Building Climate Resilience for cities and towns in Bangladesh

About RAJUK and Friendship

The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha (RAJUK) or the Capital Development Authority was established in 1956 with special powers to improve, develop and expand Dhaka city and its vicinity areas. It is the main government authority working on planning, development control and development of the capital Dhaka to meet the challenges of the 21st century with the Dhaka metropolitan area comprising the urban Dhaka and its hinterland . RAJUK aims to build a liveable, functional and resilient Dhaka by promoting planned growth.

The planning division of RAJUK is the department responsible for delivering the core function of RAJUK that is the development of plans to guide the future growth of the capital city (Dhaka). Its main functions are divided into two sections i) Plan Preparation and ii) Town Planning and Implementation section. The division main activities are plan implementation as well as preparation, revision and updating of laws, rules and regulations concerned to urban development and management and regulation of private land developers and land use zoning control. This division works for policy-level urban management as well as on-the-ground implementation.

Friendship is a need-driven non-profitable organization in Bangladesh. Established in 2002, its mission is to strengthen marginalized communities and empower people to reach their full potential through a sustainable, integrated development approach. Friendship works actively in climate change adaptation and disaster management.

Local context

Bangladesh faces significant climate challenges due to its low-lying deltaic terrain and proximity to the Bay of Bengal. With 70% of the country situated one meter or less above sea level and 80% comprising floodplains, it is highly susceptible to natural hazards like floods, cyclones, and salinity intrusion. The impact of climate change is already severe, particularly affecting vulnerable groups and stressed regions, with agriculture bearing the main burden of output losses.

The government's Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP) recognizes these challenges, prompting key organizations such as RAJUK and FRIENDSHIP to contribute to sustainable development in Dhaka and its surrounding areas. While efforts have been made to integrate climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, there is a recognized need for staff development in innovative approaches, such as nature-based solutions and integrated water resource management. The acquired knowledge from training programs is crucial for effective implementation, supporting initiatives like the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 and contributing to broader goals such as SDG 11 and the National Perspective Plan 2041 for creating sustainable cities and communities.

Building capacities for the staff of RAJUK and Friendship

This tailormade training (TMT) will develop and equip the programme and field operations staff of RAJUK and FRIENDSHIP focusing on climate resilience by integrating innovative approaches to climate adaptation and mitigation. It can help expand the knowledge, skills, and competencies of participants and would offer the requesting organizations a new paradigm in climate change adaptation and mitigation solutions. Further, it introduces the concepts and practical applications of nature-based solutions (NBS) in climate adaptation planning and implementation ensuring citizen and stakeholder’s engagement in these processes.

Learning objectives

At the end of the training, the participants were able to achieve the following:

1. Understand and explain the impacts of climate change to Bangladesh cities and towns in relation to land, water and natural resources

2. Understand and define the concepts of nature-based solutions (NBS) and gender-responsive planning including a critical reflection on the application of these approaches to climate mitigation and adaptation

3. Learn and apply practical tools and methodologies for assessing the potential of NBS in climate change adaptation and mitigation;

• Vulnerability assessments
• Prioritization of climate change actions
• Integration of gender sensitivity and inclusivity goals into climate change adaptation plans

4. Apply inclusive and gender-sensitive action planning with local stakeholders using NBS principles:

• Assess climate change vulnerabilities at the community and city levels;
• Identify, assess, and prioritize actions and policies for climate change adaptation and mitigation;
• incorporating gender equality goals.
• Promote gender equality and increase the representation of women in decision making regarding climate change and adaptation.
• Ensure that climate change adaptation and mitigation plans are designed in an inclusive way considering the intersecting forms of vulnerabilities 

5. Communicate and present NBS-inspired climate change action plans, including:

• Proposed financing and governance models;
• Opportunities for mainstreaming into local development plans and partnerships with communities
• Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms