Sachchida Nanda Dey Saday, Ashashuni (Satkhira) 

"Rain used to come on time, and the paddy yield was good. Now, we don’t know when it’ll rain or when drought will strike. Everything is changing day by day," said Mannan Gazi, a farmer from Budhhata Union in Ashashuni, Satkhira, describing the hardships he faces.

Ashashuni, a climate-vulnerable coastal upazila in Bangladesh, has witnessed dramatic shifts in weather patterns over the past decade.

 Seasonal regularity has broken down, with rains arriving either too late or in excessive amounts. Sometimes severe droughts occur, followed by sudden floods that submerge crops.This growing instability affects not only agriculture but also shrimp farming, public health, education, and access to safe water. In unions like Kulia, Dargahpur, Pratappur, Anulia, Budhhata, Boro Dal, and Khajra, there seems to be no season free from crisis. In the monsoon, even light rain can wash away roads and flood homes. 

During the dry season, increased salinity damages farmland and pond water alike.This monsoon, for instance, around 2,000 bighas of seedbeds were submerged due to an earthen embankment at the mouth of the Bainbosot sluice gate in Kulia Union, leaving hundreds of farmers devastated.According to local agricultural officials, paddy yields in Ashashuni have decreased by 25–30% on average over the past five years due to the adverse impacts of climate change. Shrimp farmers face similar issues. Intense heat causes fish to die, while heavy rains overflow the enclosures. Rising salinity is also reducing shrimp and other fish production, stalling the local economy.The area suffers a dual crisis—shortage of fresh water and increased mosquito-borne diseases due to stagnant water. Seema Khatun, a female student from Pratapnagar, shared, "During the monsoon, we can’t go to school. Roads are submerged, and even toilets are flooded."Health centers are also overwhelmed. 

A doctor at Ashashuni Upazila Health Complex reported, "Due to waterlogging and unhygienic conditions, cases of diarrhea, skin diseases, and colds have surged."Most of the embankments meant to protect this coastal region are in disrepair. During storms or heavy rainfall, they collapse easily. Residents claim that although promises of repair are made after every disaster, no permanent solution is ever implemented.

According to the upazila administration, many areas are still suffering from prolonged waterlogging. Without sustainable infrastructure development, protecting the coastal region is nearly impossible.Environmentalists and local development workers emphasize that the current crisis in Ashashuni is a direct consequence of climate change. 

Solutions must be long-term and integrated.Ashashuni stands as a living example of Bangladesh's climate crisis. Its people are fighting for survival against nature year after year. Without timely intervention, this coastal land may one day become uninhabitable.