An Organization for Socio-Economic Development (AOSED)
Country Profile
Population: 164.7 million
Major Threats: Floods, Droughts, Cyclones
Populations Affected: Urban & Rural Poor, Farmers, Women & Girls
Locations Affected: Northern Districts (drought and flood); Southern Districts (flood; sea-rise/salination)
Industries Affected: Agriculture, Manufacturing
Compounding Issues: Urban Migration, Poor Land-Use Planning, Environmental Degradation, Climate Change
World Risk Index Ranking: 10
Global Climate Risk Index: 7
Bangladesh is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change and natural disasters, with over six percent of the population affected by disasters each year. Between 1980 and 2013, the average Bangladeshi was personally affected by two disasters. The primary threats to Bangladesh are floods, droughts, cyclones, and sea-level rise due to climate change. Over the last thirty years, Bangladesh has experienced nearly 200 climate-related disasters, killing thousands of people, destroying homes and livelihoods, and costing the nation around $16 billion in damage and economic losses.
The country’s northern districts are highly susceptible to drought, while the southern districts experience heavy rainfall that results in major floods. Both these events have a significant effect on food security for the entire nation. Across all regions and disasters, the poor and marginalized, particularly women and girls, suffer the most. Those living on small offshore islands (chars), indigenous people, and poor communities engaged in climate-sensitive livelihoods are also acutely affected. When disaster strikes, they become even poorer and are forced to move to more vulnerable areas in search of cheaper living.
The national government of Bangladesh, international agencies, such as the UN and World Bank, international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), and local NGOs have been working for decades to prepare for disasters and mitigate the effects of climate change. To address these issues, international donors have the opportunity to support these communities with grassroots solutions such as adapting farming practices to climate change and educating rural communities on early warning systems, evacuation routes, and shelters already in place.
Densely populated with a third of its 167 million people living below the poverty line, Bangladesh’s natural vulnerability is made worse by the living conditions of many of its citizens. Agriculture, which employs 49 percent of the population, is one of the most vulnerable industries in the country, along with fishing and livestock. Despite only 17 percent of the country working in the industry, manufacturing is also threatened by natural disasters. Khulna, Bangladesh, known as the Industrial City and Bangladesh’s third most populous city, is rated as one of the top 10 most vulnerable cities globally in terms of economic assets at risk. Traditional economic activities and livelihoods are also severely affected by climate change and disaster, including crafts made from local resources and local salt production.
Climate change has caused many hazards in Bangladesh and is likely to worsen the impact of future disasters, especially hydrometeorological disasters. As mentioned in the introduction, the predicted sea-level rise by 2050 would cover 17 percent of the country. The effects of climate change and rising seas are already being felt, as many people from poor coastal communities inundate Dhaka and its suburbs after losing land to soil erosion. The populations most affected by climate change are women, small marginal farmers, sharecroppers, laborers, urban slum dwellers, indigenous and minority groups, and other marginalized groups, such as the disabled.
Saline water intrusion in the freshwater rivers, canals, ponds, and paddy fields has been rising over the past two decades in the southern coastal areas. In addition, local shrimp farming brings salt water to the inner lands. The salinity affects water for drinking and cooking, freshwater agriculture and fisheries, forests and other plantations, livestock, and the overall livelihoods of people.
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