Since independence, Bangladesh has experienced droughts of major magnitude in 1973, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1989, 1992, 1994, and 1995. Although droughts are not always continuous in any area, they do occur sometimes in the low rainfall zones of the country. As listed above, Bangladesh experienced consecutive droughts in 1978 and 1979, 1981 and 1982, and 1994 and 1995. The 1973 drought was labelled 'the worst in recent history,' 1979 drought was dubbed ' the worst in living memory,' and 1994-95 drought 'the worst in this century'.
Drought severely affects crop output in Bangladesh. Because of the non-availability of relevant data, the figures on the annual drought-related loss of crop production cannot be presented except for the 1982 drought. The total loss of rice production due to drought in 1982 was 52,896 metric tons (BBS 1986, 287-90). This accounted for about 41% of the total damage caused by all types of environmental hazards (cyclones, hailstorms, heavy rains, floods, and drought) that occurred in that year. The 1982 flood damaged about 36,000 metric tons of rice, much lower than the damage done by drought. Brammer (1987, 21) claimed that the 1978-79 drought reduced rice production by an estimated two million tons. It directly affected about 42% of the cultivated land and 44% of the population. Ahmed and Bernard (1989, 40) and Hossain (1990, 37) contend that during the 1973-87 period, crop losses to drought were almost as severe as the losses attributed to floods. About 2.18 million tons of rice were damaged due. to drought in the above period. The corresponding flood loss was 2.38 million tons.
Drought adversely affects all three rice varieties (Aman, Aus, and Boro) grown in three different cropping seasons in Bangladesh.5 It also causes damage to jute, the country's main cash crop, and other crops such as pulses, potatoes, oilseeds, minor grains, winter vegetables, and sugarcane. Rice alone accounts for more than 80% of the total cultivated land of the country. Droughts in March-April prevent land preparation and plowing activities from being conducted on time. As a result, broadcast aman, aus, and jute cannot be sown on schedule. Droughts in May and June destroy broadcast aman, aus, and jute plants. Inadequate rains in August delay transplantation of aman in high land areas, while droughts in September and October reduce yield of both broadcast and transplanted aman and delay the sowing of pulses and potatoes. Boro, wheat, and other crops grown in the dry season are also periodically affected by drought. Fruit trees, such as jackfruit, litchi, and banana, often die during drought. But the loss of rice production is the most costly damage incurred by droughts in Bangladesh.
The impact of drought spreads disproportionately amongst regions of Bangladesh. There is a popular impression in Bangladesh that the northwestern districts of Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Bogra, and Pabna are particularly drought-prone.6 The northwestern districts are relatively dry, receiving only 50 inches of rainfall annually. The eastern districts, in contrast, receive more than 80 inches of rainfall. But drought can hit both drought-prone and non-drought -prone areas.