The coastal Ashashuni Upazila in Satkhira district has become one of the most vulnerable regions due to climate change in Bangladesh.

 

 Rising sea levels, salinity, cyclones, riverbank erosion, and prolonged waterlogging are pushing the lives and livelihoods of people into turmoil. Particularly, the suffering of farmers, fishermen, and the working-class populace is increasing day by day.The stark reality of climate change has emerged in Ashashuni. With the rise in sea levels and salinity, the coastal proximity of Ashashuni is directly affected by the increasing sea level. As a result, during cyclones and tidal surges, saline water enters through rivers and canals, destroying agricultural land and ponds. Saline water is now also being drawn from PNG and deep tube wells.The increasing intensity of cyclones and the weakness of disaster management have led to severe devastation in Ashashuni, as seen in the examples of Cyclone Aila in 2009, Cyclone Amphan in 2020, and Cyclone Yas in 2021. These disasters have left thousands homeless, destroyed crops and assets, and have led to a long-term increase in salinity.Alongside industrial or residential development, unplanned embankments and the filling of canals have prevented rainwater from draining naturally. Consequently, many villages remain submerged for months during the monsoon season.Once, Ashashuni thrived in the cultivation of shrimp, tilapia, and rohu-catla. Now, due to salinity and frequent changes in water, fish production has declined. Fish farm owners are incurring losses, and many fishermen are forced to change their livelihoods.The cultivation of rice, potatoes, jute, and vegetables has decreased. Cracks are appearing in the fields, and yields are failing. From seeds to fertilizers and irrigation, everything now incurs excessive costs, which is impossible for poor farmers to bear.

Due to waterlogging and saline water, there has been an increase in diarrhea, skin diseases, high blood pressure, and kidney problems. Children and the elderly are the most affected. Additionally, mental health is also impacted, as families suffer from anxiety due to frequent disasters and loss of livelihoods.

Experts believe that the struggles and adaptation efforts of local people, such as the development of salt-tolerant rice varieties (Irrigated Rice Varieties 67, 74) and shrimp farming, strengthening women-led rainwater harvesting and water filtering projects, repairing embankments and dredging canals, constructing adequate shelters, and providing disaster preparedness training, as well as developing alternative livelihoods through handicrafts, poultry farming, and small businesses, adopting long-term water management plans, building climate-resilient infrastructure, increasing sources of arsenic-free and saline-free drinking water, and implementing training and awareness programs for local communities, along with increasing government allocations for climate change adaptation, have made Ashashuni a symbol of climate change.