Resilient Road Transport for Sustainable Development in Bangladesh and Nepal

In South Asia, the transport sector plays a vital role in connecting people, markets, and services, yet it remains highly vulnerable to climate-induced hazards. In Bangladesh and Nepal, this vulnerability is amplified by geography, socio-economic conditions, and infrastructure limitations. Between 2020 and 2023, climate-related disasters affected 1.36 billion people across the region, causing around 82,000 deaths and over US$198 billion in economic losses. A World Bank study warns that by 2050, over 800 million people—nearly half the region’s population—could live in moderate to severe climate hotspots, reducing living standards significantly.

Nepal, nestled in the Himalayas, faces risks from melting glaciers, intense monsoon rains, and recurring landslides and debris flows in its hilly and mountainous areas. Its complex terrain, fragile ecosystems, and limited infrastructure make the road network especially prone to disruption and damage. Bangladesh, a low-lying deltaic country, is equally exposed—its dense population, poverty levels, and weak infrastructure heighten susceptibility to floods, droughts, cyclones, storm surges, and sea-level rise.

In both countries, recurring climate extremes have severely impacted road transport systems. Roads and bridges sustain significant damage and service disruptions annually, with the lack of climate adaptation strategies, limited governance capacity, and constrained financial and human resources compounding the problem. This has direct consequences for national GDP and for millions whose livelihoods depend on a functioning transport network.

Over the past five years, the CARE project has made collaborative efforts to strengthen the climate resilience of road transport in Bangladesh and Nepal. A central achievement has been the development of technical review and recommendation reports that mainstream climate change considerations into engineering standards, maintenance procedures, and operational guidelines.

Key milestones include:

• Standards and Guidelines Updates: Recommendations have been made to update critical road and bridge design standards to integrate adaptation considerations. In Bangladesh, this includes the Road Design Standards 2021, Guidelines for Bridge Design 2018, and Maintenance Guidelines 2010. In Nepal, similar updates are recommended for the Nepal Road Standard 2070, Nepal Bridge Standards 2067, Flexible Pavement Design Guideline 2021, Nepal Rural Road Standards 2071, and Hydrologic and Hydraulic Analysis and River Training Works Guideline 2021.
• Hazard and Risk Assessment Tools: Comprehensive guidelines and technical notes now provide road authorities with step-by-step methods to assess climate-related hazards such as floods, landslides, cyclones, and storm surges. These tools support risk evaluation across all stages—from design and construction to operation and maintenance.
• Strategic Planning: Strategies Action Plans (SAP) for Rural Road Infrastructure have been formulated for both countries, aligning with national climate policies, adaptation plans, and resilience agendas.
• Innovative Solutions: The Climate Resilient Benchmarking Framework enables authorities to measure and monitor resilience improvements over time. In Nepal, a Nature-based Solutions (NbS) Guideline and Scale-Up Plan promotes green infrastructure to manage hill slopes, offering co-benefits like carbon offsets, community participation, and improved livelihoods.
• Capacity Building: Training has been delivered to 137 road sector officials in Bangladesh and 134 in Nepal, focusing on the integration of climate risk information into policies, planning, engineering standards, and investment decisions.

Experience from recent initiatives has yielded several valuable insights:

• Standards Matter: Updating and enforcing road and bridge design standards with climate change considerations greatly enhances infrastructure resilience and performance.
• Lifecycle Perspective: Climate-enhanced designs and construction practices extend the lifespan and serviceability of road projects.
• Risk Integration: Incorporating hazard-risk data into every stage of infrastructure development—from planning to maintenance—ensures preparedness for both current and future threats.
• Targeted Measures: Hazard-specific assessments allow for more precise and effective adaptation strategies.
• Nature-Based Approaches: NbS interventions not only mitigate hazards like landslides and erosion but also contribute to environmental goals and socio-economic benefits.
• Monitoring Progress: Benchmarking frameworks provide measurable indicators to track and improve resilience over time.

Resilient Road Transport for Sustainable Development in Bangladesh and Nepal

South Asia’s transport networks are increasingly tested by the impacts of climate change. In Bangladesh and Nepal, the CARE for South Asia project has demonstrated that with the right mix of updated standards, technical tools, and institutional capacity building, resilience is achievable.

In Bangladesh, updated road and bridge design guidelines now embed adaptation measures that account for extreme rainfall and flood events. In Nepal, flexible pavement and bridge standards are being revised to withstand shifting hydrological patterns and slope instability. Hazard assessment tools are guiding project planning, ensuring that future infrastructure investments are informed by reliable climate risk data.

Nature-based solutions are taking root in Nepal’s hill regions, where green infrastructure is used to stabilize slopes and reduce landslide risk. These interventions not only protect transport assets but also support local communities through job creation and ecosystem restoration. Capacity building remains a cornerstone of success. The training of over 270 officials across the two countries has equipped decision-makers and engineers with the skills to embed resilience into every project stage. This combination of technical, policy, and community-focused actions is creating a more robust transport sector—one capable of withstanding climate shocks while continuing to support economic growth and connectivity.

The road transport sector in Bangladesh and Nepal stands at a crossroads. Without action, climate impacts threaten to erode vital connectivity and economic stability. However, the recent achievements in integrating resilience into standards, planning, and practice show that solutions exist and are within reach. By applying lessons learned, embracing innovation, and maintaining commitment to adaptation, both countries can safeguard their transport networks—ensuring they remain lifelines for communities and economies well into the future.