Climate Forced Migrants

of Bangladesh Coast

Related Evidences and Proposals

1. CLIMATE FORCED MIGRANTS
Global discussion on Climate Forced Migrants (CFM)
started in 1980's and now resettlement, rehabilitation and
reintegration becomes an anxiety in political and
development arena1. People who have to migrate to other
areas from their ancestral homes due to impacts of
climate change including increased frequency and
intensity of cyclones, storm surges, river bank & coastal
erosions, droughts, severe floods and salinity intrusion are
defined as Climate Forced Migrants2, Climate Refugee,
Climate Change Refugee, Environmental Refugee, or
simply Climigrant by different environmental and rightbased groups.

Like the terminology, there is no consensus on definition

of Climate Forced Migrants. The Cancun Agreement
recognised CFM without any definition of the terminology.
According to working definition of International
Organisation for Migrations (IOM), CFMs '...are persons or
groups of persons who, for compelling reasons of sudden
or progressive changes in the environment that adversely
affect their lives or living conditions, are obliged to leave
their habitual homes, or choose to do so, either
temporarily or permanently, and who move either within
their country or abroad'3. Besides, Global Governance
Programme (GGP) of European University defines these
people as '...people who have to leave their habitats...for
at least one of three impacts of climate change: sea-level
rise, extreme weather events, and drought and water
scarcity'4.
Laying the debates on the definitions and terminology, it is
a consensus that CFM creates a major problem in Global
Refugee Management. Intergovernmental Panel on

Climate Change (IPCC) and Sir Nicolas Stern (2009)

projected 200-250 million peoples who will have to
migrate by 2050 due to adverse impacts of climate
change5.
Christian Aid (2009) estimated the number of CFM was 25
million in only 2007 and the number will be more than 250
million by 20506. Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
estimated that more than 27 million people victimised to
CFM in 20107. In a conservative estimation, World Bank
estimates that more than 55 million people will be
displaced in 84 developing countries8.
Thus a large number of forced migrants are added with
the refugees from political and ethnic cleansing, war and
conflicts and it is now a major concern of political
analysts, economists and environmentalists. Numbers of
international research institutions warned that illegal cross
border migration may be a threat to global and regional
security9. This problem may become severe in South Asia
and Southeast Asia especially in Bangladesh-IndiaMyanmar region, according to Asian Development Bank
(ADB), World Bank and other Multilateral Organisations10.
Climate Change is a global issue where northern
industrialised countries are responsible and poor southern
countries are victim. Due to these characteristics, dignified
recognition and rights of free movement as universal
natural persons is must; as well as internal capacity
building and preparedness for relocation, rehabilitation
and reintegration is essential.
2. CLIMATE FORCED MIGRANTS IN BANGLADESH
Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries
(MVCs) due to Climate Change. According to several

international vulnerability and risk assessment reports

including Professor Caroline Sullivan, UK based research
organisation Mapplecroft and Germanwatch Bangladesh
is at topmost position in the top MVCs for now and next
30 years11.

Due to Sea Level Rise (SLR), coastal and river erosion,

increased and severe cyclones and storm surges, long
lasting floods, extreme salinity, drought and water logging.
Due to these extreme climatic events, 600 thousand to 1
million people are displaced each year12. The detail of
internal displacement due to climate change is given
bellow13:
In one of the climate change vulnerability reports (2006) of
Ministry of Forest and Environment (MOEF) of
Bangladesh estimated that 6-8 million people may be
subjected to internal and external displacement from the
hotspots of climate change14. In Bangladesh Climate
Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP, 2009) it is
estimated in a range of 7 million to 20 million15. Some of
the research documents estimated the number of CFM
may be more than 30 million, according to indicators of
Stern Report.
In Bangladesh, the coastal zone is the most vulnerable
hotspot for climate change. More than 17 percent area of
coastal zone is in risk of drowning under sea water. Due
to adverse impacts of climate change, a large number of
people out of 40 million of coastal zone are forced to
migrate to the other areas. According to a report of ADB,
significant number of people internally displaced every
year due to sea depression16. In an average 40 thousand
people loss their houses by only storm surges and
cyclones17. International and national media has already
reported some evidences of CFMs.

After only one and half year of cyclone Sidr, cyclone Aila
hit the coastal zone on 25 May 2009 when the people
were trying to recover their damage20. The cyclone Aila
killed 193 people and damaged 46 thousand houses21.
228 villages of 4 Upazilas under Khulna and Satkhira
districts were totally flooded by saline water as the coastal
embankments were breached by severe storm surge22.
More than 400 thousand people were displaced by
cyclone Aila23 while at 123 thousand people migrated to
urban areas after losing houses, crops and livelihood
opportunities24. Cyclone Aila induced displacement
scenario is given bellow25:
Primarily Displaced

450,000

Temporarily forced migrants

123,000

Migrated for 6-9 month

46,500

Long term migrants

14,500

The affected people had lost their houses, crops,

cultivable land, belongings and livelihood options and
forced to migrate to urban areas including Satkhira,
Khulna, Jessore, Dhaka and Chittagong cities, Hill Tracts
and even to the neighbouring countries illegally26.

2.1 SOUTHWEST COASTAL ZONE: CASE OF

CYCLONE AILA18

Among the migrants 54 percent migrated after losing

house and cultivable lands while 13 percent due to losing
their houses and homestead lands which was their only
resource, 17 percent for lack of livelihood opportunity and
food scarcity and 3 percent for safety of their women
family members27.

Super cyclone Sidr hit the coastal zone on 15 November

2007 and killed more than 3,500 people. At least 10
million people were displaced as 2.3 million houses
damaged by cyclone Sidr. Around 30 thousand people
were forced to migrate from the affected areas as the
whole coastal zone was destroyed by the cyclone19.

But the migrants were not relieved from the curse! Due to
economical crisis, 97 percent of the forced migrants took
shelter in the slum areas while 53 percent live in mudmade houses and 24 percent under the roof of corrugated
iron-sheet. Only 7 percent of them can live in brick-made
houses.

Page: 2

As the government has not taken any state initiative to

provide livelihood and essential services to the forced
migrants, 39 percent of the displaced people are
unemployed while 37 percent work for 3-4 days a week.
78 percent of the migrant families cannot ensure sufficient
food for the all members28.
Water scarcity among the forced migrants is really
serious. Only 2 percent of them get safe water from Water
and Sewerage Authority (WASA) of Khulna city while 38
percent get water from Slum Owners home, 32 percent
from common taps or tube wells. 14 percent of the forced
migrants have no specific source of water.

international standards, constitution and other national

policies.
2.2 SOUTH-EAST COAST: THE PEOPLE ARE
SINKING GRADUALLY29
At least 2.1 million people live in 27 islands including
Kutubdia, Maheshkhali, Saint Martin's, Swandip of Bay of
Bengal and estuaries30. These islands were evolved
through thousand years and mostly inhabited by the fisher
folk communities. The communities developed their
civilisation through struggle with the rough weathers e.g.
cyclones, storm surges and flooding31. But incidents of
displacement and forced migration have been increased
due to recent boost of coastal erosion with frequent sea
depression, cyclone and storm surges32.
High tide level at estuarine of Bakkhali River in Cox's
Bazaar has been reached 3.88 mitre in February 2010
which was 3.39 mitre in same period of 1991. Kutubdia is
one of the islands faced severe impact of climate
change33. Almost 65% of its 250 km2 area has already
been disappeared34. The famous lighthouse of Kutubdia
has totally grabbed by sea in 2006. The only windmill is
also inundated now35.

The situation of sanitation is worse than water. There is

one latrine for every 40 people in the slums they live in. 58
percent toilets are unhygienic while 21 percent toilet has
no water-seal. The women cannot use the toilets in due
time and a large number of them are experienced
reproductive health problems.
24 percent of the affected people who has taken shelter in
Khulna city avail treatment from private clinics while 8
percent from quack/traditional healers and 12 percent
from government hospitals. Only 7 percent of the children
are attending government schools while only 2 percent
get education from non-formal schools as they displaced
in the middle of session year.
The situations of cyclone Aila induced migrants are
absolutely inhumane which is totally conflicting with
Page: 3

According to population census 2001, total population of

the island is 95,055 in which 51.66 percent male and
48.34 percent female36. Mass-displacement was
happened here firstly during severe storm-surge in 1998
and secondly during devastating cyclone in 199137. After
the adverse weather events more than 60 thousand
people migrated gradually from North Dhurung, South
Dhurung, Ali Akbar Del and Baraghop Union due to
serious coastal erosion. One of the settlements of these
forced migrants is Kutubdia Para in Cox's Bazar town.
In the most exposed southern part of Cox's Bazar town,
Kutubdia Para is inhabited by erosion-affected people
from Kutubdia, Swandip and Hatia islands. More than 15
thousand forced migrants live in 16 localities within
Kutubdia Para. Among the inhabitants 63 percent from
Kutubdia Island, 17 percent from Maheshkhali island, 13
percent from Hatia Island under Noakhali district and 7
percent from other areas38.
The inhabitants of Kutubdia Para had to migrate to this
location due to several causes such as loss of houses and
all belongings by cyclones and storm surges (38%), loss
of cultivable lands and houses by erosion (27%), loss of
fishing boats in the sea (19%) and other causes (16%).

There are no essential services provided to the migrants

although Kutubdia Para is a jurisdiction area of Municipal
Corporation.
There is no government primary school within 2
kilometres of the Para while a Madrasa39 is working with
support from inhabitants. There is only one market run by
the forced migrants. No permanent roads to Kutubdia

pipeline water supply from the Municipal Corporation

here.
In the mean time, Bangladesh Government planned to
expand the Airport in 2009 by evacuating forced migrants
though there are Air Force Base and fish hatcheries. The
government postponed the plan after huge People
upsurge. Still the plan is on the table and people live in
fear of eviction.
3. RIGHTS AND SECURITY OF CLIMATE FORCED
MIGRANTS
CFM's rights of free movement, resettlement,
rehabilitation and reintegration are demanded from all
corners of the world. CFMs are the worst victims of
climate crisis and they, including the low lying countries
like Bangladesh, are not responsible for this crisis. It is
proved that northern industrialised countries are liable for
global warming and they must take the responsibility of
CFMs.
In the mean time, some government institutions including
USA and European Union recognised Climate Migration
issues40. Several human rights and environmental groups
also raised the issues in international forums41. To comply
with the UN standards of human rights, there is no
alternative of adopting a new UN Protocol recognising
CFMs as Universal Natural Persons with proper dignity
and free movement.

Social Map of Kutubdia Para : Hasan Mehedi

23 September 2011, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh

Para though there are modern urban services for adjacent

Airport, Bangladesh Air Force Base and posh hotels. Most
of the roads are flooded during monsoon and the people
move with boats within the locality.
After the cyclone of 1988, the government resettled 180
families in Kutubdia Para and committed to resettle all the
displaced people. After cyclone of 1991 more than 100
people resettled here with permission from Deputy
Commissioner of Cox's Bazar. Gradually the number of
resettled families increased without any essential
services.
Literacy rate in Kutubdia Para is only 23 percent. Most of
the children are working in the fish frying plants as a
labour. 54 percent of total labour force is involved in
fishing and fish processing. The average daily per head
income is less than 17.42 Taka (US$ 0.23). There is no
Page: 4

To this end, Bangladesh Government should stand strictly

in national and international level. Honourable Prime
Minister42, Finance Minister43, Food and Disaster
Minister44, Foreign Minister45 and Environment and Forest
Minister46 expressed their concern and urged for a new
international body to manage the issue.
Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank (WB) and
some other western institutions urged for internal
management and promoting voluntary migration of CFMs
considering their contribution in national development47.
But it is a tough job for Bangladesh Government to build
new settlements and management as it is a high
populated country with limited resources and its unicultural society. Cultural adjustment between migrated
and host communities may create social unrest and
economic problems.

Bangladesh is already facing severe crisis in food and

energy sectors. The new settlements of a large number of
migrants will create further negative impact on food
security. New settlement may create acute conflicts which
Bangladesh has been experiencing in Chittagong Hill
Tracts (CHT) for last 3 decades.

c) Dignified livelihood options for the vulnerable

communities (industrialisation, promoting agriculture,
alternative livelihood etc.);

Therefore, achieving CFMs rights to free movement to the

development countries is not only a question of justice but
also essential for national security. At the same time,
Bangladesh has to be prepared for internal management
of CFMs. To ensure immediate management of the forced
migration Bangladesh has to develop a new policy to
ensure safe life and livelihoods and social protection of
the forced migrants with proper human dignity.

e) Technical, linguistic and cultural training for the CFMs

so that they can be required citizen of host countries;

4. CIVIL SOCIETY DEMANDS

So we propose immediate adoption of an UN led dignified
protocol on Climate Forced Migrants with options of free
movement as Universal Natural Persons. Simultaneously
national measures are important as the all of the
displaced people cannot migrant internationally at the
same time. So, In the national context we demand a

d) Promoting voluntary migration of vulnerable

communities (district towns, industrial zone,
agricultural zone etc.);

f)

International campaign on economic, technical and

cultural positive role of Bangladeshi migrants in
developed countries;

g) Positive and strategic relationship development with

possible host countries;
h) Creating pressure and continuous negotiation to get
adequate funds for resettlement and livelihood
development;
i)

Enacting Disaster Management Act (DMA) to ensure

quick and adequate actions during disaster which
must be increased in changed climate;

j)

Review of Ashrayan (Resettlement) Policy and

Khasland (State Owned Land) Distribution Policy in
the line of UN Guiding Principles on Internal
Displacement.

Reference:
1

national Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Reintegration

(3R) policy to address the issues related with CFMs which
includes:
a) Relocation of the CFMs with secured livelihood,
sound environment and adequate human dignity;
b) Protection of communities who are vulnerable to
migration (coastal embankment, sufficient cyclone
shelters, climate resilient houses etc.);
Page: 5

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Page: 6

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Contact: Hasan Mehedi, Chief Executive, CLEAN

<clean.khulna@gmail.com, info@cleanbd.org>