GovTwin / Institution
Madaripur District
Local Gov
A south-central district on the Padma-Arial Khan floodplain, Madaripur combines paddy and jute agriculture with riverine fisheries and strong remittance and migration links. Now connected to the capital via the Padma corridor, it is urbanizing steadily while remaining among the poorer districts and exposed to river flooding and erosion.
Wealth rank 52/64
(1 = poorest district)
Warming +0.52°C
(1980s–2020s)
Air NO₂ #15/64
(1 = most polluted)
Night-lights +111%
(2014–23 activity)
Built-up 18 km²
Forest loss 9 ha
(2001–23)
Rainfall 1,942 mm/yr
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
- poverty Low relative wealth, ranking 52nd of 64 districts (1 = poorest) on mean Relative Wealth Index. So what: A materially poor base limits local resilience to floods and shocks, keeping the district dependent on remittances and external support. Source: Meta Data for Good Relative Wealth Index (HDX), ~2.4 km grid
- climate disaster High annual rainfall (1942 mm) over the low Padma-Arial Khan floodplain sustains recurrent monsoon flooding and waterlogging. So what: Repeated flooding damages paddy and jute crops and rural homesteads, dragging on incomes and food security. Source: CHIRPS v2.0 precipitation (UCSB Climate Hazards Group) via Google Earth Engine
- water Substantial permanent surface water (48.1 km2) from the Arial Khan and Padma branches drives active bank erosion and channel shifting. So what: Erosion eats riverbank farmland and settlements, displacing households and undermining local infrastructure. Source: JRC Global Surface Water (permanent water) via Google Earth Engine
- urbanization Built-up surface has grown 90% since 2000 to 18.1 km2 as Padma-corridor access spurs construction. So what: Expansion onto flood-prone floodplain land risks raising future damage exposure if growth is not guided to safer sites. Source: GHSL built-up surface (JRC) via Google Earth Engine
- air quality Notable tropospheric NO2 (44.6 umol/m2), ranking 15th most NO2-polluted of 64 districts. So what: A mid-high NO2 ranking signals a rising combustion and traffic burden that merits monitoring before it becomes a health problem. Source: Sentinel-5P tropospheric NO2 via Google Earth Engine
Probable solutions
- Arial Khan and Padma-branch erosion protection and flood management works on the highest-loss reaches. Responsible: Bangladesh Water Development Board · policy proposal
- Crop diversification and post-flood livelihood support for paddy and jute farming households, paired with safe migration and remittance services. Responsible: Department of Agricultural Extension · policy proposal
- Floodplain land-use planning along the Padma corridor to keep built-up growth off high-risk land. Responsible: Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) · policy proposal
- Vehicle-emissions monitoring and controls on the growing corridor traffic. Responsible: Department of Environment · policy proposal