The cessation of USAID support to Bangladesh’s disaster response and community resilience efforts would significantly undermine the country's capacity to address natural disasters and climate-induced challenges.
As one of the most disaster-prone nations globally, Bangladesh relies heavily on external assistance to mitigate the impacts of cyclones, floods, and other environmental shocks.
USAID has been a key partner in building institutional capacity, improving infrastructure, and empowering vulnerable communities to withstand and recover from such crises. Without this support, the country faces heightened risks to lives, livelihoods, and overall resilience.
USAID’s investments since 2001 have been instrumental in constructing and rehabilitating over 900 disaster shelters, which provide safe havens for 700,000 people during emergencies.
The loss of funding for such critical infrastructure could leave thousands of vulnerable individuals without protection during future disasters, exacerbating the human and economic toll of extreme weather events.
In 2023, USAID’s community-level disaster management training for over 300 personnel and 2,800 headteachers in disaster-prone areas enhanced local preparedness and continuity of education after disasters.
The cessation of such initiatives would erode local capacity to manage disasters effectively, leaving communities less equipped to respond and recover.
USAID’s focus on climate-smart agricultural practices and disaster risk reduction has been pivotal in strengthening resilience. In 2023, over 4,000 local service providers were trained to implement improved seed varieties, advanced technologies, and climate-smart practices, helping farmers in disaster-prone areas adapt to climate change.
The absence of this support would leave farmers more vulnerable to crop failures and income losses, intensifying food insecurity and economic instability in already fragile regions.
Emergency responses to recent flooding in Bangladesh illustrate the critical role USAID plays in addressing immediate needs.
In 2022, USAID provided emergency assistance to 6,000 families in Sylhet and Sunamganj following record flooding, while cash-for-work activities repaired earthen mounds that protect households from rising water levels.
Similarly, during the 2023 Bandarban floods, USAID provided emergency funding to assist 20,000 people through the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society.
The suspension of such aid would severely impact disaster-affected populations, leaving them without timely relief and recovery support.
In addition to emergency assistance, USAID programs have contributed to long-term resilience through water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) improvements, equipping communities with essential infrastructure and skills to withstand economic hardships caused by disasters.
These programs have not only improved living conditions but also reduced vulnerability to waterborne diseases during floods and other crises.
The withdrawal of support would compromise these critical interventions, leaving poor communities more exposed to health risks and economic precarity.
Overall, the cessation of USAID’s disaster response and resilience programs would significantly weaken Bangladesh’s ability to cope with the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters.
Vulnerable populations would face heightened risks to their safety, livelihoods, and health, while local institutions would struggle to respond effectively.
For a nation on the frontline of climate change, the loss of US support threatens to undo decades of progress in disaster preparedness and resilience-building, leaving millions at the mercy of environmental shocks.
