Bangladesh: disasters and public finance
Disaster risk management working paper series no. 6
Bangladesh is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. Physical hazards that could potentially cause considerable loss of life and catastrophic physical damage and disruption to society and the national economy include exceptionally widespread riverine flooding, severe tropical cyclones and associated coastal storm surges, drought and earthquakes. In addition, rapid on-set flash flooding, tornadoes and riverbank erosion are frequent causes of more localized, but nevertheless intense human suffering and losses.
Because of Bangladesh’s large, densely settled population, low income and widespread poverty, the impacts of disasters have been the focus of considerable international attention and a substantial body of investigations from environmental, social and wider economic perspectives. However, this study is the first systematic investigation into the implications of disasters on the public finances in Bangladesh, apart from assessments of short-term impacts of individual events such as the extreme floods of 1998.
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