The IPCCs third assessment report acknowledged that South Asian countries are highly vulnerable to changing climate scenarios (McCarthy et al., 2001). According to the international community, Bangladesh is among the most vulnerable countries. The country experienced nearly two hundred climate-related disasters, including heavy rainfall, floods, river bank erosion, storm surges, coastal cyclones, increased temperature, seasonal change, drought, etc.  As a result of these events, people have lost their lives, damaged livelihoods and homes, and also cost approximately sixteen billion dollars in damages (Oxfam International, 2011). The people of Kalaskati union at Baker-ganj upazila under Barishal district have lost their lives and livelihoods severely due to climate vulnerabilities. Agriculture, infrastructure, livelihoods, human health, utility services, forestry, and biodiversity are greatly hampered in the area. For example, GDP could lead to a decline between 27 and 57 percent (Agrawala et al., 2003; Haile, 2020). In addition to risks related to climate inconsistency and variation, many other challenges lie ahead of Bangladesh, including pressure on land use, governance, environmental protection, macro-economic development, & globalization (Moef, 2012).

In support of this process, an integrated approach is needed to assess Bangladeshs climate vulnerability in detail, with special regard to different regions and sectors (The World Bank, 2010). Indeed, vulnerability assessments can help estimate the characteristics of future threats to a given human or ecological system, and they can provide the basis for devising measures to minimize or avoid harm. Despite existing advances towards the implementation of sustainable development, Bangladeshs potential for sustainable development has been significantly challenged by climate change (Ahmed and Haque, 2002).  However, people strive to return to their normal lives following any extreme climatic event. The study attempts to explore how the people of the area of Kalaskati coped with and recovered their livelihood in response to abnormal weather conditions. Given its determination to achieve upper middle-income status by 2030, the Bangladesh government is taking a proactive approach to addressing major challenges related to climate vulnerabilities and development (Ministry of Finance, 2014). 

To rationalize the activities of the government of Bangladesh towards assisting adaptation to climate change, the Climate Change Cell (CCC) has been established under the guidance of the government as the principal point on climate change problems. The governance mechanism for all these strategies, policies, plans, and funds is going to be a major concern. Responsibility, accountability, and transparency of key stakeholders, as well as the extent of participation of affected stakeholders, will be among the key issues.

Study area and selection 

Barishal district is situated in the southern part of Bangladesh (Fig. 1). There are ten (10) upazilas in the Barishal district. Bakerganj Upazila is located in the southern part of the Barishal district. There are fourteen unions in Bakerganj upazila (BBS, 2011), and the Kalaskati union selected for the study area is more vulnerable to climate vulnerabilities. The area faced common climatic vulnerabilities like river bank erosion, floods, and excessive rainfall in the rainy season, droughts, abnormal weather conditions, seasonal changes, and so on. The areas latitude and longitude are 22° 31 0" N, 90° 21 0" E (BBS, 2015). The Kala-skati union covered 24.63 sq.km with three rivers named Tulatoli (west), Angaria (south), and Pandob (east), and eight canals. The area adjacent to Bakerganj by the Tulatoli River causes the most vulnerable conditions for river bank erosion every year. Because of its geographical location and climatic conditions, it becomes vulnerable to different natural calamities and climatic hazards.

Research methods

This study engaged both qualitative and quantitative research approaches to analyze and define the perception of assessing climate vulnerability and resilience practices in the context of disaster management in Kalaskati Union in Bakerganj. For better consideration of a social problem, this approach will guide the means of investigation and understanding the research topic. Qualitative research design, broadly defined, means any type of research that has not been found through statistical measures or other means of measurement. A quantitative survey approach was used to regulate the perception of respondents. This study began with a semi-structured interview questionnaire about disaster management policy and practice in disaster-prone areas, which led to an in-depth examination.

Data collection

To accomplish the research, data were collected in different ways. There are basically three types of data that have been collected: the primary data through household surveys, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions (FGD). The secondary data comes from various literature, journals, articles, and online sources.

Perception of climate vulnerability

Participants have different views about climate change. Some respondents directly comment that its God-gifted and normal.

Fig. 2: Perception of climate vulnerability at Kalaskati Union.

People are not alarmed by climate vulnerability because they think every year or season, they face disasters, and they learn to live with the situation. They are probably 2%. They argue that these are common phenomena for them. But when total data is collected and calculated in Excel to make a graph, the real scenarios found about climate variability show that most of the respondents agree that climate vulnerability is very important and alarming for them 11% argued that climate change is quite important for socioeconomic conditions. Only 4% comment that it is less significant but has some implications directly or indirectly on their lifestyle (Fig. 2).

Climate vulnerability situations

Various points of view on how recent and previous natural disasters have impacted the community. People point out some common disasters resulting from climate change, such as cyclones, floods, increased temperatures, thunderstorms, and so on. They classify these calamities based on intensity and frequency in nature as very low, low, moderate, severe, and very severe. River bank erosion is the most frequent climate phenomenon in the study area (Fig. 3 & 4). 

Fig. 3: Climate vulnerabilities in the study area.

 Migration due to climate vulnerability

Due to the Tulatoli river bank erosion, community migration is the most visible climate change impact. Respondents in the affected area express their sorrow about their conditions. Two villages are already destroyed by river bank erosion, as explained by the Union Parishad Chairman, and many people have lost their settlements and shifted outside of the village. Local people migrated mainly to Barishal and Dhaka, and some others settled in their relatives homes outside of the village. The following graph indicates that 61% of people were evacuated between 2009–2012. In 2013-2016, the number of migrants decreased, but in 2017-2019, there was again an increase in the number of migrants in 5 wards, Kalaskati union. 

Fig. 4: Sector-wise climate change impacts in the study area.

The graph also represents the total study areas immigration features. Some landless farmers depend on agricultural activities, shifting to other places due to crop failure and searching for another business to survive in another location (Fig. 5).

Fig. 5: Migration in the study area.

Climate change resiliency measures

Respondents share opinions on how to minimize or reduce climate vulnerability. They have little or no institutional knowledge about climate change adaptation practices and how to control climate change and its impacts. People strongly believe that brickfields are the key reason behind climate vulnerabilities in the locality. The following graph shows that 45% of respondents express their opinion on controlling brick-field activities. 5% of respondents argue cyclone shelters can protect them from calamities. 18% of people near the Tulatoli River thought that river dam construction could save them from river bank erosion. 

Fig. 6: Resiliency measures against climatic events.

4% of respondents argued that stopping wood cutting and tree planting would reduce extreme weather conditions 7% of the respondents believed population growth should be controlled, and a formal or non-formal awareness program should be organized periodically by the public or NGO officials. Rivers and canals were considered polluted by 5% of respondents. Land management approaches are needed. 3% of respondents believed it. Only 2% of respondents recommended other options to protect the community from climate vulnerability (Fig. 6).

The nation-wide Climate Vulnerability Assessment (CVA) is a key step in reviewing, summarizing, and understanding the climate change vulnerabilities that people in different regions of Bangladesh face. The analysis of the area-wide climate vulnerability assessment indicates that the study area is more susceptible to the effects of weather irregularities across the selected sectors. Water resources are fast depleting through river erosion, the agriculture and livestock sectors are heavily affected, and people, especially in coastal areas, are highly disaster-prone. Heat stress will be a major issue in the coming months. The research highlighted differences in climate vulnerability and its influences, giving an outlook towards the future of building community resiliency. Despite these positive developments, the fact remains that Bangladesh is persistently exposed to probable disasters, and the intensity and frequency of these events will rise as a result of climate change. Besides investments in more obvious measures to reduce exposure to hazards, the study emphasizes the importance of increasing the adaptation capacity of the region. The adaptive capacity of people and sectors can be increased through education, technology, access to water, electricity, healthcare, and so on. Investing in expanding the countrys adaptation capacity is crucial for minimizing vulnerabilities, reducing gender imbalances, and alleviating poverty. The climate vulnerability assessment identified climate-vulnerable scenarios and sectors. This information can support the government of the country in making the region more climate resilient and addressing current and future climate irregularities. The challenges are complex, and sustainable solutions that contribute to climate resilience and the ambitious development goals of the locality are required. Sound information about climate vulnerability, obtained in a clear process, is needed to support decision-making for adaptation planning.

I would like to thank my honorable supervisor Md. Abdur Rahim, Associate Professor, Dept. of Disaster Resilience and Engineering, Faculty of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, for his cordial support. His patience, motivation, enthusiasm, and immense knowledge encourage me to complete my work on time and properly. I would like to thank Dr. Raman Kumar Biswas, Associate Professor, for his encourage-ment and insightful comments. Finally, I would like to thank those who directly or indirectly helped me in many ways to complete the research.

This paper has not been submitted to, nor is it under review at, another journal or other publication site.