Assessing Local Disaster Governance in Coastal Bangladesh: Comparing Institutional and Community Perspectives on Disaster Management Committees

Authors

Shah Taimur Rahaman Tamim
Md. Faisal
Milton Kumar Saha
Joy Boiddho
Vladimir M. Cvetković

Abstract

Despite substantial investments in decentralized disaster governance, Bangladesh’s coastal regions remain highly vulnerable to climate-induced hazards. Disaster Management Committees (DMCs) were established to enhance local preparedness, response, and recovery through participatory governance. However, empirical evidence on their effectiveness at the community level remains limited. This study examines the institutional capacity, operational effectiveness, and governance legitimacy of DMCs in two disaster-prone coastal upazilas: Dumki and Kalapara of Patuakhali District. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining a community survey (N = 100) with key informant interviews (N = 30). Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, and four composite indices were constructed: Community Awareness Index (CAI), Community Satisfaction Index (CSI), Institutional Capacity Index (ICI), and Operational Effectiveness Index (OEI). Qualitative data were analyzed thematically to contextualize institutional practices and explain the gap between institutional claims and community experience. The findings reveal a pronounced disconnect between institutional self-assessment and community-level perceptions. Community awareness of DMCs was very low (CAI = 0.07), and community satisfaction with DMC performance was also very low (CSI = 0.04), indicating limited public engagement and weak service visibility. In contrast, DMC members reported very high institutional capacity (ICI = 0.95) and ceiling-level operational effectiveness (OEI = 1.00), suggesting a substantial mismatch between institutional perceptions and community realities. Union-wise differences in awareness and satisfaction were limited and not statistically significant. Firth penalized logistic regression likewise did not identify any statistically significant predictor of community satisfaction, indicating that dissatisfaction was broad-based rather than confined to specific respondent groups or locations. Overall, the results suggest that decentralization alone is insufficient to ensure participatory and effective disaster governance without accountability, transparency, and sustained community engagement. The study highlights the importance of community-validated performance measures and stronger accountability mechanisms for improving local disaster risk governance in climate-vulnerable settings.

Keywords: local disaster governance; disaster management committees; coastal Bangladesh; institutional self-assessment; community perception; community satisfaction; accountability

Publication details

International Journal of Disaster Risk Management (IJDRM), Vol. 8, No. 1 (2026), pp. 465-486.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.66050/3cawjv12

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Suggested citation

Tamim, S. T. R., Faisal, M., Saha, M. K., Boiddho, J., & Cvetković, V. M. (2026). Assessing Local Disaster Governance in Coastal Bangladesh: Comparing Institutional and Community Perspectives on Disaster Management Committees. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 8(1), 465-486. https://doi.org/10.66050/3cawjv12