DHAKA, Aug. 3, 2026 - Bangladesh is expanding its investment in women-centered climate adaptation programs and resilient infrastructure as part of a broader strategy to protect vulnerable communities from the growing impacts of climate change.
The government has increased funding for initiatives aimed at strengthening women’s resilience, protecting livelihoods and improving climate-resilient public infrastructure, recognizing that women—particularly in coastal and disaster-prone areas—face disproportionately greater risks from rising sea levels, salinity intrusion and more frequent extreme weather events.
Officials say climate change affects different groups unequally, with existing social and economic disparities placing a heavier burden on women during and after natural disasters. As a result, gender-responsive adaptation has become a key pillar of Bangladesh’s climate policy.
The government’s Climate Budget for fiscal year 2026-27 reflects this approach through dedicated allocations for women’s empowerment, climate adaptation and resilient infrastructure.
Under the program “Enhancing Women’s Capacity for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation,” the government has earmarked Tk 68.84 billion to improve women’s technical skills, adaptive capacity and preparedness to cope with climate-related challenges.
The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs is implementing targeted adaptation projects in coastal regions, where climate change is already affecting livelihoods. The programs aim to help women diversify income sources, adapt to changing environmental conditions and strengthen long-term economic security.
In salinity-affected areas such as Dumki Upazila in the southern district of Patuakhali, the government is promoting climate-resilient farming by encouraging cultivation of BRRI Dhan-67, a salt-tolerant rice variety. The initiative is helping rural women restore agricultural production and household incomes in areas where traditional farming has become increasingly difficult.
Alongside livelihood support, Bangladesh is investing heavily in climate-resilient infrastructure designed to address women’s specific needs.
The FY2026-27 budget allocates Tk 221.64 billion for infrastructure development in remote areas, including projects that improve services and facilities for women.
New and renovated cyclone and disaster shelters are being equipped with separate sanitation facilities, WASH blocks and designated safe spaces for women to ensure privacy, dignity and security during emergencies.
The Local Government Division is also expanding access to safe drinking water and separate sanitation facilities for female students in disaster-prone communities, helping maintain school attendance while improving health and hygiene.
To support women’s economic participation despite increasing climate pressures, the government is establishing dedicated marketing spaces for women entrepreneurs in rural marketplaces, enabling them to sustain businesses and household incomes.
The initiatives form part of Bangladesh’s wider effort to integrate climate resilience with inclusive development as the country seeks to address the socio-economic impacts of climate change.
In the foreword to the Climate Budget Report 2026-27, Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said Bangladesh had reached a critical stage where climate risks intersect with its development ambitions, making climate-resilient and climate-responsive development an urgent national priority.
In his budget speech, the minister said one of the government’s ten strategic priorities is to protect the country from the impacts of climate change while building a sustainable, green, climate-resilient and liveable Bangladesh for future generations.
He also reaffirmed the government’s broader development vision, saying Bangladesh is pursuing a transformation towards a more competitive, productive, equitable and inclusive economy.
Bangladesh is widely regarded as one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change despite contributing only a small share of global greenhouse gas emissions. The government says expanding investments in resilient infrastructure, gender-responsive adaptation and women’s economic empowerment will be essential to reducing climate risks and achieving sustainable, inclusive growth in the years ahead.
