Vulnerability assessment is a significant component of effective disaster management. Following the Hyogo Framework for Action
2005-2015, countries need to identify appropriate vulnerability indicators and to assess the impact of disasters. Vulnerability
assessment is a prerequisite for disaster risk reduction and capacity building of communities. It can play an important role especially
for developing countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). At present, no standard method of vulnerability
assessment exists. Different scientific communities follow different approaches. In this paper, the authors present a grid-based
approach for spatial vulnerability assessment to floods with special reference to Bangladesh. Some advantages of a raster (or ‘grid’)-
based approach are demonstrated particularly to overcome the problems of data availability and to increase the transferability and
applicability of a spatial vulnerability assessment. At first, a GIS-based approach is developed to transform census-based population
data to 100x100 m population grids. Different vulnerability domains and indicators are selected in consultation with disaster experts,
stakeholders, and the community people. As vulnerability is multidimensional, a comprehensive approach is followed, which reflects
various physical, social, economic and environmental factors. Relative weights are assigned to the selected vulnerability domains
and indicators on the basis of expert opinions using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and pairwise comparisons. Then spatial
vulnerabilities are assessed using the GIS weighted overlay techniques. Finally, the authors present some key findings and discuss
the transferability of the approach to other areas.