WFP and Ministry of Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief call for urgent investment into anticipatory action in Bangladesh

The report outlines significant progress made in 2024 while emphasising the urgent need to address funding and coverage gaps to safeguard vulnerable communities in Bangladesh from escalating climate-related disasters.

“By providing cash support before Cyclone Remal, we reduced the damage to coastal communities and protected livelihoods while ensuring people had essential resources”, said Razwanur Rahman, Director General of the Department of Disaster Management under MoDMR. “Similarly, Anticipatory Action support during the July floods helped prevent big economic losses.”  He added that the MoDMR plans to expand anticipatory action to cover more disasters, improve early warning tools and increase community-level involvement.

Anticipatory action has proven to be critical in reducing the impact of extreme climate. In 2024, Bangladesh made significant strides in anticipatory action within its disaster management framework.  The government's increasing integration of anticipatory action, notably its inclusion in the 2019 standing orders on disaster, was further strengthened by the activation of 15 anticipatory action initiatives. These activations covered 20 districts and reached nearly 430,000 people ahead of monsoon floods, flash floods, cyclones, and heatwaves.  A multi-stakeholder technical working group was established to better align activities with national priorities.

The integration of tools like El Niño forecasts and other predictive models into anticipatory planning enabled more timely and targeted responses.  These efforts were supported by the mobilization of US$ 10.4 million for anticipatory action activities, with multilateral donors playing a crucial role in funding. 

Despite these achievements, the report identifies critical gaps that must be urgently addressed. For 2025, a significant funding shortfall persists with more than half the needs underfunded (US$ 42 million). The largest funding needs are for monsoon floods (US$ 24 million), cyclones (US$ 10 million) and flash floods (US$ 8 million).

Additionally, over 54 percent of households in need were left unsupported in 2024, with those affected by flash floods experiencing an 88.2 percent coverage gap. The need to expand coverage remains pressing.

Looking ahead, the report identifies 23 districts for coverage, including those impacted by cold waves, landslides, droughts and heavy rainfall. Over 4.1 million households face potential exposure to major hazards, with 2.7 million households likely to experience significant impacts.

To address these challenges, the report recommends exploring risk pooling, anticipatory action insurance and multi-year funding commitments to ensure long-term sustainability.

“While the report underscores significant progress in institutionalising and operationalising anticipatory action in Bangladesh, challenges in the form of funding and coverage persist. By addressing these gaps through enhanced coordination, innovative financing and expanded coverage, Bangladesh can solidify its position as a global leader in anticipatory action”, said Riccardo Suppo, Head of Programme, WFP Bangladesh. He also thanked the European Union, Germany, Ireland, UN CERF, KOICA and other donors for supporting anticipatory action efforts in Bangladesh.

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