BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

ENVIRONMENTALLY-DISPLACED MIGRANTS IN BANGLADESH: HUMAN SECURITY PERSPECTIVES

Author: Sufia Khanom

DOI Link: https://www.doi.org/10.56888/BIISSj2018v39n3a2

ABSTRACT

This article has brought a critical perspective to the gendered nature of insecurity as experienced by environmentally-displaced migrants through their everyday experiences of insecurity and its effect on their long-term capability. Both anthropogenic interventions and natural calamities in the coastal zones directly affect one quarter of Bangladesh and the many people living in these regions. Unexpected flows of migration shape both the nature of cities and development processes. Dhaka already has a large influx of migrants and is expected to receive a greater influx of environmentally-displaced migrants due to the better economic opportunities available there compared with other parts of the country. Different development sectors, utility services and infrastructure developments have expanded rapidly but have been unable to keep pace with the demand of the growing population. There is a lack of coordination between different government bodies in terms of implementation of policies, rules and regulations. The gap between service provision and demand is further exacerbated by mismanagement and brings every day to long-term insecurities of its residence. This insecurity also arises not only from ‘being a man’ or ‘being a woman’ or ‘being a migrant’, but is also due to specific practices, processes and power relations within the social institutions at individual, community, national and regional level. Environmental change is a global phenomenon and environmentally-displaced migrants are forced to take the decision to migrate like refugees. Yet, the protection of environmentally-displaced migrants is neither fully a global nor a national responsibility. There remains insufficient attention to protect the rights of environmentally-displaced migrants.