Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience A Quest for Human Security in Bangladesh

Positioned at the confluence of riverine, coastal, and climatic hazards, Bangladesh faces a high-frequency, high-impact risk environment. This monograph reframes disaster risk reduction (DRR) through the lens of human security, emphasizing that the ultimate metric of success is the protection of lives, livelihoods, and dignity. It synthesizes hazard data, exposure maps, and vulnerability profiles to identify hotspots for cyclones, floods, storm surges, heat stress, and salinity intrusion. The study reviews institutional arrangements from national to union levels, assessing early-warning dissemination, shelter capacity, last-mile logistics, and social protection linkages. It presents cases where anticipatory action—cash transfers, pre-positioned supplies, and forecast-based triggers—reduced losses and sped recovery. The analysis integrates urban risk, highlighting drainage, informality, and critical infrastructure dependencies. It concludes that resilience requires mainstreaming DRR into planning, financing, and service delivery, supported by robust data systems, community participation, and climate-compatible investment choices that crowd in private capital while safeguarding social outcomes.