New Blog from Reversing the Flow Program: The Role of the Paani Committee in Tidal River Management in Bangladesh

This blog is part of a dossier on locally-led adaptation, featuring insights and lessons from the Reversing the Flow (RtF) program. RtF empowers communities in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Sudan to build climate resilience through direct funding and a community-driven, landscape approach.
 

In the southwestern coastal region of Bangladesh, waterlogging has made large parts of farmland unusable, affecting nearly 2 million people each year. The problem stems from climate change, poor drainage worsened by polders, mismanaged rivers, and shrimp farming, which blocks natural water flow. This leads to prolonged flooding and severe salinity, deepening the region’s vulnerabilities.

In response, the Paani Committee, a local civil society movement, has been advocating for addressing this complex problem through an ecological and indigenous approach known as Tidal River Management (TRM). TRM, a century-old practice, demonstrates how community engagement and nature-based solutions can effectively promote incremental growth while maintaining a delicate balance between the ecosystem and the economy.

For more information keep reading here