GovTwin / Institution
Jamalpur District
Local Gov
A low-lying district on the Jamuna and Old Brahmaputra rivers, defined by char lands, riverbank erosion and seasonal flooding. Its handloom and agrarian economy is among the poorer in the region even as night-time economic activity grows briskly.
Wealth rank 26/64
(1 = poorest district)
Warming +0.61°C
(1980s–2020s)
Air NO₂ #24/64
(1 = most polluted)
Night-lights +128%
(2014–23 activity)
Built-up 39 km²
Forest loss 599 ha
(2001–23)
Rainfall 2,012 mm/yr
Indicators: Meta RWI (HDX); ERA5-Land; MODIS; Sentinel-5P; VIIRS night-lights; GHSL; Hansen v1.11; CHIRPS v2.0. Exposure: GloFAS v2.1, FABDEM, MODIS LST, ACAG PM2.5, WorldPop 2020.
Problems and issues
- poverty Low household wealth (mean Relative Wealth Index -0.095), ranking 26th-poorest of 64 districts So what: Char-land and erosion-affected households face chronic deprivation that standard rural programs have not reversed. Source: Meta Data for Good Relative Wealth Index (HDX), ~2.4 km grid
- climate disaster Heavy annual rainfall of 2012 mm on the Jamuna floodplain drives recurrent flooding and char inundation So what: Annual floods displace char dwellers and destroy crops, forcing distress migration and asset loss. Source: CHIRPS v2.0 precipitation (UCSB Climate Hazards Group) via Google Earth Engine
- water Riverbank erosion along the Jamuna and Old Brahmaputra, with 26.8 km2 of permanent surface water reflecting an unstable braided-river system So what: Erosion swallows farmland and homesteads each year, the single largest driver of landlessness and poverty in the district. Source: JRC Global Surface Water (permanent water) via Google Earth Engine
- urbanization Built-up surface has grown 72% since 2000 to 38.9 km2 while remaining a small footprint So what: Town growth concentrated on flood-vulnerable land raises exposure without commensurate drainage investment. Source: GHSL built-up surface (JRC) via Google Earth Engine
- air quality Aerosol optical depth of 0.63 ranks 26th-worst of 64 districts and NO2 of 39.3 umol/m2 ranks 24th So what: Seasonal haze and combustion aerosols add a respiratory burden in an already poor population. Source: MODIS MAIAC aerosol optical depth (550 nm) via Google Earth Engine
Probable solutions
- Construct and maintain riverbank protection and revetment works on the Jamuna and Old Brahmaputra, with char-land development support Responsible: Bangladesh Water Development Board · policy proposal
- Target char and erosion-affected households with cash transfers, char livelihoods and skills programs Responsible: Department of Disaster Management and Department of Social Services · policy proposal
- Deploy flood early-warning, raised flood shelters and flood-tolerant crop varieties for char communities Responsible: Department of Disaster Management · policy proposal
- Regulate brick kilns and promote cleaner cooking and kiln technology to cut seasonal aerosol loads Responsible: Department of Environment · policy proposal