GovTwin / Institution

Kutubdia (Cox's Bazar)

Local Gov

A small offshore island upazila in the Bay of Bengal known for salt production, fishing, and wind exposure, almost entirely dependent on coastal embankments for survival.

Wealth rank 401/452 (1 = poorest upazila)

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

  1. climate disaster As an isolated low island on the open Bay of Bengal, Kutubdia faces among the most severe cyclone and storm-surge exposure in the district, with embankment breaches a recurring threat. So what: Surge breaches inundate the island, destroy salt pans and homes, and cut off the population. Source: Bangladesh Water Development Board
  2. water Tidal flooding and saline intrusion behind aging embankments threaten freshwater supply and farmland on the island. So what: Salinity limits drinking water and dry-season cropping for islanders. Source: Department of Public Health Engineering
  3. poverty An upazila mean Relative Wealth Index of 0.196 sits alongside an economy narrowly tied to salt and fishing on hazard-exposed land. So what: A single surge can wipe out the season's salt and fishing income with no fallback. Source: Meta Data for Good Relative Wealth Index (HDX)

Probable solutions