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Climate Change and Natural Disasters

Bangladesh is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries globally, facing the brunt of rising sea levels, erratic weather patterns, and extreme weather events. Cyclones, floods, and droughts have ravaged the country, displacing millions and causing widespread devastation to infrastructure and livelihoods.

In May of 2023, Cyclone Mocha, a Category Five Storm hit the coast of Bangladesh, producing winds of up to 250 kilometres an hour. These high winds and rain resulted in landslides, flooding and destruction to homes, buildings, and infrastructure. The Rohingya refugees were particularly affected by this strong storm, with the path of the cyclone hitting Cox’s Bazaar where a large number of refugees are located. Although Bangladesh was not directly hit with the eye of the storm, the cyclone still managed to completely destroy 2,000 homes, damage an additional 10,000, and displace more than 750,000 people. Hospitals were overwhelmed with the injured and put a strain on limited medical resources.

Rohingya Refugee Crisis

Bangladesh currently hosts just under 1 million Rohingya refugees who have escaped persecution from neighbouring Myanmar. These refugees have had to escape excruciating circumstances as an oppressed minority. They have had to endure extreme violence, with humanitarian organisations calling their plight a global emergency. 52% of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are children, with 51% are women and girls. These refugees are an extremely vulnerable population, many of whom have suffered extreme psychological trauma. The majority of Rohingya refugees reside in Bangladesh’s Cox Bazaar region where they live in flimsy tents made of bamboo and tarp, which are very vulnerable to rain and strong winds. The refugee camps do not have access to clean water and sanitation, making people extremely vulnerable to communicable diseases such as malaria and dengue fever.

Dengue Fever Outbreak

In 2023, Bangladesh saw an extreme outbreak of Dengue Fever, being declared an epidemic inside the country. Transmitted through mosquito bites, the outbreak began to surge in June and July of 2023. More than 280,000 cases were reported by November 2023, resulting in 1,425 deaths. By December 2023, cases had risen to 316,000 with more than 1,600 deaths. The outbreak stretched hospital and medical facility resources as they struggled to treat the number of patients. On-going COVID-19 spread in the country further compounded the crisis, creating a public health crisis.

Food and Water Security Concerns

Food and water insecurity remain an ongoing concern in Bangladesh. Despite recent economic growth in the country, 20% of the population still lives below the poverty line. 51 million people are food insecure with 31% of children facing chronic malnutrition. Due to Bangladesh’s climate vulnerabilities, heavy rains, flooding, landslides result in damaged crops and destroyed farmland, and reduced crop yields. Access to food has become increasingly difficult with many people turning to negative coping strategies such as debt, selling assets, or borrowing money. Women, children, and refugees are particularly vulnerable.

Climate vulnerabilities have also affected access to clean water. Floods, monsoon and cyclone storms, alongside extreme heat waves have made a large swath of the population water insecure. Lack of access to clean sanitation and damage to water infrastructure has contributed to the spread of waterborne disease, especially amongst the refugee population. Salinity intrusion of freshwater resources has also become a concern and compounding existing water insecurity concerns. 70 million Bangladeshis lack access to safe and clean water, with a further 118 million people lacking access to a safe toilet. Women are particularly affected by water insecurity as they have to walk long distances to fetch water in difficult circumstances, having further detrimental effects on their health.