CLIMATE change is no longer a distant prospect, it is unfolding around us. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, floods, cyclones and droughts are already transforming lives across Bangladesh. Yet amid the rush to respond, one group remains consistently overlooked: people with disabilities. The impacts of climate change fall unevenly, and for disabled people these environmental shocks can mean the difference between inclusion and abandonment.
听
Health and daily survival
CLIMATE-RELATED diseases such as malaria, diarrhoea and cholera are spreading more widely as weather patterns shift. Extreme heat waves are also becoming more frequent and severe. For people with disabilities, these changes carry heightened risks. Many depend on regular medical support, assistive devices or medications that may be disrupted during floods or storms. Limited mobility or pre-existing health conditions make it harder to cope with disease outbreaks and temperature extremes. In such circumstances, disabled people often suffer far more than others, yet emergency health measures rarely account for their specific needs.
听
Displacement, accessibility challenges
WHEN floods, cyclones or other disasters strike, many communities must relocate at short notice. For a person with a disability, evacuation is rarely straightforward. Transport may not be adapted, emergency shelters may lack ramps or appropriate facilities, and assistance may be inadequate. The act of moving from one place to another can become dangerous or even impossible without proper planning. Once displaced, basic necessities such as sanitation become further challenges. Accessible toilets are often scarce, especially in temporary shelters, leaving disabled people to manage in unsafe and undignified conditions.
听
Food, water and livelihoods
CLIMATE change is already threatening agricultural production, reducing harvests and undermining food security. It also affects the availability of clean water. For people with disabilities, who are often economically disadvantaged to begin with, these pressures hit particularly hard. Employment opportunities may shrink as environmental degradation disrupts livelihoods, especially in rural areas where agriculture remains central. Disabled people, already marginalised in the job market, risk being pushed further into poverty when climate shocks reduce economic activity and income opportunities.
听
Social inequality in crisis
CRISES tend to deepen existing social inequalities. In the face of climate disasters, people with disabilities are frequently isolated from mainstream society. Their rights and needs are sidelined in emergency responses that are designed for the able-bodied majority. Rehabilitation services, which are crucial after disasters, are often overlooked or deprioritised. The absence of tailored support leaves many disabled people struggling to rebuild their lives long after the initial crisis has passed.
听
Rehabilitation and recovery
POST-DISASTER rehabilitation is essential for people with disabilities. Access to assistive technology, medical follow-up, counselling and physical rehabilitation can determine whether someone is able to regain independence. Unfortunately, such services are often inadequate or entirely absent in disaster-affected areas. Without focused recovery efforts, the impact of each disaster compounds, leaving disabled people in a worsening cycle of vulnerability.
听
Towards inclusive climate action
ADDRESSING these challenges requires deliberate and inclusive planning. People with disabilities must be meaningfully involved in disaster management and climate adaptation strategies, not as an afterthought, but as active participants. Emergency shelters need to be physically accessible, with ramps, wide entrances and safe spaces. Essential assistive technologies and equipment should be available in advance, not supplied belatedly as charity.
During disasters, disabled people must have guaranteed access to safe shelter, food, clean water and essential medicines. Providing portable wheelchairs, hearing aids or Braille materials can make the difference between isolation and survival. Training emergency responders to understand disability-specific needs is equally crucial.
Beyond immediate emergencies, sustained action is required. Education, healthcare and employment opportunities for people with disabilities must be safeguarded and expanded in a changing climate. Inclusive infrastructure, accessible transport and targeted livelihood support are not optional extras; they are essential for building resilience. Inclusion is not merely a humanitarian gesture, it is a matter of rights and justice.
Bangladesh has shown remarkable capacity to adapt to climate threats, but adaptation that excludes millions of its citizens is incomplete. Climate change is a collective challenge, and solutions must reflect that collective reality. People with disabilities are not passive victims; with the right support, they can and should play a central role in shaping climate responses. As the country braces for more extreme weather in the years ahead, ensuring their protection and participation must become a national priority.
听
Rabeya Ferdous is an occupational therapist of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation department at National Institute of Neurosciences & Hospital.
