Bangladesh’s Comprehensive Approach to Disaster Management

This case study examines the Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP) in Bangladesh, focusing on Phase I (2004–2009). The programme represents a strategic shift from a reactive relief-based approach to a proactive risk-reduction culture. It details the institutional frameworks, specific tools developed for climate and disaster risk management, and the transition into Phase II (2010–2014) to mainstream these practices across thirteen government ministries.

• Bangladesh is highly susceptible to natural disasters due to its deltaic geography and monsoon climate, with two-thirds of the country situated less than five meters above sea level. Between 1979 and 2008, natural disasters killed over 191,415 people and caused approximately USD 5.6 billion in economic damage.
• The 1991 tropical cyclone in the Chittagong region, which killed an estimated 140,000 people and displaced 10 million, served as the primary catalyst for the Government of Bangladesh to move from a reactive to a proactive disaster risk reduction approach.
• CDMP Phase I (2004–2009) established several critical institutional components: the Climate Change Cell for converting global forecasts into impact statements; the Disaster Management Information Centre for 24/7 emergency monitoring; and the Livelihood Adaptation to Climate Change program for farmers in drought and saline-prone areas.
• The programme implemented a community-led risk management process involving Community Risk Assessments and Risk Reduction Action Plans. By 2009, these had been conducted in 16 districts and 622 unions, with 562 projects benefiting over 600,000 people funded via the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Fund.
• CDMP Phase I expanded national capacity through training over 25,000 officials from District and Upazila Disaster Management Committees since 2007 and facilitating disaster management certificate courses for 46 government officials at universities in Bangladesh, Thailand, and Australia.
• The programme produced specific risk mapping for earthquakes in Dhaka, Chittagong, and Sylhet, as well as tsunami and storm surge risk mapping for the entire coastline to inform land-use planning and building codes.
• Implementation of Phase I faced significant challenges, including high civil service turnover (seven Secretaries of the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management over five years) and disruptions from political unrest and natural disasters, resulting in only about two and a half years of true activity.
• CDMP Phase II (2010–2014) aims to institutionalize risk reduction and climate change adaptation across thirteen key ministries and agencies, moving beyond the primary focus on the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management seen in Phase I.

APA

LUXBACHER, K., & UDDIN, A. M. K. (n.d.). Bangladesh’s Comprehensive Approach to Disaster Management. World Resources Institute. https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/wrr_case_study_bangladesh_comprehensive_disaster_management.pdf

Chicago

LUXBACHER, KIRSTEN, and ABU MOSTAFA KAMAL UDDIN. Bangladesh’s Comprehensive Approach to Disaster Management. World Resources Institute, n.d. https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/wrr_case_study_bangladesh_comprehensive_disaster_management.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=LUXBACHER |first1=KIRSTEN |last2=UDDIN |first2=ABU MOSTAFA KAMAL |title=Bangladesh’s Comprehensive Approach to Disaster Management |publisher=World Resources Institute |url=https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/wrr_case_study_bangladesh_comprehensive_disaster_management.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{luxbacherndbangladeshs, author = {LUXBACHER, KIRSTEN and UDDIN, ABU MOSTAFA KAMAL}, title = {{Bangladesh’s Comprehensive Approach to Disaster Management}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/wrr_case_study_bangladesh_comprehensive_disaster_management.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }