Bangladesh Climate and Development Context Brief (seed)

Purpose
Country context for ADB proposal drafting. Not an official document.

Economic and political context
Bangladesh is a lower-middle-income country with GDP per capita ~$2,700 (2023).
Garment exports (80%+ of merchandise exports) drive growth.
Political transition in 2024: interim government following political crisis.
Key ministries for ADB cooperation:
- Ministry of Finance: Economic Relations Division (ERD) — ADB loan coordination.
- Ministry of Water Resources: Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB).
- Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives.
- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC).

Climate vulnerability
Bangladesh ranks among the top 10 most climate-vulnerable countries globally.
Physical exposure:
- 80% of land is floodplain; major rivers (Brahmaputra, Ganges, Meghna) all converge.
- Coastal zone: 710 km coastline; 40 million people in coastal districts.
- Sea-level rise: IPCC projects 0.5-1.0m rise by 2100; polders designed for current sea level.
- Cyclone frequency: one major cyclone every 2-3 years; Cyclone Mocha (2023) demonstrated continued risk.

Water resources context
- Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100: national long-term water management framework.
- BWDB manages ~5,000 km of embankments and 8,000+ km of drainage canals.
- Deferred maintenance backlog is a chronic challenge; ADB loans address rehabilitation.
- Tidal River Management (TRM) is an indigenous, low-cost approach to siltation.
- Groundwater: 97% of drinking water from groundwater; arsenic contamination affects 20M people.

Urban context
- Dhaka: 22+ million people; one of world's most densely populated cities.
- Waterlogging: Dhaka's stormwater drainage designed for 50mm/day rainfall; now regularly sees 100mm+.
- WASA (Water and Sewerage Authority): covers 75% of Dhaka with piped water, water quality issues.
- Secondary cities (Chittagong, Khulna, Sylhet, Rajshahi) under ADB urban sector investment.

Data landscape
- Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS): national statistics.
- BWDB: hydrological and infrastructure data.
- Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD): climate and weather data.
- Department of Environment: environmental monitoring.
- IEDCR: health and epidemic data.

Key risks for programming
- Political instability and government transition affecting counterpart continuity.
- Land acquisition delays (common in infrastructure projects).
- Monsoon season implementation constraints.
- Contractor capacity for quality construction in remote areas.
- Groundwater depletion from irrigation competing with drinking water.
