Bangladesh Urged to Protect Rights, Dignity of Climate-Displaced People

As climate change intensifies cyclones, floods, river erosion, and tidal surges, a growing number of people from vulnerable coastal regions are migrating to cities such as Dhaka. Ensuring social protection, dignified living conditions, and economic inclusion for these climate-displaced populations remains a major challenge, experts said at a roundtable on April 15.

The discussion, titled “Toward Inclusive Protection: Social Safety Nets for Climate Migrants, Challenges and Way Forward,” was held at the Tejgaon office of Samakal, a well-known Bengali-language daily newspaper, and jointly organized by Caritas Bangladesh and the newspaper.

Participants from government, academia, civil society, and development sectors called for a coordinated national plan to protect the rights of climate migrants living in urban areas.

Daud Jibon Das, executive director of Caritas Bangladesh, said climate-induced displacement is now a shared reality for both migrants and urban residents. He noted that in 2024 alone, an estimated 2.4 million people moved from coastal areas to major cities due to climate-related disasters. Millions more are displaced each year by floods, cyclones, and erosion, compounded by unemployment and rural economic distress.

Dr. Ainun Nishat, emeritus professor at BRAC, a leading private university, based in Dhaka, said that despite funding through initiatives such as the Delta Plan, weak coordination has limited results. He stressed the importance of enabling people to remain in their home regions, warning that large-scale rural-to-urban migration is unsustainable in a densely populated country like Bangladesh.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association said at least 21 districts face severe risks from salinity, flooding, and erosion. She called for stronger government-led interventions and urged authorities to include climate-displaced people in national social protection programs, including housing and welfare schemes.

Rezwanur Rahman, director general of the Department of Disaster Management, said housing alone is not enough. He emphasized the need for livelihood support, income generation, and resilience-building, including exploring agricultural and housing insurance.

In her keynote presentation, Dr. Tasnim Siddiqui of the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit warned that global displacement could reach 26 million by 2050, with up to 19 million in Bangladesh if action remains insufficient. Although Bangladesh adopted a National Adaptation Plan in 2021, implementation has been limited, she said.

Representing affected communities, Sabina Khatun from Khulna recalled losing her home during Cyclone Aila. “I did not get a national ID or access to support programs,” she said, highlighting gaps in assistance for displaced families.

Caritas Bangladesh continues to support internally displaced people through climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction programs in high-risk districts such as Khulna and Satkhira, promoting resilience and social inclusion.

Speakers agreed that without urgent, coordinated action, climate displacement will continue to deepen inequality and strain urban systems in Bangladesh.