In its struggle for independence, Bangladesh became the focal point of world attention in the early 1970s. It emerged victorious, but its development was hindered by the after-effects of the war—the destruction of much of its infrastructure, problems of governmental change, and the enormous difficulties faced by government and aid officials in assembling a data base for long-range planning. Professor Rashid's book—the first major comprehensive geographic inventory of Bangladesh—provides the key elements for such a base. Emphasizing the rural and agricultural characteristics of the country, it also covers in depth its physiography, hydrography, climate, soils, land utilization, migration and settlement patterns, transportation infrastructure, and human and natural resources.

This book provides an overview of the emergence of geography as a discipline in Bangladesh and the contributions made by local geographers towards the development of the country. It explores problems associated with population growth and poverty, landlessness and food security, land use and natural resource management, urbanism, climate change, disaster management and human health. The volume shows how research and the study of geography in the ‘periphery’ can contribute in achieving progress in countries like Bangladesh and help them prepare against imminent disasters, ecological, social, economic shocks and uncertainties. This book will be useful to students and researchers of geography, environment studies, disaster management, development studies, geoinformatics, geology, demography, sociology and South Asian studies with a particular focus on Bangladesh. It will also interest various policy makers and NGO professionals working in these and related fields.

In its struggle for independence, Bangladesh became the focal point of world attention in the early 1970s. It emerged victorious, but its development was hindered by the after-effects of the war--the destruction of much of its infrastructure, problems of governmental change, and the enormous difficulties faced by government and aid officials in assembling a data base for long-range planning. Professor Rashid's book--the first major comprehensive geographic inventory of Bangladesh--provides the key elements for such a base. Emphasizing the rural and agricultural characteristics of the country, it also covers in depth its physiography, hydrography, climate, soils, land utilization, migration and settlement patterns, transportation infrastructure, and human and natural resources.

This book provides an overview of the emergence of geography as a discipline in Bangladesh and the contributions made by local geographers towards the development of the country. It explores problems associated with population growth and poverty, landlessness and food security, land use and natural resource management, urbanism, climate change, disaster management and human health. The volume shows how research and the study of geography in the 'periphery' can contribute in achieving progress in countries like Bangladesh and help them prepare against imminent disasters, ecological, social, economic shocks and uncertainties. This book will be useful to students and researchers of geography, environment studies, disaster management, development studies, geoinformatics, geology, demography, sociology and South Asian studies with a particular focus on Bangladesh. It will also interest various policy makers and NGO professionals working in these and related fields.

Scientific evidence shows that most glaciers in South Asia's Hindu Kush Himalayan region are retreating, but the consequences for the region's water supply are unclear, this report finds. The Hindu Kush Himalayan region is the location of several of Asia's great river systems, which provide water for drinking, irrigation, and other uses for about 1.5 billion people. Recent studies show that at lower elevations, glacial retreat is unlikely to cause significant changes in water availability over the next several decades, but other factors, including groundwater depletion and increasing human water use, could have a greater impact. Higher elevation areas could experience altered water flow in some river basins if current rates of glacial retreat continue, but shifts in the location, intensity, and variability of rain and snow due to climate change will likely have a greater impact on regional water supplies. Himalayan Glaciers: Climate Change, Water Resources, and Water Security makes recommendations and sets guidelines for the future of climate change and water security in the Himalayan Region. This report emphasizes that social changes, such as changing patterns of water use and water management decisions, are likely to have at least as much of an impact on water demand as environmental factors do on water supply. Water scarcity will likely affect the rural and urban poor most severely, as these groups have the least capacity to move to new locations as needed. It is predicted that the region will become increasingly urbanized as cities expand to absorb migrants in search of economic opportunities. As living standards and populations rise, water use will likely increase-for example, as more people have diets rich in meat, more water will be needed for agricultural use. The effects of future climate change could further exacerbate water stress. Himalayan Glaciers: Climate Change, Water Resources, and Water Security explains that changes in the availability of water resources could play an increasing role in political tensions, especially if existing water management institutions do not better account for the social, economic, and ecological complexities of the region. To effectively respond to the effects of climate change, water management systems will need to take into account the social, economic, and ecological complexities of the region. This means it will be important to expand research and monitoring programs to gather more detailed, consistent, and accurate data on demographics, water supply, demand, and scarcity.

Coastal Hazards in Bangladesh: Non-Structural and Structural Solutions provides a review of the study of Bangladesh's coastal region, an area whose location and physical geography present the prefect microcosm for the study of coastal hazards and for the development of tactics that are applicable to regions around the world. The book presents engineers, scientists, and planners with the necessary tools and planning solutions used to combat coastal vulnerabilities in Bangladesh. Divided into seven chapters, it begins with a critical overview of cyclone and storm surge disasters, focusing on both engineering responses and public preparedness programs to such events. In addition, engineering recommendations are provided for further reduction of their impacts, such as erosion, accretion, and land subsidence, and numerical models are introduced to assess flood induced hazard and risk, flood-induced design loads, and how to intervene in protecting key installations, infrastructures, and communities. - Provides engineers, scientists, and planners with the necessary tools and planning solutions they need to address the coastal vulnerabilities presented by floods, cyclones, and storm surge - Includes engineering recommendations on how to reduce coastal hazards and their impact - Explores the topic of sea level rise and the effect of salt water intrusion on fresh water and the surrounding soil - Examines land uses in the coastal zones, their trend, and their effects on coastal zones