Bangladesh's Unavoidable Reality: Climate Change, Disaster Risks, and the Need for Resilience

Strategic Insights -

As one of the world's most vulnerable countries to disasters, Bangladesh is at the forefront of the global climate crisis. With 99% of its population and 97% of its land vulnerable to various forms of disasters, the country faces frequent floods, tropical cyclones, landslides, thunderstorms, riverbank erosion, salinity intrusion, and increasing temperature extremes. The Government of Bangladesh and NGOs have invested significant resources in disaster risk management and climate change mitigation, but their efforts are often limited in scale. Meanwhile, political parties and social organizations have yet to fully integrate climate resilience into their agendas and operations, despite having the potential to make a significant impact.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Command-Control model of disaster management has been largely ineffective in responding to disasters, particularly in developing countries, as it marginalizes local communities and overlooks indigenous knowledge and local dynamics.
  • Community-Based Disaster Management (CBDM) has emerged as a response to the limitations of the Command-Control model, prioritizing local participation, empowering communities to assess their vulnerabilities, plan for disasters, and manage recovery efforts using their own knowledge and resources.
  • Communities have been effective first responders to disasters, even in situations where external help is delayed or inaccessible, as seen in the aftermath of the 1991 super cyclone, the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake, and the 2017 Rangamati landslides.
  • Mutual aid and self-help initiatives foster community cohesion, promote collaboration, and enhance overall community resilience, as demonstrated by the response of affected communities in Aceh, Indonesia, and Kerala, India, to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami and the 2018 floods and landslides.
  • The broader political apparatus, including mainstream parties and grassroots social groups, has yet to fully integrate climate resilience into their agendas, despite having the potential to raise awareness and build capacities in a cost-effective manner.
  • Political parties and social organizations can serve as cost-effective channels for public mobilization and awareness on climate risks, disaster preparedness, and public health, leveraging their existing networks and resources.

Statistics:

  • 99% of Bangladesh's population and 97% of its land are vulnerable to various forms of disasters.
  • Up to 15,000 children die annually in Bangladesh from preventable drowning, with efforts by the Government and NGOs being expensive and limited in scale.
  • A World Bank estimate suggests that investment in preparedness is eight times more cost-effective than the cost of damages incurred when early warning systems are not in place.
  • Bangladesh ranks as one of the countries most at risk from climate-induced displacement, food insecurity, and livelihood loss, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Sources:

  • Bangladesh's vulnerability to disasters: Statistically, 99% of its population and 97 of the total land are vulnerable to one or the other forms of disasters.
  • Community-Based Disaster Management (CBDM) and the Command-Control model: [1]
  • Community responses to disasters: The 1991 super cyclone, the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake, and the 2017 Rangamati landslides.
  • The role of political parties and social organizations: Dr Edris Alam, (MSc, UK, PhD, UNSW Australia), Professor and Former Chairman, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Chittagong, Chittagong.