Disability Inclusion in Climate Resilient Infrastructure: A Cross-Sectional Study in Four Coastal Sub-Districts of Bangladesh

Bangladesh's coastal region is extremely vulnerable to hydrometeorological and climatic disasters. A distinct group of marginalized population is disproportionately impacted by a disaster. Regardless of gender, "people with disabilities" (PWDs) face substantial challenges in a disaster scenario. The response mechanisms of people with disabilities are also different in a disaster situation. The purpose of this paper was to investigate the climate-resilient infrastructure of PWDs in Bangladesh's coastal zone during a natural disaster. A crosssectional survey of 520 participants was conducted in the subdistricts of Khulna: Dacope, Koyra, Paikgacha, and Bagherhat: Mongla. The study found that only 8% of homes are made of concrete and are resistant to strong winds, cyclones, floods, and storm surges, while only 7% of homes are disasterresilient. Only 5% of respondents indicated that their residences were accessible to PWDs, and there are no accessible WASH facilities. With disaster-resistant infrastructure, the study suggests that accessibility for PWDs should also be addressed.