Mid of this year, we have visited some of the climate affected areas at Paikgacha and Koyra Upazila of Khulna District and then we have also visited some climate affected areas at Bashkhali Upazila of Chattogram District. Before selecting and visiting these places, we had a meeting with Md. Mizanur Rahman, Director General and Mr. Netai Chandra Dey Sarker, Deputy Director at Department of Disaster Management (DDM), Government of Bangladesh. Then in the field level, we had meeting with District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO), and Local Governments of those climate affected Union Parishads at Paikgacha and Koyra Upazila of Khulna district as well as Chattogram District. They have provided further information on how people were affected by cyclones in Khulna and Chattogram districts and their coping mechanism.
Respected person of the climate affected community sharing their experiences
In Khulna, we have visited some climate affected Unions of Paikgacha and Koyra Upazila. Finally, we have selected South Bethkhashi Union which one is most climate affected area of Khulna district. Although it was not first but cyclone Aila was destroy this Union on May, 2009 by floated the embankment. People were hopeless and they had lost everything that time. The damages are still visible. In 2020, this union has flooded by cyclone Amphan and some of the families has displaced. This union is also affected by riverbank erosion, saline water and thunderstorm. This Union also affected by the last cyclone Remal which was occurs on May, 2024. They fight against every cyclone to stay and protect their own homestead and agricultural land. During cyclone Remal, both youths of this Union kept embankment fixed in the whole night to protect them. We have identified two intervention which is skill and social initiative for betterment of the community. Some local NGOs are providing some gender specific training to them. Some of the specific training like tailoring female and motor mechanics for male members of the family. Due to lack of safe drinking water, they are preserving rainy water in the water tank those have given by the government. One of the UP Members has told “Their life is like a new born child after each cyclone they get their new life”.
Vulnerable river embankment
In Bashkhali Upazila of Chattogram district we have visited several Unions and we found that 3no. Khankhanbad Union was mostly affected by cyclone Roanu in 2016. This Union is situated beside Sea and River so they are most vulnerable. Although embankment has built by the government after cyclone Roanu but still they are facing number of climate ricks. Cyclone, saline water, riverbank erosion are the climate hazards they have been dealing for a long. Almost all families of this Union are affected by the hazards.
Focus Group Discussion
Due to lack of employment opportunity people are migrating from here. Even though young females (age 18 to 25) are daily moving to the nearer Upazilla named Anowara to work at the EPZ. There are several reasons for selecting this Union of Bashkhali Upazia for our research site as origin. To adapt with all the hazards, they have made some intervention as well. Agricultural innovations like- saline water tolerant Paddy cultivation, planting saline water tolerant trees on embankment for durable solution. Housing innovations like- building houses on the upper land or beside the road, fastening the house to a tree or road with rope to protect their house from storms.
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Parvez Bhuiyan
Research Associate