Disaster Risk Reduction in Strengthening Community Resilience in the Wetland: Insight from Tahirpur, Sunamganj, Bangladesh


Taslima Nasrin, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science & Technology University

Climate emergencies are becoming more serious hazards to the global society and bearing a disproportionate burden to the low-income nations day by day. However, due to its geographical location and physiographic traits, Bangladesh has been prone to natural calamities since its birth. And the people of wetlands of the country are more vulnerable because of flash flood which occurs every year and damages millions of tons of agricultural crops and worsen the socio-economic status of the people besides creating other problems. This flash flood and other natural disasters can’t be stopped but the miseries of the people can be minimized through proper disaster preparedness. This preparedness also help the affected people to bounce back. The objective of the study was to examine the importance of disaster risk reduction in strengthening community resilience in the wetland. Social exclusion theory has been used as a theoretical lens. For conducting the study, qualitative methodology has been adopted and data were collected through in-depth interviews (IDI) and Key Informant Interviews (KII). The findings of the study revealed that disaster risk reduction can be an effective concept and practice of reducing disaster risks through systematic efforts to analyze and manage the causes of disasters, such as reduced exposure to hazards, decreased vulnerability of people and property, wise land and environmental management, and improved preparedness for adverse events. Therefore, attention from the policymakers and NGOs (National and International both) is required to strengthen community resilience through Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and lessen the sufferings of these intersectional marginalized people.

Non-presenting author: Mustak Ahammed, Jahangirnagor University, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh

This paper will be presented at the following session: