With its flat, low-lying topography and geographic location at the top of the Bay of Bengal, natural disasters in Bangladesh are common, and are increasing in frequency and intensity. Tropical cyclones, tornadoes, floods, coastal and riverbank erosion, droughts and landslides all affect communities living in Bangladesh, causing damage and loss of assets, livelihoods, and lives.

High levels of poverty, over-populated cities and reliance on climate-sensitive sectors for water and food security, particularly agriculture, fisheries and livestock, are exacerbating the impact and hampering attempts to address social problems and improve infrastructure. 

Almost one million Rohingya refugees live in Cox Bazar, most of whom fled persecution, widespread violence and human rights violations in Myanmar. The majority of Rohingya refugees arrived in 2017 and are living in cramped temporary shelters that forgo the dignity and privacy of girls and women, often leaving them fearing for their safety. Due to the level of demand, basic services in the camp are strained, leaving many Rohingya people entirely dependent on humanitarian aid. Much like the rest of Bangladesh, Cox’s Bazar is susceptible to natural disasters such as floods, cyclones, and landslides, which experts fear may become more intense and deadly because of climate change.