Guest authors: AKM Saiful Islam, Md Hasanur Rahman, Iffat Jahan Shammee and Zarin Tasnim.
From fishermen risking their lives at sea, to farmers fearing the loss of their land and homes, to entire villages grappling with the long-term economic and psychological toll of recurring disasters – cyclones continue to reshape the daily realities of communities in Bangladesh. Their stories are a stark reminder that climate-driven disasters threaten not just homes, but livelihoods, and community resilience. Cyclones often do not occur in isolation, but are part of a compound and cascading hazards. How can researchers work together to build the resilience of communities in coastal Bangladesh?
A team from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), AKM Saiful Islam Professor at Institute of Water and Flood Management (IWFM), BUET, Iffat Jahan Shammee, Md Hasanur Rahman, Saleh Sakib Ahmed, and Zarin Tasnim, and ICIMOD representatives Manish Shrestha and Bipin Dulal, collaborated on a study focused on compound and cascading hazards of cyclones in Bangladesh. The team identified heavy precipitation, erosion, salinity and floods as an associated hazard to cyclone in the coastal regions of the country. This team was formed during the hackathon organized by ICIMOD in September 2024.
Cyclones in Bangladesh
Due to its unique geography, Bangladesh is highly vulnerable to devastating cyclones. Although only 5% of all cyclones in the world occur near the coast of Bangladesh, this 5% account for 80% of all cyclone-related deaths (Debsarma 2009). Cyclones in Bangladesh generally occur in the pre-monsoon (Mar–May) and post-monsoon (Oct–Nov) periods (Rahman et al., 2024). Since 2019, Bangladesh has been hit by 16 cyclones originating from Bay of Bengal and moving inland, causing devastating impacts. Bangladesh was hit by cyclones Dana and Remal in 2024, Midhili, Hamoon, and Mocha in 2023, Sitrang, Jawad, Gulab and Yaas in 2022, and Amphan, Bulbul, and Fani in 2020 (Bangladesh Cyclones). There needs to be a deeper understanding of how cyclones can trigger other hazards – leading to cascading, compound, and/or amplifying impacts – especially in the context of climate change, which communities may not be fully equipped to handle.
Insights from the field
Bangladesh’s southeastern coastal region is one of the most cyclone-prone areas in the world. From 1582 to 2020, nearly half of the country’s 88 recorded cyclones struck this region, wreaking havoc on lives and livelihoods (Siddik et al., 2022). We carried out field visits and surveys across cyclone-prone coastal areas, engaging directly with local communities and Union Parishad1 representatives from Anowara, Pekua and Banshkhali Upazilas2 , parts of Bangladesh’s southeastern coastal belt. These interactions provided crucial insights into the daily activities and challenges faced by the residents. The livelihoods in these coastal regions are predominantly dependent on fishing, agriculture, and salt mining, all of which are highly vulnerable to the impacts of cyclones and coastal hazards.
Voices of the community
Abdur Sabur Chowdhury, ex-chair of Banshkhali Upazila, mentions that communities in the area experience at least one cyclone annually, significantly disrupting their daily lives, damaging homes, and jeopardizing their livelihoods. The effects are not just physical but also economic and psychological, leaving long-term impacts on communities.
Bashir Ali, a fisherman aged 35 living outside the embankment, recalls his experience: "During Cyclone Fani (2019), my house was there (Banshkhali). After Fani, the river eroded, and my house is gone. This was my birthplace, my home." (sic)
Similar situations have been observed in Anowara Upazila. Gouro Das, a fisherman aged 70, shares his struggle: "Every year, cyclones stop us from going to sea – this happens around 5–6 times a year. Sometimes, during a cyclone, we have no choice but to continue fishing because of Dadon (loan). Our livelihood, our lives – everything is under threat."
Tarek, a farmer aged 42 from Raychata in Banshkhali Upazila, constantly worries about losing the home he has lived in for 15 years. He expresses his fears: "During cyclones, I always worry that my house will be gone, and I’ll be homeless once again – just like after the 1991 cyclone."
Ranu Akter, (30) of Raychata, sheds light on the critical challenges faced by women during cyclones, emphasising the severe shortage of freshwater, and the absence of adequate sanitary facilities. “Food supplies are scarce, and accessing the sanitary facility becomes a daily struggle for us.”
These voices reflect the struggles of most households in the region, highlighting the harsh realities faced by coastal communities in Bangladesh.
Mitigating the impact of cyclones
The government has implemented several measures to mitigate the impact of cyclones on vulnerable communities, including the construction of cyclone shelters, early warning systems, evacuation routes, and coastal dykes (structures, typically made from earth, stone, or concrete, designed to prevent water from flooding). One such initiative is the Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) established in 1972 by the then Bangladesh Red Cross Society (now Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, BDRCS) with the assistance of the then League of Red Cross Societies (now International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, IFRC) and the Bangladesh government.
Many cyclone shelters also function as multi-purpose buildings. In Khankhanabad of Banshkhali Upazila, there are 15 government primary schools that also serve as cyclone shelters. To help manage the crisis, the Union Parishads have prioritised evacuating persons with disabilities and ensuring the availability of dry food supplies at the shelters. In addition, several non-government organisations (NGOs) actively evacuate people from vulnerable areas and provide essential support to affected communities.
In Rajakhali union, Pekua Upazila, southeastern Bangladesh a unique coastal water management system supports both salt farming (marine ecosystem) and agriculture (fresh-water ecosystem) separated by a single lane road. This system is unique because it integrates salt farming and agriculture within proximity, separated by a single road, allowing both marine and freshwater ecosystems to thrive sustainably despite coastal flooding risks. This system showcases an effective balance between economic activities and agricultural sustainability, demonstrating a successful adaptation practice that supports both livelihoods despite coastal flooding challenges.
Mitigation challenges
The mitigation efforts can only go so far when the infrastructure itself is failing. The construction of dykes was abandoned due to budget constraints in Rajakhali. Additionally, in some areas of Gahira, Anowara Upazila, southeastern Bangladesh cyclones have eroded sections of the dykes. The local community in Gahira has raised concerns that the weakened sections of the dykes could be breached during the next cyclone, potentially resulting in extensive flooding.
During the key informant interviews (KII), Mohammad Syed Nur, a Union Parishad member of Raypur Union, Anowara Upazila, stated that the number of cyclone shelters is insufficient, and emphasised the need for construction or repair of access roads leading to these shelters.
Selim Ullah, a member of the Rajakhali Union under Pekua Upazila express their similar concerns, “due to the highly vulnerable conditions of the dyke, I and my family will immediately abandon our home after we will receive a warning”.
Senwara Begum, panel chairman of Rajakhali Union Parishad, highlighted the challenges of poor communication systems and inadequate infrastructure – such as electricity and mobile networks – during cyclones. Drawing from her experience, she stated, “During Cyclone Mocha in 2023, the warning issued for Rajakhali was Signal 5 [danger signal], but in reality, the severity escalated to Signal 8 [greater danger signal]."
Geographic location plays a pivotal role in impacting government focus on disaster preparedness. The regions in remote areas get less attention from the government. "Khankhanabad is a remote area, and that means it gets less attention from the government when it comes to disaster preparedness," said Mohammad Jamal Mia, union administrative officer. "When a cyclone strikes, poor road conditions make it difficult for people to reach safety zones, with the most vulnerable suffering the most.”
However, on the other side of the spectrum, a well-known popular destination also faces a similar issue. The severe erosion along the marine drive road between Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf, a popular beach destination, holds significant threats for tourism. Due to global warming, the increased frequency and intensity of cyclones pose an additional threat along the marine drive road that runs parallel to the 120km-long beach.
"We need urgent action – not after a disaster strikes, but long before it ever happens,” the union administrative officer urged. Without immediate investment in resilient infrastructure, lives will remain at risk with every passing cyclone season.
What’s next?
Insights from the Bangladesh case study, combined with findings from other hackathon projects, will provide valuable input for testing the MHRA framework. ICIMOD will organise the HKH DRR Knowledge Hub in 2025 to share knowledge and key lessons from the case studies.
Beyond knowledge sharing, the next step is direct engagement with the National Disaster Management Authorities of the HKH countries. ICIMOD aims to advocate integrating the MHRA framework into national policies, working closely with these agencies ensuring a proactive and co-ordinated approach to multi-hazard risk reduction. This includes the development of standardised methodologies for multi-hazard interaction modelling, and developing multi-hazard early warning systems.
However, the success of this initiative hinges on continued investment in research, capacity-building, and on-the-ground implementation. Strengthening regional co-operation, enhancing data-sharing mechanisms, and fostering adaptive strategies will be essential in mitigating the escalating risks posed by climate-induced disasters. Additionally, building local-level resilience through community-driven approaches must remain a core priority, ensuring that the most vulnerable populations have access to life-saving resources, and infrastructure.
With an immediate decisive action, we can help at-risk communities withstand, and recover from cascading disasters. The road ahead is challenging, but through collective efforts, innovative solutions, and policy-driven action, we can help build a safer and more resilient future for the HKH region and beyond.
1 A Union Parishad is the smallest rural administrative and local government unit in Bangladesh. The member of Union Parishad consists of a chair and members who are directly elected.
2 Upazila is an administrative region functioning as a sub-district. It is positioned between districts and Union Parishad. An Upazila may consist of 5-17 Union Parishad.
