Climate change-related migration in Bangladesh

This policy brief analyzes migration patterns in Bangladesh, finding that while permanent and some international migration are less sensitive to climate change, internal displacement and short-term internal migration are highly sensitive. It highlights the severe impact of disasters, such as cyclones and riverbank erosion in districts like Sirajganj and Munshiganj, and the critical role of international remittances (US$14.17 billion in 2012) in national development.

• Internal migration in Bangladesh is predominantly rural-to-urban, accounting for two-thirds of total flows. While historically driven by a decline in farming income (from 59 to 44 per cent between 1987 and 2000), current drivers are evolving as some rural areas experience economic growth in vegetable production, maize, and fish and chicken hatcheries.
• Extreme weather and ecological changes cause significant displacement in Bangladesh. Approximately 50 million people are affected by disasters every five years, with the coast experiencing a severe cyclone on average every three years and 25% of the country inundated during annual monsoon rains. For instance, the 1998 floods damaged 2.6 million houses, and Cyclone Sidr in 2007 destroyed 537,775 houses.
• Riverbank erosion and the formation of 'chars' (islands) create high vulnerability in districts such as Sirajganj, Chapai Nawabganj, and Munshiganj. Annually, 2,000 to 3,000 kilometres of riverbanks erode, rendering 60,000 people landless and reshaping 9,000 hectares of mainland and 5,000 hectares of char. In the Jamuna-Brahmaputra floodplain, two-thirds of inhabitants have experienced displacement at least once.
• Short-term international contract migration is a critical economic driver for Bangladesh. In 2012, remittances totaled US$14.17 billion, representing 44 per cent of all remittances received by the 48 least developed countries. Between 1976 and 2012, nearly 8.3 million Bangladeshis migrated abroad, with 500,000 to 600,000 people migrating annually since 2010 to destinations including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Malaysia, Korea, and Singapore.
• Different migration streams exhibit varying levels of sensitivity to climate change. Displacement and short-term internal migration are the most sensitive. Permanent settlement migration is weakly sensitive, and short-term international contract migration has traditionally been less sensitive, although informal recruiters have recently begun hiring from climate-vulnerable areas.

APA

Martin, M., Kniveton, D., Siddiqui, T., & Islam, M. T. (2013). Climate change-related migration in Bangladesh. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/PB-2-max-24102013.pdf

Chicago

Martin, Maxmillan, Dominic Kniveton, Tasneem Siddiqui, and Mohammad Towheedul Islam. Climate change-related migration in Bangladesh. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2013. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/PB-2-max-24102013.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Martin |first1=Maxmillan |last2=Kniveton |first2=Dominic |last3=Siddiqui |first3=Tasneem |last4=Islam |first4=Mohammad Towheedul |title=Climate change-related migration in Bangladesh |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=April 2013 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/PB-2-max-24102013.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{martin2013climate, author = {Martin, Maxmillan and Kniveton, Dominic and Siddiqui, Tasneem and Islam, Mohammad Towheedul}, title = {{Climate change-related migration in Bangladesh}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2013}, month = apr, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/PB-2-max-24102013.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }