Economic Reporter :
Many people in the country’s northwestern region are falling into poverty due to being victims of climate change related disasters such as flood, erosion, drought, heat stress, draw down of underground water, fog, Nor’wester, thunderstorm and cold wave.
All the climatic disasters had severe negative impacts on agriculture, food security, water, sanitation and health, regional infrastructure and communication, economy and livelihoods of the common people, said Dr. Dwijen Mallick, a fellow of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS).
Dr. Dwijen revealed it while presenting a study report at a media dialogue on ‘Patterns and Effects of Climate Change in the Northwestern Region of Bangladesh’ at VIP Lounge of National Press Club on Monday.
BCAS and NETZ Bangladesh, a German-based NGO, jointly organized the programme.
Terming the region as one of the most poverty-stricken and disaster prone areas in Bangladesh, he said frequent floods and river erosion had greater risk and impacts on key livelihood sectors. The climatic hazards are causing huge loss and damage to agriculture and the sub-sectors.
Though different projects have been taken up at both public and private levels for reducing disaster risks and improving the economic condition of people in the region in the past, it failed to bring the desired results. We assume that climate induced problems may hamper our development, said the researcher.
To overcome the crisis, Dr. Dwijen suggested the following measures: adopting National Adaptation Plan taking into account of the risks and vulnerability of the region as well as adaptation needs of the poor people, establishing grain bank at community level, and developing buffer stock of food in the flood-prone areas.
