Role of microfinance tools in disaster risk reduction, a study in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka: Bangladesh country report

This paper advocates to take into account the changing risk profile facing the disaster-prone poor in Bangladesh into policy interventions aimed at preventing deluge losses and supporting improvement in managing disaster risks.

It presents survey findings from 2368 members in 500 households that were disaster victims, and 23 focus group discussions which took place in five districts in Bangladesh in June and October, 2008.

This study finds disasters to have some common negative effects on households as well as not all that declining trends as perceived generally. The research tentatively suggests poor households under stressful conditions either during or post-disaster situations mainly rely on themselves and on community coping mechanism than to any public or private assistance. It asserts that both government and microfinance institutions provide little support to the people prepare for the onslaughts, or rehabilitation needs of the disaster victims.