Excessive groundwater extraction, declining freshwater resources, and worsening climate impacts are contributing to a steady rise in temperatures across the southwest coastal region, threatening agriculture, water security, and rural livelihoods.
For decades, groundwater has been the primary source of irrigation during the boro rice season and the main source of drinking water in the greater Khulna region. However, experts warn that growing dependence on underground aquifers is lowering water tables and intensifying environmental stress. Combined with shrinking water bodies, loss of vegetation, and declining rainfall, the trend is reducing the region’s natural capacity to regulate temperature.
According to the Khulna Meteorological Office, heat extremes have become increasingly common. Khulna recorded a maximum temperature of 42°C in May 2024, among the highest ever observed in the region. Temperature records from early June 2026 also show noticeably warmer conditions than those recorded during the same period in 2020. Meanwhile, rainfall has become more erratic, limiting groundwater recharge and worsening water shortages.
Climate change is amplifying existing challenges across the coastal districts of Khulna, Satkhira, and Bagerhat. Prolonged heatwaves, drought-like conditions, salinity intrusion, and recurring cyclones are placing mounting pressure on agriculture, fisheries, and local ecosystems. Farmers report declining crop yields, while many communities face chronic shortages of safe drinking water.
The region’s environmental vulnerability has deepened as rivers, canals, ponds, and wetlands continue to deteriorate. Experts say reduced freshwater flows from upstream sources, widespread pond filling, encroachment on canals, and the disappearance of tree cover have weakened natural water-retention systems. As rainfall decreases, groundwater reserves are replenished less frequently, creating a cycle of increasing dependence on underground water.
Since Cyclone Aila devastated the coast in 2009, the region has endured a series of major disasters, including Cyclones Mahasen, Bulbul, Amphan, Yaas, Sitrang, and Remal. These events have damaged freshwater infrastructure, accelerated salinity intrusion, and made access to potable water increasingly difficult for coastal residents.
The impacts are particularly severe in areas such as Koyra, Shyamnagar, and Gabura, where many freshwater sources have become saline. According to the Department of Public Health Engineering, drinking water should contain less than 1,000 milligrams of salt per litre, yet many coastal water sources now exceed that threshold several times over.
Agriculture, the backbone of the regional economy, is also under growing threat. Agricultural officials report that rising temperatures are disrupting rice pollination and reducing yields. In Satkhira, Aman rice production declined by more than 33,000 tonnes between the 2019–20 and 2022–23 growing seasons. Soil scientists warn that increasing salinity is steadily degrading farmland, reducing productivity, and threatening long-term food security.
Studies indicate that continued salinity expansion could reduce agricultural income by as much as 21% annually and place nearly 40% of coastal farmland at risk. Hundreds of thousands of farming households could face displacement or loss of livelihood if current trends persist.
