ICLEI South Asia and the Municipal Association of Bangladesh (MAB) organised a consultation workshop and a field visit in Nilphamari Municipality, a city in northern Bangladesh, on February 7 and 8, 2024, as part of the third phase of the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) Programme.

At the workshop,  municipal staff and elected representatives discussed CDKN activities, focusing on the development of a climate-resilient disaster risk reduction (DRR) action plan for the city. The issues covered included an assessment of the sectoral status of Nilphamari, a review of past hazards and their impacts on the city, and an evaluation of vulnerable urban systems, locations, and key stakeholders.

The workshop was attended by MAB President and Hon’ble Mayor of Nilphamari Mr. Dewan Kamal Ahmed, all councilors and officials of the municipality and representatives from ICLEI South Asia’s Bangladesh office. The Hon’ble Mayor, who inaugurated the workshop, emphasised the importance of developing a DRR action plan for the city, and expressed appreciation for the collective effort and collaborative initiatives with ICLEI South Asia in the city’s journey toward achieving climate resilience.

The ICLEI South Asia team provided a brief overview of CDKN Phase-3, its objectives and country-specific thematic priorities, and discussed the methodology for developing a DRR Action Plan. Additionally, a field visit was conducted to identify vulnerable areas, and assess their susceptibility to issues such as flooding and poor transportation.