Governing Digital Transformation for Climate Resilience and Circular Economy: Institutional Capacity, Indigenous Inclusion, and Sustainable Development in Chittagong Hill Tracts, Evidence from Bandarban, Bangladesh

Abstract Digital transformation is often presented as a means of improving public service delivery, climate-risk communication, environmental monitoring, and resource efficiency. Its contribution to resilience and sustainability, however, depends on institutional capacity, accessible infrastructure, inclusive decision-making, and accountable data governance. This study examines how these conditions shape digital governance for climate resilience and circular-economy development in Bandarban, Bangladesh. Using a qualitative case-study design, the study draws on four focus group discussions (FGDs) and 20 key informant interviews (KIIs), analysed thematically through the Institutional-Capacity and Inclusive Digital Resilience Framework (ICIDRF). The analysis identifies five interconnected themes: weak digital infrastructure; institutional coordination gaps; affordability and digital-skills constraints; gaps in climate-information and public-service delivery; and barriers to Indigenous-language access and representation. Together, these themes indicate that digital tools cannot deliver inclusive outcomes in isolation. Their effectiveness depends on reliable connectivity and maintenance, clear institutional responsibilities, communication channels that communities can access and understand, and meaningful Indigenous participation in the design and governance of services. The analysis also highlights the need to connect digital systems to locally feasible climate-adaptation and circular-economy practices rather than treating technology as an end in itself. The study contributes an inclusion-centred framework for understanding digital transformation in a geographically remote and culturally diverse setting. It recommends strengthening cross-agency coordination, providing multilingual and offline communication options, protecting Indigenous knowledge and community data, and evaluating initiatives against practical social, environmental, and governance outcomes. The findings offer context-specific insights for more accountable and inclusive sustainable-development policy in Bandarban and comparable regions.