Md. Rezwan Siddiqui

• MA in Environment and Development, King’s College London, UK
• M.Sc. in Geography and Environment (Disaster Management), University of Dhaka 
• B.Sc. in Geography & Environment, University of Dhaka 
• Summer School training on Geospatial technologies and remote sensing for monitoring sustainable Development Goals (SDG) from Central European University, Hungary

Trained as a development geographer, I am serving as a Senior Lecturer at the East West University in Dhaka, Bangladesh. My interests is to explore and examine the synergy between the environment and society, especially the context of dynamic situation triggered by climate change and natural hazards. 

Ongoing Research 

• Rohingya Influx in Bangladesh: Perceptions and Attitudes of the Local Population

The aim of this research is to generate perception-based information that will help guide state and non-state efforts and policies to effectively manage the Rohingya issues (e.g., social, political, health) in Bangladesh. In our study, we will assess the perception and attitude of the local population by both objective and subjective measures. The core research question is "What are the perceptions and attitudes (mainly long-term) of the local population (only adult, 18+ years of age, citizens of Bangladesh) concerning social, economic, environmental, political and health sectors associated with the Rohingya influx in southern Bangladesh?" It is already mentioned that there is a lack of information about the Rohingya-related implications (mainly long-term) in Bangladesh, which are assessed through the perceptions and attitudes of the local population using mixed methods. Therefore, our research findings/outcomes can open new dimensions of research and can bring many benefits not only for Bangladesh but also for other similar countries hosting refugees. One of such benefits which can be mentioned here is that the government and other policy makers can identify major public concerns for Bangladesh and take necessary steps to reduce or minimize them effectively. Our data will also assist the formulation of national and regional policies.

• Public Participation in Ecosystem-based Adaptation: Evidence from Coastal Bangladesh

Public participation, one of the central principles of climate governance, is now widely used in adaptation efforts due to its long-term social, economic, environmental implication and intergenerational dimensions. Due to its (EbA) inherent people-centric nature, it is also one of the key organizing principles of ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA).  Effective participation is one of the keys to the success of EbA. The result of any adaptation can vary significantly depending on mode (e.g., whether invited or invented, deficit or civic model of information flow), intensity, temporality, and the extent of public participation. Although the scholarship of adaptation and ecosystem-based adaptation has advanced significantly, our understanding of the role of public participation in EbA has remained mediocre. This research examining the role of public participation in ecosystem-based adaptation in Bangladesh. Based on qualitative surveys, group discussions, and key informant interviews in the South-western coastal part of Bangladesh, this paper assessed the status and role of public participation in delivering effective EbA. 

• The role of public participation in ensuring the transparency and effectiveness of climate change adaptation in Bangladesh

The objective of this research is to identify the use of different level public participation approaches in climate change adaptation in coastal Bangladesh, especially keeping an eye on the transparency and effectiveness. This examination will, therefore, open the opportunity for further exploration and explanation of the relationship between these parameters with the goal of ensuring good governance for climate change activity in Bangladesh. The core research question is "How the level and mode of the participation impact the transparency and effectiveness of climate change adaptation in Bangladesh?"

• Fellow: 2050 Climate Collective of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), UK (2019 - 2020)
• Young Research Fellow: Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) (2019 – 2020)
• Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research (C3ER), BRAC University (February 2017 – December 2017)
• UN Sustainable Development Solution Network – Youth (March 2017 – March 2018)
• Urban Studio, University of Dhaka (September 2016 – Jan 2017)
• Yunus Centre (Dec 2012 – Aug 2015)
• Youth Leading Environmental Change (YLEC) (June 2012-Nov 2012)
• Centre for Urban Studies (CUS), Dhaka (Sep 2010 – Sep 2011)
• Disaster Research Training and Management Centre (DRTMC), University of Dhaka (Jan 2010 – June 2010)
• Research Assistant: Disaster Research Training and Management Centre (DRTMC), University of Dhaka (Jan 2010 – June 2010)

• Climate Change and Environmental Migration
• Climate Change Governance
• Public Participation
• Rohingya Refugee 
• Urban Resilience, Urban Adaptation of Climate Migrants
• Landslide
• Politics of Natural Hazards

• Available on Google Classroom