By Arju Afrin Kathy

The Food Security & Disaster Response Cluster constitutes a core pillar of Bangladesh’s non-contributory social protection architecture under the National Social Security Strategy (NSSS) Action Plan II (2021–2026). Led by the Ministry of Food and supported by multiple line ministries; including Disaster Management and Relief, Commerce, Agriculture, Social Welfare, Women and Children Affairs, Health, and the Finance Division; the cluster plays a central role in ensuring food access, price stabilization, and emergency response in a climate-vulnerable and shock-prone context In Bangladesh, where climate variability, global price volatility, and recurrent disasters intersect with structural poverty, food security cannot be treated as a standalone welfare issue. It represents a resilience function within the broader shock-responsive social protection system. The cluster integrates protective transfers, preventive stock management, and emergency relief mechanisms, positioning it as a hybrid instrument of both safety net and crisis response.