The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) is one of Bangladesh’s most environmentally sensitive and disaster-prone regions, characterized by rugged terrain, fragile ecosystems, dispersed settlements, and increasing exposure to climate-related hazards. Communities in the CHT regularly face landslides, flash floods, cyclones, prolonged droughts, water scarcity, forest degradation, disease outbreaks, and livelihood shocks. In addition, recurring bamboo flowering and rodent infestations, locally known as Idur Banya” (Rat Flood) – a severe rodent infestation phenomenon associated with bamboo flowering cycles. During such events, rapidly multiplying rodent populations devastate crops, destroy household food stocks, and significantly increase food insecurity among vulnerable Indigenous communities. Recognizing these complex and interconnected risks, GRAUS implements comprehensive Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate Resilience, and Humanitarian Response programs that strengthen community preparedness, reduce vulnerabilities, and support rapid recovery from disasters.. Recognizing these multidimensional vulnerabilities, GRAUS adopts a comprehensive approach to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate Resilience, and Humanitarian Response that strengthens community preparedness, protects lives and livelihoods, and promotes long-term resilience.
GRAUS has played a significant role in responding to Idur Banya (Rat Flood) emergencies in the Chittagong Hill Tracts through its partnership with the World Food Programme. During periods of severe rodent infestation that resulted in widespread crop losses and food shortages, GRAUS collaborated with WFP to provide emergency food assistance, livelihood recovery support, and community resilience interventions for affected households. The response focused on protecting food security, reducing the vulnerability of Indigenous communities, and supporting families whose agricultural production and income sources had been severely impacted. Through community mobilization, needs assessments, relief distribution, and coordination with local authorities and community institutions, GRAUS helped ensure that assistance reached some of the most remote and vulnerable populations in the CHT. The experience further strengthened GRAUS’s capacity to respond to localized humanitarian crises and reinforced the importance of linking emergency assistance with long-term resilience-building and food security measures.
GRAUS works closely with Indigenous communities, local government institutions, and community-based organizations to build disaster-resilient communities capable of anticipating, preparing for, and responding effectively to emergencies. The organization promotes a people-centered and inclusive DRR approach that prioritizes the needs of women, children, older persons, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups who are often disproportionately affected during disasters.
A key component of GRAUS’s DRR strategy is strengthening community preparedness and local disaster governance. The organization facilitates and enhances the functionality of Local Disaster Management Committees (LDMCs) and community-based disaster management structures through training, capacity building, contingency planning, and risk assessment exercises. These committees play a vital role in coordinating preparedness activities, disseminating early warning information, organizing community response efforts, and ensuring that local knowledge and Indigenous coping mechanisms are integrated into disaster management processes.
To reduce disaster risks and strengthen local resilience, GRAUS supports climate-adaptive and disaster-resilient infrastructure development. Through cash-for-work initiatives, community members are engaged in the maintenance and improvement of rural roads, drainage systems, slope protection measures, and other community assets that enhance accessibility and reduce disaster-related vulnerabilities. These programs not only improve local infrastructure but also provide temporary employment and income opportunities for vulnerable households, particularly during periods of economic hardship or post-disaster recovery.
GRAUS also supports the construction and strengthening of multi-purpose shelter centers that serve as safe havens during emergencies while functioning as community facilities during normal times. These shelters provide critical protection during floods, storms, and other disasters, ensuring that vulnerable populations have access to safe spaces, essential services, and emergency support when needed.
Environmental conservation and ecosystem restoration are integral to GRAUS’s resilience-building efforts. The organization leads extensive tree plantation and reforestation initiatives to address deforestation, soil erosion, and land degradation, which are major contributors to landslide risks and environmental vulnerability in the CHT. By promoting indigenous and climate-resilient tree species, community forestry, and sustainable land management practices, GRAUS contributes to ecosystem restoration, biodiversity conservation, watershed protection, and climate change mitigation. These initiatives also enhance carbon sequestration and support sustainable livelihoods for local communities.
Recognizing the growing impacts of climate change, GRAUS integrates Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) measures into its DRR programming. Communities are supported to adopt climate-resilient agricultural practices, diversify livelihoods, improve natural resource management, and strengthen local capacities to cope with changing weather patterns and environmental stressors. Through awareness campaigns and community education, GRAUS promotes understanding of climate risks and encourages locally driven adaptation solutions that reduce vulnerability and enhance resilience.
In times of crisis, GRAUS provides timely and effective humanitarian assistance to disaster-affected populations. The organization has extensive experience responding to flash floods, landslides, cyclones, droughts, rodent infestations, and public health emergencies. During emergencies, GRAUS mobilizes resources to deliver life-saving relief assistance, including food, safe drinking water, hygiene supplies, shelter materials, healthcare support, and emergency cash assistance. The organization prioritizes rapid response mechanisms that enable affected families to meet their immediate needs while preserving dignity and promoting recovery.
The experience of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic further strengthened GRAUS’s humanitarian response capacity. The organization supported vulnerable communities through health awareness campaigns, infection prevention measures, hygiene promotion, distribution of protective equipment, emergency relief assistance, and community-based support systems. Lessons learned from public health emergencies continue to inform GRAUS’s preparedness and response strategies for future crises.
GRAUS also emphasizes the importance of linking humanitarian response with long-term recovery and resilience building. Rather than viewing disasters as isolated events, the organization promotes a nexus approach that connects emergency assistance, rehabilitation, livelihood restoration, environmental conservation, and sustainable development. This approach helps communities recover more quickly while reducing future risks and vulnerabilities.
Through its integrated DRR, climate resilience, and humanitarian response interventions, GRAUS is helping communities across the Chittagong Hill Tracts become safer, stronger, and better prepared for future shocks. By strengthening local institutions, improving disaster-resilient infrastructure, restoring ecosystems, supporting vulnerable populations, and enhancing community capacities, GRAUS contributes to building resilient communities that can withstand and recover from disasters while sustaining their livelihoods, culture, and well-being for future generations.
