As the BBC team prepare to disembark the boat, the sun sets overhead, and indeed on the trip itself.

As M.V.Aboshar makes it's way back to Dhaka, James Sales makesw a special thankyou to all the boat crew who had worked so hard after the last few weeks.

Most people at the final BBC boat trip sanglap in Mongla agreed that co-ordination between government ministries and local and international NGOs after cyclones could be improved.

The grounds of the hotel in Mongla where the debate was staged formed a dramatic backdrop for the debate.

Rehana lost a daughter in the storm but managed to save her toddler (photograhed) despite being blown into a pond. She received first aid while queuing to take part in the BBC sanglap debate in Mongla on Saturday.

Also back to normal working hours are the fishermen of the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest in the south-west of the country. At night time they are especially at risk from tigers.

On Thursday last week they were in a cyclone shelter. Today they are laughing and playing in the sun. Had they not been able to take shelter, they would almost certainly have been killed or injured as much of their village was flattened in the storm.

The beauty and tranquility of rural Bangladeshi life hide the fact that last week the country experienced one of the worst storms in living memory.

The BBC's Alastair Lawson and Dan Vasiliu hitch a ride on a trolley rickshaw - the motor a converted diesel water pump - while visiting a village near Mongla.

These deer attracted considerable tourist interest at a zoo just outside the town of Mongla.

The MV Aboshar is joined by the MV Chhuti prior to Saturday's Bangladesh sanglap - or dialogue - which will be held in Mongla.

This boy was in a village that was not badly hit by the cyclonce, which caused immense damage in some areas, but left other areas relatively unscathed.

All those who attended said they felt heart-broken over the plight of homeless cyclone victims/

Many of the donors had little to give but still handed over something.

Items handed over included trousers, sari and warm clothes for people of all ages. They also donated much-needed water.

Villagers in Joymoni Ghol in the south west of Bangladesh hand over their personal belongings in aid of other villagers nearby who are destitute because of the hurricane.

Efforts by local people in the village of Joymoni Ghul to raise money for cyclone victi.ms attracted many onlookers eager to donate money

This woman is waiting patiently for food aid a week after a cyclone in Bangladesh killed thousands of people.

This woman is waiting to receive food supplies from the Bangladeshi aid, agency Brac, after her village was damaged in the cyclone.

People in villages less badly damaged by the cyclone carried rice to give those who have yet to receive enough food/

For many villagers, it was the first time they received aid since the cyclone struck, and the delivery of rice brought a smile to many faces.

In this village the queues for aid were orderly, unlike in the days immediately following the cyclone, when fights over rice frequently broke out.

These people are waiting for aid outside the office of Brac, one of the largest aid agencies in Bangladesh.

The school pupil's house was destroyed by the cyclone, interrupting her education

Everywhere the BBC vessel, the MV Aboshar, goes in the south-west, people line the river banks in the hope of receiving food and medicine.

One of the main priorities is to supply fresh drinking water.

In a cyclone shelter in Badma, children who have been survived the cyclone receive food and shelter. Some of them have lost parents, others have been traumatised by what they experienced.

The children are encouraged to play games and take part in group activities to help them get over the terrible memories of the storm.

Most children in the south-west of Bangladesh have survival stories relating to the storm, and many have lost loved ones.

The children will be invited to attend the Badma centre for a month in a scheme funded by the Save the Children agency.

Nearly a week after the storm, medical aid has finally arrived for some villagers hit by Thursday's storm

The ramp at the Chandreswar forestry outpost was totally destroyed in Thursday's cylone.

A forestry outpost visited by the BBC in Chandreswar in the Sundarbans of Bangladesh before the cyclone was totally destroyed in the strom. Here Ranger Hafizur Rahman stands at the site of the destroyed outpost.

Thousands of trees were destroyed in Thursday's storm.

The tree used to secure the forestry outpost at Chandreswar was blown down.

Homes that were destroyed are slowly being repaired, but a lot of buldings remained flattened.

Aid agencies say that the chief concern now is helping people to get access to clean water.

Many people say that while they have recived some rice supplies since the storm stuck, but many compalin they have not received enough.

Documents that were soaked in the cyclone are left to dry out.

Aid workers say it will take a long time before the south-west of Bangladesh recovers from the storm.

Everywhere destitute people approached the boat appealing for food and medical help.

Desperate villagers line the river banks calling out for aid.

Aid has arrived, but its too little, too late

The chief concern now is contamination of drinking water.

Everywhere villages have been shattered and people left homeless.

Such was the ferocity of Thursday's cyclone that ships were tossed onto river banks.

This ferry was blown onto dry land by the force of Thursday's cyclone,.

Still local people are moving debris from villages and roads.

The town of Royenda looked as it had been hit by a bomb.

Many people have no homes to keep their clothes

Because people have no houses, many villagers shelter underneath whatever materials are available.

Evidence of the destruction created by the strom can be seen everywhere.

In some villages, hardly any buildings were left standing.

Everywhere the MV Aboshar sails, we come across families grieving their loved ones.

Some families in south-western Bangladesh complain that they have not eaten since the storm struck and are still missing loved ones.

A saw mill site is deserted after the storm in the town of Royenda

Many people are now having to sleep outside because their homes were destroyed.

Most people complained before the cyclone that the prices of essential fooods was too high. Now they are set to rise higher after crops were destroyed.

There is barely a poor villager in Bangladesh whose house has not been in some way damaged by the storm.

Yet despite the severity of Thursday's tragedy, people try to get on with life as normal.

Fishermen in the Bay of Bengal were hardest hit by Thursday's storm and even now some are unaccounted for.

Thousands of trees were blown over and paddy fields destroyed.

Col Entimal of the Bangladeshi army told the BBC's Alastair Lawson that efforts were being made to provide aid to poor people in rural communities who had suffered most in one of the worst cyclones that he said he had ever known.

Many roads after Thursday's cyclone remain barely passable.

Everywhere you go in the south west of Bangladesh, it's possible to see power lines down after Thursday's cyclone.

The cyclone destoyed the Chandramohan village school, leaving pupils with no-where to be taught.

Many people in rural areas such as Chandramohan village in the south-west of Bangladesh have been left homeless.

Slowly but surely the south-west of Bangladesh is getting back to its feet again after the storm, but many areas remain without power and telephones.

Because bridges are damaged and roads strewn with fallen trees, massive traffic jams are created.

A masive clear-up operation to remove trees that are blocking roads has begun.

Aid is arriving to remote rural areas, but it is taking time to come, and many communities are still waiting.

Villagers in Sharonkholur had no food, no homes and no medical help two days after the cyclone struck. BBC staff helped out where they could.

Many children in Sharonkholur have lost parents in the cyclone, while food is in pitifully short supply.

The scale of destruction has to be seen to be believed. No home was left standing in Sharonkholur.

When the BBC team arrived in Sharonkholur, villagers were burying their dead.

Villagers have not only lost their homes, they have lost their crops and livestock too.

With no medical help, villagers in Sharonkholpur have to treat themselves.

Many villagers remain traumatised by the storm - everywhere the sound of women crying could be heard.

BBC staff had to abandon the MV Aboshar ship when she run aground in heavy rain in the Jamuna river.

But as the rain continued to pour, the decison was taken for staff to leave the boat by catamaran and head for the nearest hotel.

As BBC staff left the MV Aboshar, only the captain of the boat and a few key staff remained on board. They face a stormy night.

Crew on the BBC boat test the depth of the river in heavy rain to find a way of getting the MV Aboshar unstuck.

Earlier in the day locals struggled to find shelter from the pre-cyclone rains by any means available.

In the last big cyclone that hit bangladesh in 1991, children and women figured prominently among the casualties.

Before the storm hit, farmers desperately tried to move their livestock to safer areas.

The weather is beautifully placid, but we're reliably informed that a big cyclone is heading towards Bangladesh.

The BBC's James Sales prepared a delicious Thai soup in the kitchen area of the MV Aboshar on Wednesday night.

At Daulatdia's main bus station trolley rickshaws wait to takthe luggage of bus passengers. But on this occasion the passengers were the BBC's James Loosemore and John Ngahyoma from the Swahili service.

Many children live nearby Daulatdia's railway lines. For them it's a tough life.

Coconuts of Daulatdia are delicious, nutritious but sometimes hard to get.

This child in Daulatdia was photographed outside a school. But many childen in the town do not go to work.

As concern grows over the world about global warming, Bangladeshis are also coming under pressure from the government and international organisations to find different fuel supplies to wood.

But most people need wood for cooking, and until a cheaper energy source can be found, it will always be heavily in demand.

Daualtdin gets very busy later in the day, as lorries, truck, carts and rickshaws jostle for space on the roads.

Quite how the farmers managed to persuade the cattle onto the lorry is unclear. But if the driver goes too fast round a bend, there's would be no need to worry as they were hemmed in so tight.

The town of Daulatdia - like many in Bangladesh - is a hive of activity - and the marketing of livestock is a key paret of the local economy

Children in Bangladesh become involved in the chores of family life at an early age.

The BBC's Dan Vasiliu interviews the man in charge of issuing birth certificates in the town of Mawa

Mawa is a town awash with boats, from this variety to numerous speed boats that ply the nearby river.

These houses on stilts in the town of Mawa are specially designed to be portable, so that they can be moved quickly in the event of a strorm.

This man in Mawa is such a fan of the BBC that he waited several hours to offer some coconuts to the team free of charge.

The town of Mawa has a thriving market, offering everything from apples and oranges to bananas and other local fruit.

Boats are not the only way that Bangladeshis travel. The country also has a much-used railway network.

There is something distinctly Biblical about these fish on sale in Chandpur market.

The food eaten on the boat by the BBC team is delicious. That's because the cook gets up early to go to the market and buy fish recently caught.

Tea stalls are found all over Bangladesh, and there's no better way to start the day than an early morning cuppa.

The BBC's James Loosemore ensures that the lively education debate is beamed live to London.

Many in the audience complained that their education was being adversely affected by constant flooding and land erosion.

Participants in the education debate wait in a reception area prior to the start of the Bengali programme.

The BBC's Shakeel Anwar chairs a debate on education in the village of Narshinghapur in the district of Shariatpur.

...To Bangladeshis attending discussions on education organised by the Bengali service.

As the BBC boat meandered northwards, life for the peple of this river nation passes by peacefully.

People in Bangladesh often have to carry heavy weights...

This child watches the MV Abosar as she sails by heading towards Daulatdia.

This river north of Barisal has to be dredged in winter to allow bigger boats to carry on using it.

The reason dredging is necessary is unclear: but what is not in dispute is that this area had less rain than expected during the monsoon.

Alastair Lawson files for the BBC by the side of a dredger moving silt from a river that is not deep enough for big ships in winter.

The equipment used by the dredgers is old fashioned. This British engine is estimated to be at least 30 years old.

The BBC's Pamela Rutherford (with microphone) and Claudia Hammond attract much attention as they carry out interviews for the BBC World Service programme, Health Check.

So too to boats passing us by on the river, which are often over-laden.

Barisal is known as the Venice of Bangladesh

The arrival of the baby by Caesarian was a relief for the mother who lost her last child.

This child was born while a BBC team was visiting the the hospital in Barisal

It's a beautiful Tuesday morning and the BBC team wakes up at dawn to see Bangladeshis going about their daily lives on the water.

By the end of the day many of the boats which ferry up and down the river are no longer to be seen. It's supremely quiet and peaceful.

Bangladesh is not renowned for its tourist industry, a surprise given the stunning beauty of many of its rivers.

It's the begining of an 11 hour journey from the Sunderbans towars Barisal, known as the Venice of the East.

It's a beautiful day, with just enough breeze to keep us cool and help local people get from A to B.

But not everybody goes to bed. Occasionally a larger vessel passes by, its loud foghorn reminding us that the river never properly goes to sleep.

Like many Bangladeshi towns, there are a variety of medicines available which are on display in Dickensian-style cabinets.

The man in the middle here is Alastair Lawson - who is replacing me on board the MV Aboshar as of today. He will be writing the diary stories and keeping the site updated along our journey as I return to the UK.

Mohaemmed Abdul is a wildlife expert at a wildlfife sanctuary near Mongla. Its key work is to breed crocodiles and release them into the Sunderbans forest.

A view down one of the streets in Mongla. Mongla is the second-largest port in Bangladesh and the location of our second BBC Sanglap programme.

Mr Abdul told us that he fell over and broke his arm while handling monkeys at the sanctuary,

This is one of a number of crocdiles being kept and nurtured in pens in the wildlife sanctuary. They are kept here until they are two metres long, and then released into the wild.

The spotted deer in the wildlife sanctuary are very friendly - and often approach tourists looking for snacks...

This sign in the sanctuary indicated the place the Royal Bengal tigers are supposedly hiding. As has been the case so far, however, they proved elusive...

These rhesus monkeys came to greet us as we entered the Mongla wildlife sanctuary. This specific type of rhesus monkey is only found in the Sundarbans.

This 3D model of the Sundarbans is inside the Mongla animal sanctuary. Mongla itself is in the top right-hand corner.

The fishermen have been coming to the Sundarbans with their otters for 35 years. They borrow money from lenders - around 20,000 taka (£144) - to finance the trip. They can make up to 2,000 taka per day fishing with the otters.

The otters need to eat around three quarters of a kilo of fish each per day.

Fishing with otters is not widespread in the Sundarbans. That is because it takes time and expertise to train the animals to round up fish.

Otter hunters in the Sundarbans use the animals to round up larger fish into their nets, creating a more sustainable from of fishing because younger fish escape.

The Bangladesh River Journey has been extensively covered by a variety of BBC journalists and producers filing for television, online and radio.

After finishing in Chandpai we returned to the MV Aboshar, now moored outside of Mongla for the second Sanglap programme. Although it would not be recorded until the next day, the crowds were already building.

Myself, Louise, Siobhann and Vefa wait for Dimitry and Eric to return from filming more footage of Chandpai.

The victim was very old. She was sleeping next to the wall when attacked. The tiger was chased away before it ate her body, but it was too late to save her.

This is where the elderly woman died. The tiger swiped its claw through the thin wood wall, attacked her and dragged her outside in its jaws.

Vefa Veysalova and Chris Ancil from the Azeri Service record their material in the mud where the tiger prints were found.

The irrawaddy dolphin is a generalist - it is found both in the sea in the Bay of Bengal and in the rivers of the Sundarbans.

Children are practiced at climbing trees in order to avoid the tiger. If the tiger is seen, being able to get high up is essential.

Amidst the footprints in the soft mud, very recent tiger prints are also clearly visible.

This is Adam Barlow, who works for the Sundarbans Tiger Project, a joint venture between the forest department here and the University of Minnesota. He has been closely studying the behaviour of the tigers in the Sundarbans, and believes that long-term the Sundarbans tigers are one of only three sustainable populations of the animals.

And here it is. It is very small - only around 20 centimetres.

Crocodiles are still very common in the Sundarbans. As we were in the village, we heard a commotion from excited children who had found a baby one in their pond and had put it on the end of this rope.

The boy on the right is Mohammad Moshin Sheikh. His father was eaten by a crocodile while out fishing last year. The man next to him, Kamir ul-Islam, was on the boat at the time. "Early in the morning, we were pulling up our nets. Suddenly, he was not there any more."

Surface water in Bangladesh is used for washing and cooking

This shed was used for keeping goats. The hole in the roof is where the tiger entered. It killed all the animals inside.

Much of Chandpai extends in a straight line either side of the road away from the harbour. But fishing is still an important source of food and income further inland - there are many ponds and pools in which fish are farmed, and can easily be caught.

This is Selina Begum and her rather camera-shy daughter Toma. Selina explained that she protects her child by keeping her on a raised platform when the tiger is around. The children are also taught how to avoid the tigers.

Chandpai is spread out along a canal - located just behind where these boys were pedalling their rickshaw, broadcasting their own running commentary of a football match they had seen. The canal is so full of silt that the tiger can cross into the village unimpeded. The local government is now dredging the canal.

This man, a businessman named Amjad Sheikh, said he has found himself facing the tiger several times. In July he found it confronting him near the main street. "I started shouting to alert everyone. They jumped onto the tin roofs of their houses and banged them, which succeeded in driving the tiger away," he recalled.

At night the tiger is often sighted prowling down this main road through Chandpai. The village is in constant fear of the tiger: more than 50 animals have been taken in recent months, with the tiger entering the village once every two nights. One elderly woman has also been killed.

The number of flags flying indicate the severity of the threat. Three flags mean a cyclone rated between 8 to 10 in strength.

The radio is essential for communicating cyclone warnings. This picture, also drawn on the side of the school, shows a family listening out for news of the weather.

Here, people are shown heading to the school as the weather turns. Being in the south of the country, and thus nearer the Bay of Bengal, Chandpai is particularly vulnerable to cyclones.

This is the main school in Chandpai, which - like the one in Galachipa - doubles as a cyclone shelter. The writing and illustration on the walls gives instruction on what to do in the event of a cyclone.

These people are cutting blocks of mud from along the riverbank to make bricks for houses in Chandpail. Chandpai is a collection of small villages along a road leading away to Bhola. The area is in the north-east tip of the Sundarbans, and as a result the people live in close proximity to the Royal Bengal tigers which live in the forest. The tigers are regular visitors to Chandpai, meaning it is a place of acute "tiger-human conflict."

Mowgli, who is one of the key members of the Bangladesh Cetacean Diversity Project, is the son of the guide for our journey, Hassan.

The shushuk is the local name for the Ganges River dolphin. It is an unusual-looking dolphin, with a long snout, small dorsal fin and large flippers.

On Wednesday, experts from the Bangladesh Cetacean Diversity Project (BCDP) came on board the MV Absohar to talk to us about the problems the dolphins of the Sundarbans face, and in particular the risk from climate change. Note that these pictures are from the BCDP research, and not taken by us aboard the MV Aboshar.

Climate change threatens river dolphins because sea level rises would sweep into the rivers and disturb the confluences where dolphins gather and live.

This is an Indo-Pacific Bottlenose dolphin that has died after being caught in fishing nets. Dolphins, being mammals, need to come to the surface to breathe; when they become entangled in nets,

This is Abdul Gaffar, a shopkeeper in the Sundarbans. He survived an attack from one of the Royal Bengal tigers that live in the forests. “We were in a boat when the tiger attacked," he recalls. "I jumped over the tiger to save my brother. I held the tiger’s head under my belly. The tiger hit me with his left front foot - that’s where the scar comes from. Then my brother started to beat the tiger. I had to pull my hand out of the tiger's mouth. The tiger left us and went on shore."

Abdul's scar from the tiger attack can clearly be seen in the centre of his forehead. "When my brother came with a stick and started beating the tiger, the tiger went a little further away and started to crouch. It's face was so fearsome. But when I was holding it under my body it was so soft. I could not understand how it could suddenly be so fierce."

This owl flew ahead of us along our silent boat trip. Birds of prey are common in the Sundarbans, but the loss of habitat further down the food chain would threaten their existence.

To see many of the creatures in the Sundarbans involves a "silent boat trip" along the rivers. There is a small but growing ecotourism industry in the Sundarbans, and these trips are part of that. Aside from the three security guards at the front of the boat, those with us are, front to back: Russell Shubbo of the Bengali Service; Chris Ancil (Azeri); myself (Word Service Future Media); Barney Rowntree (Over To You); Rob Winter (Studio Manager) and Mouna Ba (Arabic).

Because the mangrove is effectively flooded twice a day with the tides, the banks of the river never dry out. The wet mud makes them ideal habitats for millions of small crabs and mudskippers.

The monitor lizard is another of the reptiles found in the Sundarbans. In some places, it is believed that sighting a monitor lizard meant a crocodile was close by. Fortunately, this proved not to be the case on our trip.

Pawprints left by the Royal Bengal tiger. There are an estimated 400 tigers in the Sundarbans - one of the last sustainable populations in the world. The tigers are famously man-eating - official figures are that 25 people are killed by them each year, but it is believed the real number is at least twice that.

A much better picture of the rhesus macaque, taken by John Andrew. The point about these pictures is to show the vast diversity of life visible within an hour or so of exploring the Sundarbans. But this life is estimated to be under considerable and direct threat from climate change. A Unesco report published this year stated that a 45 centimetre rise in sea level, which the IPCC is likely by 2100, could lead to the destruction of three quarters of the Sundarbans mangroves.

The rhesus macaque, hanging around in the branches of this tree, is one of the 32 species of mammal in the Sundarbans. There are also wild boar, otters and around 30,000 spotted deer.

We have already seen how prone Bangladesh is to cyclones. But the mangroves are essential to protecting the country from the worst effects - the trees acting as a barrier to any associated tidal waves. They also absorb the energy of tidal surges. If the Sundarbans forest disappears, it will leave the rest of the country much more vulnerable to the predicted dramatic weather events associated with climate change.

This is part of the Sela Gang, one of the immense network of rivers in the delta - which ultimately is the output of the Ganges. Rivers, streams and canals account for nearly a third of the total area of the Sundarbans.

Hidden away in the middle of this photo is the Golden Kingfisher, one of nine types of kingfisher which live in the Sundarbans – the largest variety of kingfishers anywhere in the world, and another example of the huge biodiversity of the mangrove forests. In all, there are 270 species of bird recorded.

From the safety of the MV Aboshar, we spied this crocodile taking a yawn on the river bank. The esturine crocodile is the biggest of the 50 reptile species here - others include the king cobra, pit viper and monitor lizard.

This eagle followed our boat as we journeyed upriver from Katka in the south-east of the Sundarbans.

Fish-eating birds - such as this heron - thrive in the Sundarbands, where fishing is extremely restricted and in some parts banned completely.

This odd, finger-like fruit is tamarind. It is eaten with salt and tastes extremely sour.

These are dhundal, also known as "mangrove cannonball.". When the mangrove floods, the fruit bursts, scattering the seeds into the water. The fruit is inedible, but the wood of the tree is used for making pencils.

We stepped off the MV Aboshar to take our first look round this most important and fragile area. The Sundarbans is home to crocodiles, spotted deer, numerous species of rare birds and most famously of all, the Royal Bengal Tiger.

The forest stations are very remote. Guards in some parts of the Sundarbans have to travel 40 kilometres or more to markets in order to get food. This is Supati Forest Station, where we first entered the Sundarbans proper. At Supati our boat picked up six guards to monitor our journey through the forest.

The Sundarbans are protected by Forest Guards, stationed every 10-20 km along the rivers. Vast tracts of the forest are uninhabited, and the main way in is by river; all vessels wanting to enter have to provide identification and pay a certain fee. In certain parts of the forest, fishing is completely banned, and the forest guards also monitor this.

Mangroves themselves are forests which grow around salty coastal areas. Because they have to adapt to harsh conditions - such as saline water and frequent inundation by tides - they are extremely varied habitats.

These Indian flying foxes were the first of the exotic animals we sighted in the Sundarbans. They are a very large type of bat - their wingspan is 80cm.

The Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world. A protected World Heritage Site, it is split between Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, with 62 percent being on the Bangladesh side. It is a place of massive biodiversity, but it is also under great threat from the potential effects of climate change.

Saqib, a student from Class 9, has been receiving lessons from the Red Crescent in what to do in the event of a cyclone or flood. After the warning is received, some members of his family wrap food in polythene bags, bury it and mark it. Others round up the livestock and herd it to higher ground. They are able to do this and then get to the cyclone shelter before the storm hits.

This lone, heavily-pregnant goat wanders the long flat land alongside the river. When floods do strike Galachipa, they simply surge over areas like this and into the town.

Much of the land nearest to the river - and hence closest to the rising water - is in a state of disrepair. Some buildings in this area have been abandoned since the 1970 cyclone.

Serious pedal power is needed to get this bus going. This is another of the rickshaws that rush for the school when the cyclone warning sounds.

This man is one of those who benefits from the storm damage - he repairs houses. He says that his work depends on the damage, but is mostly on roofs.

Hassan is the top pupil in Class 4. says he feels "very insecure" when in the classrooms. It has only been during his time at the school that the building has been so badly damaged - he remembers people rushing into the school when the cyclone warning has gone off.

This is Fatima Kuzlu, one of the children at the school. "I am scared because often the bricks come off when I am in the classroom," she told us. "I am particularly scared of the floods - I have seen people die from drowning and disease with my own eyes."

This is one of the classrooms that has had to be abandoned due to the risk of ceiling collapse.

In all, the school has 700 students, but only two rooms are safe. As a result, many of the classes are held outside.

On the floor of one of the abandoned classrooms is a textbook covered by dust and debris. One boy told us that he had recently been sat in class when a piece of the ceiling fell down on his friend. The unfortunate student was taken to hosptial and required several stitches to his forehead.

These classrooms cannot be used for lessons, because their roofs are too unstable.

The school's headmaster is proud of his school, but deeply worried about the condition he is in. He says that he is desperate for help from NGOs, as there is just nothing the government can do - there is simply not the money.

Ironically, the cyclone shelter appears to be one of the places most badly damaged by storms. "It is in need of reconstruction, but the government has no money for this," the headmaster said."If another cyclone occurs, the people cannot come here. They will have to stay on the streets."

However, once we got inside the school building it became clear that as a shelter it will no longer work. The headmaster showed us this room which is crumbling away; it can only be used for storing books now, and would be incredibly dangerous to be inside if there was a storm.

Before 1970, there was no warning and no shelter. Now there are around 40 in the region. Galachipa Primary School is the main one for the town.

Dimitry from the Russian Service films a passing rickshaw. When the cyclone warning goes, rickshaws are essential for getting people quickly to the cyclone shelter.

Interestingly, the residents say that the frequency of cyclones has in fact decreased in the last 20 years. They also say they feel more secure because the culture of building has changed - before 1970, people mostly lived in mud houses, but they have now switched to using bricks.

This man buys fish from local fishermen to sell them at the market - but during cyclones and flooding there are no fish coming in. He explained that one hour before the storm, the Red Crescent announces that a cyclone is imminent. The people of the town then rush for the cyclone shelter, which is located at Galachipa Primary School.

On the way into the town is this large billboard which urges children to save water - by making sure they turn the tap off when washing.

Building near the water is especially risky, but there are measures that can be taken during construction to strengthen houses against damage, including putting in extra supporting columns and better securing the roof.

After getting off the boat, one thing that is immediately apparent is that the houses closest to the water are built on stilts. This is a measure common in many parts of the world susceptable to flooding - affording at least some protection from the rising waters.

Galachipa is in the far south of Bangladesh - an area acutely prone to extreme weather such as cyclones and flooding. As one of the potential effects of climate change may be that both these events will become more severe, we visited a school that doubles as a cyclone shelter to see how people prepare for these dramatic events.

Eric Camara of the Brazilian Service heads back to the top deck after a trip down to his cabin.

Sushilikumar Jha of the Hindi Service ponders for a moment with James.

Chris Ancil and Vafa Fakhri check their piece for the Azeri Service at their laptop.

Jessica Ayers - the PhD student of Dr Saleemul Huq who has stayed on - checks her figures with Dr Atiq Rahman.

Dmitry Shishkin from the Russian Service prepares his first report.

By 6pm, nearly every space is taken and laptops are humming, powered by the solar panel on the roof.

Another of John Andrew's spectacular images from along the journey.

Vafa Fakhri, Siobhann Tighe and Dr Atiq Rahman take a few moments out from the hectic afternoon.

Cecilia Barria of the Latin American section with microphone in hand - although here she is actually interviewing the birds - the picture is a publicity shot.

Mark Dummett, from BBC World's Asia Today programme, gets ready to interview project manager James Sales on the roof of the boat.

By around 5pm, work was starting in earnest - although John Andrew still got the chance to take this stunning photograph of the sunset.

Liston of the Indonesian Service records his interview with Dr Atiq Rahman of the IPCC.

Although the storm has passed, the clouds still threatened behind the boat.

As the MV Aboshar headed further town, we passed by this group of children above the riverbank - who ran excitedly alongside. Again, the effect of erosion can clearly be seen - the bare soil exposed along Bangladesh's ever-changing landscape.

Once lunch has been cleared away, the journalists begin unpacking and setting up their workstations. It does not take long before the main cabin resembles a mini newsroom.

Barney Rowntree, from the World Service audience feedback show Over To You, takes the chance to catch some late sun.

Over on the riverbank, one walker - caught out in the rain - is grateful that he took his umbrella.

Our proud display lies in tatters on the deck.

Meanwhile, Said Musa demonstrates the impact of the storm - there is no serious damage to the ship, but the lovingly-crafted bunting has been all but destroyed.

Still sheltering from the last drops of the storm, Keith Adams from newsgathering at the World Service talks to Dr Atiq Rahman, another new arrival who has replaced Dr Saleemul Huq as our resident IPCC advisor.

Now in the suddenly bright sunshine, Vafa Fakhri, of the Azeri Service, would just like to say hello to her daughter Nergiz.

Rob Winter, one of our Studio Managers, takes a rest after rescuing large amounts of very important and expensive equipment from the roof of the boat as the sudden squall hit.

The view from the front of our boat as the weather suddenly cleared again - although the wind remained strong.

This picture gives an indication of how fiercely the storm struck.

Very suddenly, the weather turned and an intense squall engulfed the boat. Very strong gusts coupled with intense rain that was almost horizontal

New arrivals Lili, from the Chinese service, and Cecilia, from the Latin American section, have a laugh following their meal.

The smoking ban applies as much aboard the MV Aboshar as it does back in the UK. Smokers - such as Miti, a journalist from one of the national papers here - have to go outside, even in the wind and rain...

We got a few waves and cheers as we headed past one of the piers on the way out of Barisal.

Ours was one of several vessels steaming away from Barisal this Sunday morning.

Barisal is one of the most significant places along our journey - as indicated by this enormous passenger ship berthed there. We will return and explore it properly in around 10 days.

A few minutes later, our new arrivals were tucking into lunch. Most typically, it has included goat or fish, stewed vegetables, lentil dhal and rice.

After such a trip, the chance to get aboard the MV Aboshar was very welcome for our new arrivals. The boat would then be taking a very long journey south, which means we would not get a chance to go on land today - giving me the opportunity to take a few pictures which show what life is like for us aboard the boat.

Our new arrivals - including members of the the Chinese, Latin American, Azeri, Brazilian, Hindi, Mandarin, Indonesian and Russian services - came on board in Barisal, after a seven-hour journey by bus from Dhaka.

As bad as it was inside the boat, it was nothing compared to the outside. Thousands of the moths were caught in the netting put up a few nights ago.

There are 28 of these windows around the main cabin; all of them were in the same state as this.

As some of us were still working, there was no chance of turning out the lights that were drawing the moths in. Here they are in the main part of the boat, the large cabin on the top deck.

The moths were not very big, but they were plentiful.

Our first night in Bhola it was flies who descended in their thousands on the MV Aboshar; on our second it was moths. This picture is of one of the windows inside the boat.

Masud wraps up the programme bang on time. The river show will now move onto Mongla, where we will do it all again at the same time next week.

The helicopter gets low to take in the set and the MV Aboshar in the background.

The camera crane with the helicopter above. The footage will appear on the partnership local TV channel I, as well as on the Bengali webpage, www.bbcworldservice.com/bengali.

Presenter Masud Khan, in the centre, with the panellists - Dr Saleemul Huq, advisor to the PCC; Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, of the NGO Coast; and two local representatives of Bangladesh's major political parties.

People file around as last-minute checks are made before filming begins. The format is the same as for the Question Time programme in the UK - around six or seven questions are supplied by the audience beforehand, and then other people can ask supplimentary ones.

Showing the docks, just below which the Sanglap was being filmed.

From the deck of the MV Aboshar, James Sales (left), project manager, checks his phone (again) whilst studio manager Rob Winter keeps an eye on things over on the riverbank.

Louise Bisdee, who is overseeing health and safety during the trip, keeps a watchful eye on the crowds as they arrive at the sanglap.

This is another of the great photos taken by John Andrews. Some had heard about the programme from the radio; others from publicity around the town; and some were simply attracted by the sound from the helicopter.

Another reason the Sanglap drew such attention is that national media in Bangladesh tend to take much less interest in stories outside of Dhaka. The BBC's arrival in this intensely rural area was therefore a big thing - the Sanglap programmes are about making an effort to voice their issues and problems.

The crowds demonstrate the popularity the Bengali Service enjoys in this part of the world. The BBC has a historic relationship as a trusted brand for the people of Bangladesh - it was the only credible organisation broadcasting during the war of independence in 1971, and has enjoyed tremendous popularity ever since.

The audience of 150 people were selected guests who had appplied in advance to be here - either by writing, emailing or phoning the Bengali Service.

Well before filming of BBC Bangladesh Sanglap - a question-the-panel show in Bengali - the crowds began to gather. This show, the first of four along our route, was being filmed on the riverbank in Bhola.

Noural Islam is a former businessman and advisor, now retired. He describes himself as a "man of Bhola" and belives that people are responsible for climate change. "Everywhere in Bangladesh will be affected," he adds. "This is a problem where both politics and nature attacks us. It all depends on God and whether he likes the position We must alert all people to our position and what the future holds.”

This man did not say anything about climate change, but his produce gives a flavour of what is on offer in Bhola Town's bazaar.

Humayan Noun is a former policeman, now retired. He was buying eggs when we approached him. He said he was already experiencing climate change. "In earlier times, there was a lot of green open space, there were lots of trees, and lots of uncultivated land," he said. "The weather had balance. Now there is no open space, and the industry is increasing and the population is increasing; this is why the weather is changing. The summer is to long and too hot; the rainy season is coming later; the winter is too short. We are harvesting too much from nature."

Manoj Kusmar writes for the local newspaper in Bhola Town. He said that the local government rates the risk of flood and cyclones striking at eight out of ten. He explained that he reports on "river eroision and water development, that a sea level rise is likely and the water is becoming more saline, but nobody is interested." He added that once every five years, the weather is hot enough to kill people, and that a number of old people have lost their lives this year through that reason.

Seventy-year-old Abdul Hassan has lived in Bhola for 15 years. He sells tobacco, matches and pipes on one of the streets in Bhola Town's bazaar. “The days are very much hotter now, and the nights much colder," he said. "It has been this way for four or five years. I have already suffered from these changes; floods three months ago broke through into my home. Rich countries like America and India have not banned carbon dioxide. When they do it will be sorted."

And here is that shopkeeper. Like his counterpart in the nearby general store, he too was sceptical about climate change. "“The climate is always changing," he said. "Flooding has always been going on; it is inevitable everywhere, because this is the biggest delta district in the country. When the levels of the Meghna rise, flooding is imminent - it is simple.”

This is some of the stock of one of Bhola Town's food stores. When we spoke to shopkeeper there, he explained that when the floods come, he tries to save whatever he can - but anything else has to be destroyed.

Trying to keep some order in the intense traffic - and doing so armed with only a few cones and some orange string - was this man. “Yes, there is some change. Winter takes longer to arrive. But why? I think the question is controversial. It is a political issue. I don’t understand these things.”

Sadly, this man was in rather too much of a hurry for us to ask his opinon on climate change.

Bhola Town is typical of many such places in this part of the world - crowded main streets teem with bicycles and rickshaws, closely-packed corrugated iron buildings creak in the breeze, and people generally shout at you if you stand in the middle of the road taking pictures.

Such was the crowd surrounding us when we first arrived in Bhola Town that this was the best picture I could get of our first interviewee, the manager of general store. (He is actually in the centre, wearing glasses; the man Siobhann is talking to is our interpreter.) The store manager was little concerned about climate change: he said simply that "there is more good weather than before.”

This is the bus we caught on the way to Bhola Town. It was quite empty when we first boarded; it would not stay that way for long...

That night, the boat came under an even worse attack of insects than we have had before. Hundreds of thousands of tiny flies - small enough to slip through the netting that covers our windows - swarmed from the nearby paddy fields over to the MV Aboshar. They were particularly attracted to the lights.

Sanglap presenter Masud Khan, on the left, checks his seat is to his posterier's liking, while our ship's co-ordinator Hassan (on the right) makes sure the guests will having nothing to complain about either.

Another dramatic photograph taken by John Andrews. Here as a Studio Manager, he has some seriously hardcore photographic equipment - as well as having an highly perceptive eye - and is undeniably responsible for the best of the pictures amongst this set.

People working in the nearby paddy fields came over to see what was going on as work continued on the set.

The camera operators check their viewing angles and the best positions established. The programme itself will be directed by Ross Fitzpatrick, who more usually works on the BBC Six O'Clock News.

For all the problems it faces - and we will be looking at them in depth tomorrow, when we visit Bhola Town - the island of Bhola is exceptionally beautiful in areas.

This flag may look like Belgium has made a claim to part of Bangladesh, but in fact it is the colours of the local family which runs things in the area.

As the cloudburst continued, Clem and Michelle of the World Service Trust went into the routine from of one of the most well-known musicals...

As preparations were getting under way, a sudden downpour engulfed the set. Nearby, children sheltered from the worst of it under a net in a boat.

In a downpour this torrential, any shelter will do...

The blocks are nearly over the guardrail...

As the crew worked outside the boat, we were joined inside by Dr Saleemul Huq, one of the key authors of the forthcoming report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. On the right is his PhD student, Jessica Ayers.

...and with enough people pulling, the task is completed.

After a few minutes planning, long poles are lowered down to the boat beneath. These will act as runners. Ropes are then attached to the top of the blocks...

Mid-morning and the set for the MV Aboshar, which will be in the background during the programme, arrives on a wooden craft. It consists of two large wooden blocks, which present something of a logistical challenge...

And here's Rob, our other Studio Manager, getting all the sounds of the evening. Too busy with the microphones, he ended up being about the only person not to have had a go with the instruments by the end...

By this time, everyone wanted a go on the drums. Masud Khan, presenter of the BBC Bengali programmes from the boat, was next to join in.

John, one of the two Studio Managers who are with us for the first two weeks, also grabbed a drum and joined in. He was highly accomplished - but then he did play drums in early '90s indie group Kingmaker.

Project Manager James Sales joined in the singing with his brave solo rendition of Dock Of The Bay. Although he is not from Georgia but Essex, he managed it rather well.

Getting on the drums - and giving a very accomplished performance - was Maruf, one of our fixers and interpreters here.

As well as the journalists and crew on board the MV Aboshar, a number of locals - including a politician and a police chief - also came on board to watch the performances. Here, Shilpa and her family sit between Siobhann Tighe of Outlook, on the left, and Project Manager James Sales on the right.

Shilpa, the youngest of our entertainers, gave two performances. The first was a dance to a Bengali country song; the second to a Tagora song. She did both dressed in full traditional costume.

The evening started with a performance on traditional instruments, the harmonium and the flute, but musicians Balaram Baishnab Balai and Mr Shameem.

Shilpa, in the middle, was to be the star of the evening. He she is getting ready for her performance surrounded by her mother and sister.

We welcomed our guests on board the MV Aboshar in the glow of a barbecue on deck.

Not far away, a new char can be seen forming. Its growth may provide a new home for some of the residents of Bou Doba, but it simultaniously helps destroy their current dwellings - as it diverts the river current over their char.

Ahead of our short journey in the local wooden rowboats back to the catamaran, myself (on the left) and Mouna Ba, of the Arabic Service, made sure we had our lifejackets on...

Signs of comparative wealth on Bou Doba - a television, a radio and a battery.

This man is one of Bou Doba's richer residents. He has a son in Saudi Arabia who returns money to the family.

With no electricity, the people of Bou Doba live a very basic existence. They cook using clay ovens like these. This one was freshly-prepared and still wet to the touch.

The name "Bou Doba" literally means "drowned wife."

There are quite a number of cattle on the char - although they mostly look in poor health and very thin.

One elderly resident smiles after being asked whether there is much tension on the char. He says it is not a problem. But this is not always the case - the competition for the land can be intense when new chars appear, and it has resulted in gunfights and deaths.

This is Ahatar and his 10-month-old son Abdul Padhr. Ahatar moved when the island was "pretty new," he later left, but has since returned. He travels around with corrugated sheets with which to build shelters. When he first came, the water was thigh-high at high tide, and would flood into his house each evening.

The families that remain on the char are swelling in numbers, even as the island disappears.

The island may have been made from erosion, but it is equally susceptable to it. Bou Doba is shrinkning and there are not that many people left now; those who could afford to have already moved on ahead of the advancing water.

Most of the population of Bou Doba are young children. The families tend to be very large.

She did not have the chance to save anything from her old home. Each time she has moved, it is because of erosion. Each time they settle they have done so by the river because of the cost

One of the very few elderly residents talks to Said Musa. "I am the only one of my generation left," he says.

There are no schools on Bou Doba; the children instead spend their time helping out

A resident of Bou Doba explains his situation to Said Musa from the BBC Somali Service and Siobhann Tighe of BBC World Service's Outlook programme.

Hassan, the head of this household - which includes two wives and several children - is absent for days at a time, as he goes to market to sell what he can.

Like most people on Bou Doba, this woman has spent much of her life travelling from char to char, as the islands appear, swell and then get washed away again. Two of her eight children were born on Bou Doba. She says she is expecting to move again soon, "but I don't know where we'll go next."

When chars first appear, the new land attracts a lot of interest. Those who want to stake a claim there do so by uprooting their banana trees and replanting them where they want to live.

Living conditions on a char are very hard; resources are scarce. Most people live a highly agrarian lifestyle, residing in shelters and growing crops and livestock for sale at markets some distance away.

The river is so shallow around the char that our catamaran was unable to get to it. Fortunately, a couple of local people came to help us out.

Bou Doba is one such char. It has only existed for around five years. Around 2,000 people live there. It is barely higher than the surrounding water, and should sea levels rise the chars will be among the first things to disappear beneath the water.

While so far this journey has looked at erosion and how it is removing the land from under people's feet, here we were looking at what happens to all that soil and sediment. The answer is what are known as "chars" - islands of silt that grow in the middle of rivers.