As April 2025 draws to a close, Bangladesh faces yet another grim reminder of its vulnerability to severe storms.
Over the past weekend, a series of nor’westers and hailstorms tore through Sunamganj, Kurigram, and Rangpur, leaving a trail of destruction that underscores the urgent need for pro-active disaster preparedness.
These storms come less than a year after Cyclone Remal battered the southern coast, killing at least 14 and affecting nearly four million people across 19 districts.
For Bangladesh, the pattern has long been established: Storms are becoming more frequent, more intense, and more destructive, fueled by the realities of climate change that continue to disproportionately affect nations such as ours.
While our immediate response-mobilizing emergency services in the wake of such tragic events remain commendable, they are not enough. We cannot afford to treat each storm as an isolated tragedy and then pick up the pieces afterwards.
Pro-active preparation must become the new normal. This means investing in resilient infrastructure, strengthening embankments, expanding cyclone shelters, and ensuring rapid restoration of essential services. It also requires robust early warning systems and community education to empower citizens to act swiftly.
This starts with local governments being empowered to assess and respond rapidly, while crafting national policies that prioritize long-term adaptation and infrastructure investment.
Bangladesh’s resilience continues to be tested time and again, and with climate change, this test will only get tougher. However, resilience no longer is enough.
Only through pro-active, sustained preparation can we hope to protect our people, our livelihoods, and our future from the next inevitable storm. The time for reactive relief is over.