Restoring Resilience Through Community Action – A Story from Basail, Tangail, Bangladesh
Basail, a low-lying upazila of Tangail district in central Bangladesh, lies close to the Jamuna floodplain and is highly exposed to climate-induced hazards. Like many rural areas of Bangladesh, Basail’s people depend heavily on agriculture, fishing, and day labor, making them particularly vulnerable to floods, erratic rainfall, and river erosion. As climate change accelerates, these hazards have become more frequent, intense, and unpredictable.
Almost every year, monsoon floods inundate croplands, homesteads, and roads. In recent years, farmers in Basail have noticed that floods arrive earlier and stay longer, destroying aman paddy, vegetables, and stored grains. Sudden flash floods and prolonged waterlogging often leave families without food or income for months. For many households, flooding is no longer an occasional disaster—it is a recurring reality.
One major challenge in Basail is the loss of natural flood buffers. Wetlands (beels), canals, and floodplains that once absorbed excess rainwater have been filled for settlements or blocked by unplanned embankments and roads. Without proper drainage and natural water retention areas, floodwaters spread rapidly and drain slowly, intensifying damage to crops and homes.
In response, local communities have developed adaptive coping strategies, similar in spirit to the mangrove restoration efforts in the Philippines. Farmers have begun adopting flood-tolerant rice varieties such as BRRI dhan51 and BRRI dhan52. Some households raise their homesteads using soil and bamboo platforms, while others shift to floating vegetable gardens during prolonged flooding. Community members also repair small canals and culverts collectively to improve water flow after floods.
Women play a crucial role in resilience-building. During flood periods, many women engage in homestead-based activities such as poultry rearing, duck farming, and small handicrafts, providing alternative income when fields are submerged. Informal savings groups help families manage emergencies and rebuild after floods.
Support from government institutions and NGOs has strengthened these local efforts. The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) provides training on climate-resilient farming practices, while NGOs such as BRAC and local organizations support disaster preparedness, early warning awareness, and livelihood diversification. Relief support, cash-for-work programs, and post-flood agricultural inputs help communities recover, though gaps in long-term planning remain.
Similarities and Differences with the Philippines Case
Similarities
Both contexts face climate-driven hazards intensified by human-environment interactions.
Loss of natural protective systems (mangroves in the Philippines, wetlands and floodplains in Basail) has increased vulnerability.
Community-led action, women’s participation, and NGO support are central to recovery and resilience.
Nature-based and locally adapted solutions offer long-term benefits.
Differences
The Philippines case focuses on coastal hazards (typhoons and storm surges), while Basail faces riverine and monsoon flooding.
Mangrove restoration is a coastal ecosystem solution, whereas Basail relies more on agricultural adaptation, drainage management, and flood-resilient livelihoods.
Economic activities differ: fishing-based coastal livelihoods versus agriculture-dominated rural livelihoods.
Reflection
Like the mangroves in the Philippines, community-driven adaptation in Basail shows that resilience grows when local knowledge, nature-based approaches, and institutional support come together. While the ecosystems differ, the underlying lesson is the same: empowering communities to restore and work with nature is one of the most effective responses to the climate crisis.