Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) and partners are organizing four separate field trips in four distinct locations in Bangladesh for the participants to the CBA workshop. Each group will travel to a different area to observe how communities are adapting to various climate and environment related disasters. 

The locations are:
1- Drought 
Northwest Bangladesh - Parbatipur in Chapai Nawabgonj District

2- Flood and River Erosion
Northwest Bangladesh - Gidari and Kamarjani in Gaibandha District 

3- Flood and Water Logging
South-central Bangladesh - Kotalipara and Rajoir in Madaripur and Gopalgonj Districts

4- Salinity and Cyclones
Southwest coastal of Bangladesh - Munshigonj in Satkhira District

All workshop participants will be divided into four groups considering their interests. Each group will be formed of 20 to 25 participants. One local Non-Government Organization (NGO) will act as a host and will provide local support, accommodation, food, and transport.
The participants will learn about climate change and environment related problems at the local level. This will enhance their understanding of local community initiatives that have been initiated in order to reduce vulnerability to climate change. This activity will also enable the communities visited to share their indigenous knowledge about adaptation to climate change.

BANGLADESH AT A GLANCE

Geographical Location: Bangladesh is located in the northeast part of South Asia and lies between 20º34' and 26º36'N latitude and 88º01' and 92 º 41’ east longitudes (Please see the country location map-1 in next page). Bangladesh is a low-lying, riverine country with a largely marshy jungle coastline of 710 kilometers (440 mi) on the northern littoral of the Bay of Bengal. Formed by a deltaic plain at the confluence of the Ganges (Padma), Brahmaputra (Jamuna), and Meghna Rivers and their tributaries, Bangladesh's alluvial soil is highly fertile, but vulnerable to flood and drought. Hills rise above the plain only in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in the far southeast and the Sylhet division in the northeast. Straddling the Tropic of Cancer, Bangladesh has a tropical monsoon climate characterized by heavy seasonal rainfall, high temperatures, and high humidity. Natural calamities, such as floods, tropical cyclones, tornadoes, and tidal surges affect the country almost every year. Bangladesh is affected by major cyclones--on average 16 times a decade. 

Area: 1, 47,570 sq. km

Capital: Dhaka

Population (Population census 2001): 130.03 million and density of population is 839 sq km

Language: The state language and mother tongue is Bengali. English is widely spoken and understood. 

Currency: Taka (approximately US$ 1 equals Taka 70 as for January 2006)

Religion: Bangladesh is a land of religious freedom, harmony and tolerance. People of all castes and creeds live here in perfect harmony. The percentage distribution of population to religions is Muslims - 88%, Hindus - 10%, Christians, Buddhists and others 2%.

Climate: Bangladesh has four main seasons. The winter (Dec-Feb), summer (Mar-May, monsoon (Jun-Sept.) and autumn (Oct-Nov). Winter is the most pleasant season when average minimum temperature is 13ºC and maximum temperature is 28ºC. Normally there is no rain in the month of February.

Site2: Gidari and Kamarjani Unions (Flood and River Erosion area)

Site3: Kotalipara and Rajoir Upozilas , South-central Bangladesh ( Flood and Logging Area )

Site4: Munshiganj  Union of Shyamnagar Upazila (sub-district) under Satkhira District of Bangladesh ( Salinity and Cyclone Vulnerable area )