ANYONE living in Bangladesh knows how disasters feel. The rivers swell, the winds rise, the water comes fast and heavy. Cyclones, floods, landslides, river erosion — they are part of life. Families flee with children on their shoulders. Fields go underwater. Homes are washed away. This is not a one-off event. It is a yearly pattern that’s only getting worse.
Between 2000 and 2023, disasters cost Bangladesh over $13.6 billion and affected more than 130 million people, according to data from the United Nations. The economic damage is enormous, but the human cost is even harder to count. People lose not just property, but time, health and hope. What’s more frustrating is that many of these losses could have been prevented. We’ve come a long way in disaster management, but one thing still needs to change: how we fund and prioritise anticipatory action.
In simple terms, anticipatory action means acting on early warnings, not waiting until disaster strikes. That includes preparing emergency shelters, giving cash to vulnerable families before floods arrive, reinforcing weak embankments, pre-positioning relief supplies, or sending alerts in time for people to evacuate. These are not extraordinary ideas. They are common sense. Yet our disaster funding system still focuses mostly on response and recovery, after the damage is done.
This approach is outdated. It no longer fits the reality of today’s climate. Weather events are becoming more frequent, intense, and unpredictable. Each year, we see new extremes. The rainfall is heavier. The dry seasons are longer. River erosion is faster. People who barely recovered from one disaster find themselves hit again before they’ve even rebuilt.
Bangladesh has made genuine progress in planning. We now have strong legal and policy tools: the Disaster Management Act 2021, the National Plan for Disaster Management 2021–2025, the Disaster Management (Fund Management) Rules 2021, and most recently, the National Disaster Risk Financing Strategy 2024. These documents lay the groundwork for a structured, forward-thinking disaster management system. The government has also set up both national and district disaster management funds. But the real issue lies in how these funds are allocated and used.
Currently, most disaster management funds are still allocated to post-disaster relief and rehabilitation. In theory, the four areas of spending — disaster risk reduction, anticipatory action, response and recovery — are equally important. But in practice, anticipatory action remains underfunded. Often, district-level committees are told to wait until an event occurs before they can access money. This delays action, limits options, and increases the human cost.
One major obstacle is the rigid financial system itself. Funds that are not used within the fiscal year are often required to be returned to the treasury. This creates hesitation in spending money in advance, in case the predicted disaster doesn’t hit as hard. Officials, understandably, fear being accused of wasting public money. But in reality, this is a false economy. Acting early is not a waste — it is an investment.
Global research supports this view. Studies by organisations like the Food and Agriculture Organisation have shown that every dollar spent on anticipatory action can save up to seven dollars in post-disaster spending. That includes reduced spending on emergency aid, infrastructure repair and long-term rehabilitation. In a country like Bangladesh, where development resources are limited and disaster costs are rising, this is a clear argument for change.
There are other problems too. Many local Disaster Management Committees, which are meant to be first responders, do not have enough authority or guidance on how to mobilise and use funds in advance. Some committees lack digital systems for tracking or reporting spending. Others struggle with coordination between ministries or between national and local authorities. Without clear rules, even the best-intentioned committees are forced to wait until damage is visible before taking action.
This waiting game costs lives.
What Bangladesh needs now is a serious policy shift. First, we must allow more flexibility in disaster fund management, especially at the district and upazila levels. Clear guidelines should be created so local authorities can spend based on forecast triggers, not just on confirmed disaster reports. Second, we must improve the digitalisation of disaster fund management. A real-time, transparent monitoring system would make it easier to track spending, reduce misuse and build trust among donors and the public. Most importantly, it would help decision-makers see where anticipatory spending is working and where gaps remain.
Another untapped opportunity is Bangladesh’s wide network of social safety net programmes. These systems already reach millions of vulnerable households. If integrated properly, they could become powerful tools for delivering early support when a disaster is forecast. For example, pre-approved cash transfers could be made before a cyclone hits a coastal district. Pregnant women or elderly people in high-risk areas could receive priority help. This would not only reduce suffering but also protect development gains made through other poverty reduction efforts.
Crucially, anticipatory action must be community-led. The people who live in disaster-prone areas are not just victims. They are experts. They know the warning signs. They know where the embankments break and where the water enters first. Local disaster management committees and community organisations must be included in decision-making and monitoring. When they are trusted and supported, their response is faster and more appropriate. It also builds a sense of ownership and accountability.
The ‘no-regret’ principle is important here. Anticipatory actions should be seen as worthwhile even if the worst-case scenario doesn’t happen. For example, strengthening a flood shelter or storing clean water in advance benefits people even if the storm weakens. These actions improve preparedness, reinforce public trust in institutions and reduce panic during emergencies. On the other hand, doing nothing until it’s too late leads to chaos, confusion and higher costs — both human and financial.
Of course, anticipatory action is not a magic solution. It cannot stop the rain or hold back the rivers. But it can reduce the scale of the damage. It can give people time. It can help families save their animals, store their documents, or find a safe place to sleep. It can keep children from falling sick. And in many cases, it can save lives.
The challenge now is political and administrative. Bangladesh has the tools. It knows. It even has some of the funding. What it needs is the courage to shift the balance — to spend more before disaster strikes, not just after. This means changing mindsets at all levels of government. It means empowering local leaders. And it means trusting science and forecast data, rather than waiting for the damage to be visible.
Disaster management in Bangladesh should no longer be defined by reaction. The next phase must be defined by readiness. That’s how we move from coping to resilience. That’s how we protect the gains we’ve made in health, education, and poverty reduction. And that’s how we honour the everyday strength of our people, by standing beside them not only during crisis, but before it begins.
Mohammad Abu Toyab is a development professional.