Disasters Displace 2.4 Million People in Bangladesh While Secondary Cities Lack Housing Policies
Rising seas and intensifying weather events displaced 2.4 million people within Bangladesh in 2024, according to recent disaster data. The International Monetary Fund predicts that similar environmental pressures could eliminate more than one-seventh of the country’s land area and nearly one-third of its food production by 2050.
As these environmental shifts drive populations away from coastal and hazard-prone regions, researchers are examining whether secondary urban destinations are equipped to receive them. While migration is frequently treated as an adaptation strategy that removes people from immediate threats like flooding and river erosion, a new study published in Climate and Development indicates that relocation often exposes migrants to new vulnerabilities in urban informal settlements.
Secondary Settlements Create a Portfolio of New Hazards
Roland D. Smith, a doctoral researcher at the University of East Anglia and primary researcher of the study, examined how population movements unfold in the short and medium term. Speaking via Zoom with Mongabay, Smith explained that while migrants move away from initial hazards, they frequently encounter what he terms a portfolio of new risks.
In the informal settlements of southwestern Bangladesh analyzed in the study, this portfolio includes recurring flooding due to inadequate drainage, insecure housing, deficient utility services, and unreliable employment.
Sumaiya Binte Selim, a researcher at the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), noted that sudden displacement brings both economic and non-economic losses. New arrivals must adjust to urban living expenses and the loss of social networks, compounding the challenges of finding stable income.
Modern Slavery Risks Confront Internal Climate Migrants
Beyond living conditions in informal settlements, internal climate migrants face severe labor exploitation. An International Institute for Environment and Development working paper published in February 2025, based on research conducted in Pirojpur and Sylhet, revealed that 92% of study participants had experienced at least one form of modern slavery.
These exploitative conditions include wage withholding, restrictions on movement, abusive working practices, threats, intimidation, and physical violence by employers. With climate change projected to displace one in seven people in Bangladesh by 2051, these labor vulnerabilities present significant policy challenges for both municipal and national authorities.
Bangladesh Struggles to Implement Internal Displacement Strategies
Bangladesh has established formal strategies to manage internal displacement, including the National Strategy on Internal Displacement Management adopted in 2021 by the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. The strategy follows a threefold approach focused on prevention, protection, and durable solutions, supported by the National Adaptation Plan.
Md Ekhtekharul Islam, a PhD fellow at the University of Copenhagen and research fellow at the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit, noted that while these policies acknowledge the rights of migrants, practical implementation remains constrained. Municipalities often lack detailed tracking mechanisms for populations moving in and out of their areas, and low-income settlements frequently experience informal governance mediated by political actors who influence access to resources and services.
Munia Tahsin, a researcher at ICCCAD, analyzed the National Adaptation Plan in 2025 and found that its urban interventions do not explicitly address human mobility. This creates a gap between national mitigation goals and the practical needs of secondary cities expected to accommodate incoming populations.
Frequently Asked Questions About Climate Migration in Bangladesh
What specific hazards do climate migrants face after moving to secondary cities?
According to the Climate and Development study, migrants moving to informal settlements in southwestern Bangladesh encounter recurring floods from poor drainage, insecure housing, inadequate utilities, and precarious daily-wage jobs that prevent upward mobility.
What percentage of internal climate migrants experienced labor exploitation in the studied regions?
An International Institute for Environment and Development working paper published in February 2025 found that 92% of study participants in Pirojpur and Sylhet experienced at least one form of modern slavery, such as wage withholding or abusive working conditions.
What national policy guides internal displacement management in Bangladesh?
The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief adopted the National Strategy on Internal Displacement Management in 2021, which utilizes a threefold approach focused on prevention, protection, and durable solutions.
How do secondary cities influence migration patterns away from Dhaka?
Researchers at ICCCAD note that secondary municipalities featuring ports and export processing zones can ease population pressure on Dhaka by offering viable employment, provided that municipal authorities maintain adequate social safety nets and housing infrastructure.
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