Climate refugees: The growing challenge in Bangladesh

The devastating floods in Bangladesh have brought the urgent issue of climate-driven migration to global attention, with 4.5 million people left destitute, the nation faces the daunting challenge of supporting and rehabilitating these displaced individuals. Bangladesh, a country heavily impacted by climate change, has become a prime example of climate refugees. Coastal areas have experienced more frequent, variable, and severe weather disasters, and many researchers claim that people in these coastal regions have already started moving to safer inland areas or may do so in the future. However, other experts argue that climate change and environmental issues have little to no effect on migration from Bangladesh’s coastal communities.
Regardless of the ongoing debate, the reality on the ground paints a grim picture. Frequent natural disasters are inescapable threats to the people of Bangladesh, where migration is a common livelihood strategy in response to the loss of climate-sensitive occupations and low adaptive capacity.
The struggle to survive amid constant natural disasters has led many Bangladeshis to migrate as a way to earn a living since their climate-dependent jobs have been lost and they lack the means to adapt. Bangladesh has been ranked sixth among the most adversely affected countries by extreme weather events during the period of 1997-2016, with the risk of floods and loss of lives and properties being a constant concern.
Climate-induced migration, however, leads to serious problems beyond just people losing their homes. Most rural middle-class migrants end up in the lower classes when they move to cities, causing them to slide down the social ladder. The lack of basic education limits the options for these migrants and their families, forcing many to barely survive in harsh slum conditions that are even worse than the problems that made them leave their rural communities in the first place.
To address this growing crisis, a community-based rehabilitation approach has been proposed as a potential solution. Such an approach focuses on assessing the needs and challenges of the displaced communities, and developing tailored interventions to support their recovery and reintegration.
Facing these harsh realities, climate refugees in Bangladesh struggle to rebuild their lives. Forced to move to cities, they often end up in slum conditions even worse than what they left behind, with limited options due to a lack of education. This downward social mobility adds to the suffering of these displaced people, who are already dealing with the devastating impacts of frequent natural disasters on their livelihoods and communities. To address this growing crisis, a community-based rehabilitation approach has been proposed as a potential solution.
Additionally, the government and international organisations must work together to implement comprehensive poverty reduction and livelihood security measures to support these vulnerable communities. Drawing on field research, experts have suggested recommendations in areas of poverty reduction, livelihood security, and sustainable development to encourage more positive migration and human development outcomes.
With the increasing threat of climate change, addressing the plight of climate refugees in Bangladesh must be a top priority for policymakers and the global community.
Esrat Karim is the founder and director of Amal Foundation. You can reach hit at [email protected]