Bangladesh: Media Urged to Highlight Plight of Climate Migrants in Southwest

Media professionals have been urged to draw greater attention to the growing challenges faced by climate migrants in southwestern Bangladesh.

The call came at a media advocacy meeting organized by Caritas Bangladesh at the Khulna Press Club in Khulna on April 22.

The meeting, themed “Media Advocacy Toward Inclusive Protection: Safety Nets for Climate Migrants, Challenges and Way Forward,” brought together national and local journalists from print and electronic media, along with climate experts and representatives of displaced communities.

Four climate migrants from vulnerable areas in Khulna District and Satkhira District shared personal accounts of displacement caused by cyclones, tidal surges, and river erosion. They described how repeated climate shocks forced them to leave their homes and move to urban areas, where access to housing, health care, education, and stable employment remains limited.

Participants discussed gaps in social safety net programs and the need for stronger policy responses to address internal displacement linked to climate change.

Speaking as the chief guest, Md. Enamul Huq, convener of the Khulna Press Club, said media professionals have a responsibility to highlight the human impact of climate change and to support informed public debate on policy responses.

In a keynote address, Dr. Md. Ismail Hossain, assistant professor at the Institute of Disaster Management at KUET, outlined key drivers of internal migration and called for practical policy interventions.

The meeting concluded with a call for closer coordination among government agencies, media organizations, and development actors. Participants emphasized that ensuring dignity, protection, and sustainable livelihoods for climate migrants is central to long-term climate resilience in Bangladesh.