Why WASH must anchor climate policy.
BANGLADESH has long been recognised as one of the world’s leading voices on climate resilience. At international climate forums in Brussels, Geneva and Dubai, the country has consistently argued for climate justice, green transitions, carbon markets and stronger financing mechanisms to address loss and damage. Yet, as Bangladesh embarks on an important period of state reform and constitutional renewal, a striking contradiction persists at home. While national climate policy has become increasingly sophisticated, it remains disconnected from one of the most immediate realities affecting millions of people: access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene, or WASH. Despite extensive planning for climate adaptation, the country has yet to fully recognise that universal WASH is not simply a development objective but a fundamental component of climate resilience and a basic human right.
