Dynamics of Changes in Coastal Zone Uses in Bangladesh – Tribulations and Opportunities for the Changes

Coastal zone of Bangladesh possesses 710 km long coastline along the north-east border of the Bay of Bengal, the north arm of the Indian Ocean; which is the home of about 41.54 millions of native and indigenous people. The... [ view full abstract ]

Coastal zone of Bangladesh possesses 710 km long coastline along the north-east border of the Bay of Bengal, the north arm of the Indian Ocean; which is the home of about 41.54 millions of native and indigenous people. The area supporting world’s longest sandy sea beach along Cox’s Bazar sea coast, that average breadth is estimated as 250 meters wide during low tide time; which is exposed for sunbath and beach playground to the tourist. Bangladesh coastal zone also supports the world’s largest contiguous mangrove forest ‘the Sundarbans’ which is the home of thousands of aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity. The multiple uses and dynamic economic activities within the coastal zone for the last two decades generated paramount conflicts and challenges to the coastal ecosystem for the sake of the changing economy. Habitat modification, excessive exploitation of renewable resources, shoreline erosion, sea level rise, siltation on riverbed and estuaries, construction of tourism facilities, horizontal expansion of ships recycling industry and concurrent pollutants discharge, climate change driven extreme weather events are the major threats of coastal management. Geographically, Bangladesh is the highest climate change vulnerable country around the globe. The dynamics of present coastal zone uses for economic purposes need to assess carefully to address and combat ecological, economic and social vulnerability. Therefore, the present research is an attempt to restore the innate coastal zone of Bangladesh through materializing some innovative policy agenda to combat present changes including some science-based policy recommendations for sustainable uses of coastal zones.