BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

CLIMATE CHANGE-A SECURITY THREAT FOR BANGLADESH: THE ROLE OF ARMED FORCES

Author: Mostaque Ahmed

DOI Link: https://www.doi.org/10.56888/BIISSj2014v35n3a5

ABSTRACT

Climate change is a serious and inevitable threat for Bangladesh. The country faces significant challenges to its overall development due to frequent flooding, tropical cyclones, droughts and other natural calamities, all of which deplete a significant amount of the annual national budget. Researches show that climate change has increased the frequency of the natural disasters and is likely to intensify further in the future. It is estimated that, climate change combined with the threat of sea level rise, would cause forced-displacement of millions of people from low-lying and coastal areas of densely populated Bangladesh. The paper reveals that climate change has severe impacts on Bangladesh due to its unique geographical location and socio-economic characteristics. This suggests that climate change poses security threats for Bangladesh in terms of weakening the elements of national power and generating violence in the society. The paper also explored that though Bangladesh is making all out efforts to face climate change, but for obvious reason the role of armed forces has not yet been emphasised at the national strategic level. As such, this paper suggests for the incorporation of Bangladesh armed forces in the national response plans on climate change issues.