GovTwin / Institution

Banshkhali (Chattogram)

Local Gov

A long, narrow coastal upazila in southern Chattogram running between the Bay of Bengal shoreline and forested hills, known for its sea-facing embankments and a coal-power project site.

Wealth rank 352/452 (1 = poorest upazila)

Indicators: Meta RWI (HDX); ERA5-Land; MODIS; Sentinel-5P; VIIRS night-lights; GHSL; Hansen v1.11; CHIRPS v2.0. Exposure: GloFAS v2.1, FABDEM, MODIS LST, ACAG PM2.5, WorldPop 2020.

Problems and issues

  1. climate disaster With an exposed open-coast frontage and thin mangrove cover, Banshkhali is highly vulnerable to Bay of Bengal cyclone surge and embankment breaches. So what: Surge overtopping repeatedly floods coastal villages and farmland with saltwater. Source: Bangladesh Water Development Board
  2. environment Hill-cutting and clearing on the upazila's eastern forested ridge contribute to the district-wide pattern of tree-cover loss and slope instability. So what: Denuded slopes raise landslide and runoff risk over settlements below. Source: Department of Environment
  3. poverty Banshkhali's mean Relative Wealth Index of 0.093 (national rank 352/452) places it in the lower-middle of the wealth distribution despite being in a wealthier district. So what: Limited local wealth constrains household recovery after coastal disasters. Source: Meta Data for Good Relative Wealth Index (HDX)

Probable solutions