Protecting our climate-induced displaced population

Every year, thousands of families from coastal districts such as Bhola, Satkhira, Barguna, and Khulna are forced to abandon their homes not because of war or persecution, but because of rising tides, eroding riverbanks, and increasingly violent cyclones. They flee to cities like Dhaka, Khulna, or Chattogram in search of safety and survival. Yet, upon arrival, they have to face a new kind of disaster: the absence of legal recognition, housing rights, and social protection. They are climate-induced internally displaced people, and in Bangladesh, they remain largely invisible to the law.

Bangladesh is recognised globally as one of the countries that are most vulnerable to climate change. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), nearly 13.3 million people could be displaced within Bangladesh by 2050 due to climate-related impacts. Despite this growing crisis, there is no specific legal or policy framework that recognises the climate-induced displaced or protects their rights.

Currently, the displaced families fall into a grey area where they are not classified as 'refugees' under international law, nor as 'internally displaced persons' (IDPs) with special legal status under national law. The Disaster Management Act 2012 and the National Plan for Disaster Management do emphasise response and recovery, but they remain silent on long-term rehabilitation or legal entitlements for those displaced permanently. As a result, IDPs often end up living in informal settlements, without secure housing, access to clean water, education, or healthcare.

Many families from coastal areas like Shyamnagar or Charfasson arrive in the capital after losing their land to river erosion. With no formal proof of residence, they cannot access national ID registration, social safety nets, or even basic services. Their displacement is environmental, but their suffering is legal.

To ensure justice, Bangladesh needs to recognise climate-induced displacement as a human rights issue. This means expanding existing legal frameworks to include the right to resettlement, livelihood protection, and access to justice for the displaced populations. The Constitution of Bangladesh, under Article 15 read with Article 32, already provides the moral foundation for such recognition. Strengthening these constitutional promises through legislative initiatives is both urgent and necessary.

Moreover, the government could consider establishing a National Climate Migration Policy, aligned with the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 and National Adaptation Plan (NAP), to guide planned relocation, land allocation, and social integration of climate-affected people. Such a policy should clearly define responsibilities among government bodies ranging from the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief to the Ministry of Land and Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives to ensure that displaced citizens are not left in bureaucratic limbo.

At the local level, community-based organisations and NGOs have shown what legal empowerment can achieve. Initiatives that help IDPs obtain legal documentation, access microfinance, or engage in participatory urban planning demonstrate that inclusion is possible. However, these efforts must be backed by law, not just as charity.

Bangladesh has long been a global symbol of resilience in the face of natural disasters. Yet, resilience should not mean forced adaptation to injustice. Climate induced displacement is not just an environmental issue, but a question of rights, dignity, and recognition. The people fleeing the coast are not mere victims of fate. Being citizens of Bangladesh, they are entitled to the full protection of its laws. If we fail them, we fail the very spirit of justice that our Constitution promises.

The writer is student of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies at the University of Dhaka.