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An overview of the opportunities and challenges in the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta and the Bay of Bengal in reference to climate change impact

Aftab Alam Khan-|||-Department of Oceanography and Hydrography, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University, Bangladesh
2024-09-05

Item	Value
Serial	5
Article Conference Acronym
Manuscript Number
Article Volume	Volume 05
Article Issue	Issue 02
Article DOI	doi.org/10.70279/bmj-v5-i2-1025
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Article Slug	an-overview-of-the-opportunities-and-challenges-in-the-ganges-brahmaputra-delta-and-the-bay-of-bengal-in-reference-to-climate-change-impact
Article Keyword	Opportunities; Challenges; Climate Change; Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta; Bay of Bengal
Article Entry Time	10:52:34
Article Page Views	36
Article Downloads	4
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Abstract

Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta and its extension in the Bay of Bengal is genetically related to delta progradation. Sediments of the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta have been the principal source of opportunities in the perspective of georesources and ecosystem. Simultaneously the same sediments have been the major cause of many challenges this delta is facing since its formation. Terrestrial sediments from the Himalaya, deposited over the oceanic floor of the Bay of Bengal are the major source of oil, gas, gas hydrates, metallic and radioactive minerals in addition to all kinds of nutrients being supplied to the living organisms. Supply of more than one billion tons of sediments in the offshore delta every year provide opportunities in building prograding delta by accretion wherein one of the largest continental shelf advancing seaward through accumulating sediments to form numerous sand-bars and islands. However, all these opportunities are countered by the major challenges due to the recurring adverse events viz., massive siltation, inland and coastal flooding, deterioration of navigation routes, large scale land loss by bank erosion, submarine landslides, high pressure mud formation, free natural gas escape, cyclone, storm surge, saline water encroachment, security and pollution. These opportunities and challenges are not associated with climate change impact. Climate change is a natural phenomena that occurs in about hundred thousand years cycle of glacial and interglacial periods while the present Earth is passing through the interglacial period. The notion of climate change is an idea that circulates international diplomacy and domestic politics, and not the climate change in reality of the anthropocene time frame. Opportunities and challenges are associated with the variable physical and anthropogenic process operating in decadal to millennium time scale. The opportunities need to explore and nourish for the benefits of sustainable economic development. While, challenges are needed to face and manage by the good governance and by the proper professional human resource development and management.