A recent study has revealed significant disparities in the distribution of Bangladesh’s national climate budget, sparking calls for systemic reform. The findings were shared during an event titled “Distributive Justice in Bangladesh’s Climate Finance: Challenges and Recommendations for Policy Takeaways,” organized by the Center for Participatory Research and Development (CPRD) and HEKS/EPER at the Six Seasons Hotel in Dhaka on Saturday, 5 October.
The study investigated the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCTF) and the National Climate Budget, analyzing whether projects were approved based on climate change rationale and geographical equity. The research, conducted across five districts—Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Chapainawabganj, Naogaon, and Kurigram—compared the flow of climate finance in drought-prone areas like the Barind Tract to other climate-stressed regions, according to a press release.
Findings from the study, which analyzed 790 BCCTF projects from FY 2008-2009 to FY 2022-2023, highlighted an alarming lack of distributive justice. The Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions, home to some of the most climate-stressed areas, implemented only 143 BCCTF projects during this period. This figure is less than half the 281 projects executed in Bangladesh’s coastal regions, despite the severe climate vulnerabilities faced by drought-prone communities. Similarly, only 63 projects under the National Climate Budget were found to be under implementation in these drought-hit areas during FY 2022-2023.
Moreover, the study uncovered a strong bias in climate finance towards infrastructure development and sudden disaster responses, with little attention paid to slow-onset disasters like drought. Over 50 percent of BCCTF projects, valued at BDT 2,095.41 crore, were directed towards infrastructure. In contrast, only seven projects worth BDT 32.24 crore were allocated to integrated disaster management, highlighting the lack of funds for long-term climate resilience.
During the event, CPRD’s Chief Executive, Mr. Md. Shamsudohha, presented the study’s findings and called for reforms. He emphasized the need for a systemic overhaul of the Climate Change Trust Act 2010 and urged for the development of outcome-focused allocation criteria in both the BCCTF and the National Climate Budget. Shamsudohha also advocated for increasing climate finance allocation, ensuring need-based and equitable distribution, and creating a standalone adaptation plan for plainland Indigenous communities. He stressed the importance of locally-led climate vulnerability analyses, gender-responsive climate-resilient livelihoods, and capacity-building of local governments.
Corinne Henchoz Pignani, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh, praised the study for shedding light on under-discussed issues. She emphasized that while infrastructure is crucial, humanity and localized approaches must be at the center of climate finance strategies. True progress, she noted, will come when communities take ownership of climate solutions through locally-led adaptation measures.
Ms. Dora Chaudhuri, Country Director of HEKS/EPER, concluded the event by acknowledging that despite Bangladesh’s strong policy framework, achieving climate resilience remains challenging due to systemic and procedural barriers. She reiterated the need for equitable and gender-responsive budget allocation, stating that current climate finance fails to address the diverse vulnerabilities faced by marginalized communities across different regions.
The event was attended by a wide range of policy stakeholders, including government officials, members of civil society organizations, and representatives from development organizations. The attendees were Barrister Shameem Haider Patwary, Former MP; Mr. Iqbal Abdullah Harun, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; and Mr. M Zakir Hossain Khan, Chief Executive of Change Initiative.
The study and the discussions at the event underscore the need for urgent reforms in climate finance allocation to ensure justice for all climate-vulnerable communities across Bangladesh.
