Most landslide shelters in Ctg, Bandarban need major upgrades: Study

Bangladesh has significantly improved landslide early warning systems and anticipatory action, but the shortage of safe, accessible and trusted evacuation shelters continues to discourage people from evacuating before disasters, according to a new Save the Children assessment.

The findings come as southeastern Bangladesh faces renewed monsoon rains and heightened landslide risks after days of heavy rainfall triggered deadly landslides across Chattogram Division.

The assessment, conducted under the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO)-funded Landslide Anticipatory Action project, found that only 5.4% of 56 assessed evacuation shelters in landslide-prone areas of Chattogram and Bandarban were immediately suitable for emergency use. 

Nearly 90% required major structural or service upgrades, while another 5.4% were deemed unsuitable because of structural weaknesses, poor locations or inadequate facilities.

Led by Save the Children with partners YPSA in Chattogram and ASHIKA in Bandarban, the assessment covered 504 households (2,652 people) and included 56 shelter assessments, 10 focus group discussions, 12 key informant interviews and GIS mapping of landslide hotspots.

Warnings improve, evacuations lag

As of 10 July, the ECHO-funded SURAKKHA project had supported anticipatory action across Chattogram, Bandarban, Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Cox's Bazar. 

Save the Children said the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) and RIMES jointly issued 11 special landslide bulletins, while more than 580,000 voice-based warnings and 116,000 localised alerts were disseminated through disaster management committees, schools, MET Clubs, FARRM schools, volunteers, interpreter pools, learning labs, religious institutions, local media and door-to-door campaigns.

The project also provided unconditional cash assistance to 300 vulnerable households before forecast impacts and evacuated 1,347 households from high-risk areas, demonstrating Bangladesh's growing ability to translate forecasts into early action.

Shelter conditions deter evacuation

Despite these gains, only 16% of shelters were accessible to persons with disabilities and 18% had separate spaces for women and girls. Most lacked safe drinking water, gender-segregated sanitation, emergency lighting, first-aid equipment, emergency supplies, child-friendly spaces and formal management systems.

Among surveyed households, 72% had previously experienced landslides or flash floods, 19% had been displaced by landslides, and 57% lived below or near the poverty line. Yet only 34% used designated shelters during disasters, with most seeking refuge in relatives' homes or schools.

Respondents cited overcrowding, poor sanitation, lack of privacy for women and girls, inadequate medical care, unreliable electricity, poor accessibility for elderly people and persons with disabilities, fear of theft and the inability to protect livestock as reasons for delaying evacuation. Still, 94% believed safe shelters would significantly reduce disaster losses.

Save the Children urged greater investment in climate-resilient, gender-sensitive and disability-inclusive shelters, recommending improved infrastructure, water and sanitation, accessibility, separate facilities for women and children, Shelter Management Committees, standard operating procedures, pre-positioned emergency supplies and integration of shelter preparedness into local anticipatory action plans.

"The July 2026 landslide emergency demonstrates that anticipatory action can save lives," said Fatema Meherunnessa, Manager of Resilience and Anticipatory Action at Save the Children. "The next step is ensuring every early warning is matched by safe, accessible and trusted shelters where communities can seek refuge with dignity."

The organisation also acknowledged the support of ECHO, the Government of Bangladesh, RIMES, YPSA, ASHIKA, local authorities, volunteers and at-risk communities.