Bangladesh is known on the world map as a climate-vulnerable country
Bangladesh is known on the world map as a climate-vulnerable country. Excessive rainfall, cyclones, waterlogging, landslides, and salinity have increased in different parts of the country.
These changes greatly impact the lives of the larger population, particularly those in coastal and hilly areas, and those living in poverty. However, ensuring good governance has become extremely urgent to address the impacts of the climate crisis.
Poor governance, discriminatory policies, and inadequate action are worsening the climate crisis and increasing the vulnerability of people in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is being severely affected by climate change. This is mainly due to floods, cyclones, river erosion, and sea level rise. We can take a look at some important information related to the impacts of climate change.
In 2024, catastrophic floods struck Feni district, inflicting extensive damage across multiple sectors. In the housing sector, around 70,415 semi-finished and unfinished houses, along with furniture and appliances, were flooded, resulting in an estimated loss of Tk 5,335.9 million.
In addition, about 67,287 houses were damaged, resulting in a financial loss of about Tk 700 million. In the road and infrastructure sector, Tk 1,404.8 million was spent on bridges and culverts by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and the Roads Department.
As 539 roads and 62 bridges and culverts in the district were damaged, the total financial loss stood at about Tk 5,880 million.
In agriculture, fisheries, and livestock sectors, the flood caused a loss of about Tk 9,140.8 million. The district administration report states that the total loss is Tk 16,588.215 million, while the partial loss is Tk 14,493.940 million, totaling approximately Tk 31,082.155 million. Floods have affected about 90 percent of the population in Feni district, severely impacting their livelihoods.
In Bangladesh, about 25-30 percent of the land is flooded every year due to natural disasters. Of the 34 major floods from 1970 to 2000, the 1988 flood was the worst, in which about 70 percent of the land was flooded.
In addition, more than 50 cyclones have hit the coast between 1970 and 2020. The 1991 cyclone killed about 138,000 people and damaged thousands of homes. Cyclones Sidr in 2007 and Aila in 2009 also caused extensive damage.
River erosion is also a major problem for Bangladesh. Houses, farmland, and roads are damaged in riverine areas every year. About 100,000 hectares of land are being lost to riverine erosion every year.
Climate change is causing sea levels to rise by approximately 3.3 millimeters each year, significantly affecting coastal areas in Bangladesh. As a result, about 200,000 people are displaced every year.
Significant changes are also being seen in the pattern of rainfall. Long dry seasons and irregular rainfall are causing huge losses in agriculture. In 2009, irregular rainfall patterns led to famine-like conditions in different parts of the country.
Climate change is causing weather changes that are leading to more health issues for the population. Due to the increase in temperature, the incidence of diseases such as heat-related illnesses, diarrhea, and typhoid has increased. In addition, the spread of malaria and dengue has also increased in different parts of the country.
