Agricutlre & Crop

Rehabilitation and improvement for climate resilient coastal polders inclusive of local community & ecosystem in the southwest region and Sundarbans area


Program Duration: Medium to Long Term

Tentetive Total Cost (Billion BDT): 1014

Bangladesh coast is vulnerable to tropical cyclonic storms and tidal surges, flood and waterlogging, sea-level rise, salinity intrusion, drought, riverbank, and coastal erosion, groundwater declination, environmental degradation, water quality issues, and ecosystem habitat loss due to its geographic location, flat and low-lying topography, seasonal variability, high population density, high level of poverty and extreme climatic conditions. According to the BBS Yearbook (2014), 21 cyclones and severe cyclonic storms hit the Bangladesh coast from 1960-to 2010 and caused severe losses and damages in each event. The encircled earthen polders and cyclone shelters function as the most prioritized disaster risk mitigation measures during the disaster period, which protect life, livelihoods, and tons of staple crops.

However, due to the potential impacts of climate change, the Coastal Zone of Bangladesh is identified as more exposed to coastal inundation and salinity due 0.3 m to 1 m sea-level rise by 2100 coupled with a severe cyclonic surge which will likely to lead significant damages of infrastructures, croplands and trigger shortages of drinking water in the coastal urban area, scarcity of water for irrigation for dry season agriculture and substantial changes in the coastal aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, rehabilitation, repair, or new construction of such polders and multipurpose cyclone shelters should be prioritized to ensure the first line of defense for the coastal communities.

Previously, 10 polders were rehabilitated under Coastal Embankment Improvement Project, Phase 1, and 22 more polders were improved under Phase 2. Besides, rehabilitation works of 13 polders are ongoing under the sponsorship of GoB. Still, around 2156.3 km embankment (52 polders) are identified as highly vulnerable through storm surge modeling of CEGIS due to the combined effect of 15-20 cm sea-level rise and storm surges which need to be rehabilitated within 2050 to protect the areas. A total 1485.6 km embankment (26 polders) is prioritized as moderately vulnerable due to the combined effect of 50 cm sea level rise and storm surges needed to rehabilitate within 2100. Modeling also reveals new unprotected areas in Gopalganj, Jhalokati, Pirojpur, Barisal, and Lakshmipur to get inundated due to 50 cm sea-level rise in 2100.

There are around 2,500 cyclone shelters and multipurpose cyclone shelters along the coastal belt of Bangladesh. Emphasis should be given to establishing additional cyclone shelters owing to population growth and increasing climate-induced disasters and calamities.

In this regard, this project will be undertaken to repair, construct and rehabilitate coastal polders, sea dyke, embankments, and cyclone shelters considering the sea level rise and extreme storm surge height under climate change scenarios to give protection of natural disasters to the coastal communities.


  • Program Detail
  • Program Logframe
  • Beneficiaries
  • Potential Funding Sources
Project Features
Component Intervention Code Tentetive Cost (Billion BDT) Implementing Agencies
Lead Supporting
Water and Disaster Management WDM1, WDM2, WDM3, WDM4, WDM5, WDM7, WDM8, WDM9, WDM10, WDM15, WDM19, WDM20, WDM23, WDM24 410 LGD, BWDB, DDM, BMD RHD, WARPO, DBHWD, MoEFCC, SPARRSO, MoDMR
Climate Smart Agriculture CSA1,CSA2,CSA3,CSA4,CSA5 ,CSA6, CSA7, CSA8 136 DAE, BADC NARS Institutes, BMDA, DBHWD, SRDI, SCA, BMD, SPARRSO, MoFL, MoEFCC, MoWR, MoLGRDC, RHD
Climate Resilient Fisheries and Livestock CFL1, CFL2, CFL3, CFL4, CFL5, CFL6, CFL7, CFL8, CFL9 211 DoF, DLS BFRI, BLRI, BMD, SPARRSO, MoA, MoWR, MoEFCC, MoLGRDC,
Sustainable Agricultural Value Chain AVC1, AVC2, AVC3 10 DAM, ICT, MoI, MSMEs DAE, SCA, LGED, RHD, BSCIC, MoFL, MoEFCC, MoWR, MoLGRDC, Privat Sector Industries
Ecosystem Health, Wetlands and Biodiversi EWB1 to EWB7, EWB10, EWB12, EWB13, EWB17, EWB18, EWB19 18 DoE, BFD, DBHWD, LGD WARPO, BWDB, MoLGRDC, MoEFCC, MoI, MoS
Climate Resilient Infrastructures CRI1 to CRI6, CRI8 118 LGD, RHD, MoLGRDC, UDD, PWD, BWDB WARPO, DoE, BFD, DBHWD, MoEFCC, MoI, private sector
Climate Resilient WASH CWS1, CWS2, CWS3, CWS4 10 DPHE, LGD DGHS, DSS, MoWCA, MoEFCC, private sector
Improved Public Health and Well Being CPH1 to CPH7 15 DGHS, LGD ICCDRB, DSS, DYD, MoWCA, MoLGDC, MoEFCC, ICT, BMD, SPARRSO, private sector
Livelihood Improvement for community Resilien LIP1 to LIP5 87 DSS, LGD, MoLGRDC DSS, DYD, MoWCA, MoLGRDC, MoEFCC, MoA, MoFL, MoI, ICT, private sector
Outcome Impact/Benifit Indicators

  • Increased adaptive capacity and protection against sea-level rise and storm surges
  • Protection against saline inundation will be ensured
  • Protection against life, livelihood, and ecosystem will be increased
  • Damages to water and sanitation infrastructure will be decreased
  • Loss of crops and livestock will be minimized
  • Sustainable development
  • Increased protected area
  • Waterlogging and drainage congestion will be reduced
  • Improved agricultural production
  • Increased capacity to respond promptly and effectively to extreme climatic events
  • Reduced recurrent cost of rehabilitation
  • Affected areas or exposure of sea-level rise and storm surge
  • Measurements regarding infrastructure development (embankment height, regulator nos., etc.)
  • Alternative income sources
  • Vulnerable population
  • Loss of fish and crop production
  • Water security
  • Losses and damages

Communities, society and environment of southwest coastal areas and Sundarbans dependent livelihoods

BCCT, GCF, Adaptation Fund, Biodiversity Fund, Nature+ Accelerator Fund, GEF, Multilateral and bilateral partners, private sector, collaborative research grants and fellowships, Climate BRIDGE Fund etc