute sections, never to the full length of coastline and embankment. Many countries are effectively using naturally grown vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides L. Nash) to protect embankment slopes. But unfortunately, only a few researches were carried out in Bangladesh for evaluating the effectiveness of vetiver plant in slope protection. To this context, laboratory studies, numerical analyses and field trials have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of vetiver plant in slope protection. It has been found that vetiver is available in almost all the parts of Bangladesh. The available vetiver species is Vetiveria zizanioides. Local vetiver can grow in silty an