Natural disasters are a frequent phenomenon in Bangladesh and cause immense damage to large segments of the population. The country is regularly subjected to annual floods, droughts in the northwestern region, cyclones in the southern coastal belt, landslides in hilly regions and flash floods in the eastern wetland area. Due to climate change, these extreme events are intensifying.
As a disaster-prone country, Bangladesh has taken a range of different measures over the years to tackle these hardships. The country has been a role model in terms of combating natural disasters and building resilience of vulnerable people. Various national plans and strategies have been devised to address climate change impacts in the country. For instance, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR) have their own action plans to tackle the issue, and a combined strategy deployed by the government is also in place.
The country’s first climate change related policy document came under the Coastal Area Research Development and Management Association (CARDMA) in 1989, which aimed to develop a broad understanding of climate change impacts in Bangladesh. In the following three decades, several policy documents and plans have been developed under the supervision of different government agencies and international organizations. These include the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action plan (BCCSAP) and the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC), prepared by the MoEFCC, the Climate Public Expenditure and Institutional Review (CPEIR) by the Planning Commission, the Bangladesh Country Investment Plan (CIP), as well as the Standing Order on Disaster (SOD) – all of which entail concrete action plans to tackle natural disasters and climate change impacts in the country.
“Projections from NASA suggest that for every 1°C (1.8°F) rise in ocean mean temperatures, an increase of 21% in storm frequency at the tropics can be observed”
These policy and planning documents, and their associated budget allocation, tend to cover almost all major climatic events, starting from cyclones to flash floods, salinity intrusion to river erosion, etc. However, certain climatic events or disasters are not adequately addressed by policy makers, scientists, climate activists and to some extent, by the victims themselves. While not as damaging as severe cyclones or big floods, they also bring forth significant hardships for the population. These events are often unrecognized because of their failure to meet the standard definition of disasters, which according to UNISDR refer to “events which exceed the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources”. Governments as well as international humanitarian organizations generally refer to this definition in order to declare an event as a disaster and to subsequently take action. Nevertheless, these small-scale, micro-climatic events often have long-term impacts, which remain largely undocumented and neglected in terms of policy response. In some cases, the negative impacts are far more than those caused by large scale disasters. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), small scale disaster events accounted for more than half of human losses caused by climatic events in Latin America and the Caribbean.
“Excessive rainfall coupled with unplanned urbanization, often lead to waterlogging in urban areas, a problem that will be exacerbated by rising sea levels along coastal cities in the country”
Bangladesh faces various small-scale disasters on a regular basis, such as thunderstorms and waterlogging. Thunderstorms have a complex relationship with climate change. Projections from NASA suggest that for every 1°C (1.8°F) rise in ocean mean temperatures, an increase of 21% in storm frequency at the tropics can be observed. The incidence of thunderstorms will also increase as a consequence. Recent studies demonstrate an increasing trend in terms of thunderstorm related casualties in Bangladesh. Between the years 2011 and 2020, there have been 260 deaths and 211 injuries per year due to thunderstorms, whereas between 1990 and 1999 the rate was only 30 deaths and 22 injuries per year. While thunderstorms are not deemed as substantial as other natural disasters in the country, they do have significant impacts on agricultural activities and the education sector. A study undertaken in northern Bangladesh by UNESCO’s Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development (CCESD) program has found that school hours are often shifted due to thunderstorms. Thunderstorms hit mostly in the evening and students are unable to leave their homes when a thunderstorm strikes at that time, to avoid falling prey to its rage. On-farm activities during that time are also hindered, affecting agricultural production. Despite the notable impact on education and agriculture, there are yet to be clear directions in policy processes or financing plans in place to address these challenges.
Waterlogging is another commonly occurring micro-level climatic disaster faced by Bangladesh. Excessive rainfall coupled with unplanned urbanization, often lead to waterlogging in urban areas, a problem that will be exacerbated by rising sea levels along coastal cities in the country. In addition to creating various disturbances in people’s daily lives and the economy, waterlogging for long periods of time are likely to intensify the propagation of both waterborne and vector borne diseases. Dhaka, for instance, has been plagued by dengue and chikungunya in recent years. Waterlogging has been a major reason for this, considering logged water is the birthplace of their vector -- the Aedes mosquito.
“Doctors and medical practitioners should also be specially trained to treat people struck by lightning”
There are a number of actions that can be undertaken to address the challenges posed by these small-scale disaster events. Firstly, in regard to thunderstorms, a comprehensive study assessing thunderstorm patterns and exposed areas needs to be undertaken. While scientists struggle to understand the nature of clouds, it is possible to draw a socio-economic study to determine the extent of damage caused by thunderstorms. Secondly, awareness raising campaigns should be mobilized to make people more conscious about this hazard. These need to be done both at the local level as well as at the policy level, so that comprehensive action plans and strategies can be developed. It would also be useful to establish storm shelters across the country, especially in thunderstorm-prone areas. Doctors and medical practitioners should also be specially trained to treat people struck by lightning. To address the issue of waterlogging, it would be important to invest climate finance towards resilient urban planning. This would include upgrading drainage systems, improving waste management and also investing in waterborne disease control.
It is evident that small-scale climatic disasters have a range of adverse impacts on our lives and well-being, and as such, they cannot be ignored. There is a vital need to mobilize investments and financial support towards addressing these micro-climatic events. Integrated efforts from local level actors, academics, practitioners as well as policy makers will be required to ensure these events receive their due recognition in policy and planning processes.
Sakib Rahman Siddique Shuvo is a student of Geography and Environment at Jahangirnagar University. He was a participant of the RISE Youth Leadership Programme and is currently working as a Research Intern at ICCCAD.
Adiba Bintey Kamal is working as a Project Associate at ICCCAD and she was also a participant of the RISE Youth Leadership Programme.
