VULNERABILITY OF HERITAGE SITES TO CLIMATIC EXTREME EVENTS: KHALIFATABAAD ANCIENT MOSQUE

Abstract

Built heritage is the pride of human civilisation and the built environment. But nowadays, they are gradually threatened by various natural decay, deterioration, and effects of extreme climate events. Khalifatabaad (present Bagerhat) in the southwestern part of Bangladesh has a rich heritage value and was also enlisted as one of the world heritage sites by UNESCO in 1985. The Department of Archaeology Bangladesh and UNESCO are working together to conserve Khalifatabaad's heritage sites. But due to climate change and the increased number of tropical climate extreme events like sea-level rise, tropical cyclones, super cyclones, storms, tidal surges, waterlogging, salinity, dampness, etc., significant problems are arising to preserve and conserve the heritage structures of tropical regions. This paper aims to investigate and analyse the vulnerabilities of these heritage structures due to extreme climate events by following building pathology principles. The DPSIR (Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response) method is used as the research framework. The research data are collected and documented through a literature review, site survey, detailed observation, documentation, oral statement records, and qualitative analysis. The research outcome is focused on investigating the most responsible climate extreme events, their short-term and long-term impacts on heritage buildings, and presenting conservation strategies for the historical sites in Khalifatabaad.