7th International Conference on Civil Engineering for Sustainable Development (ICCESD 2024), Bangladesh

CLIMATE INDUCED MIGRATION: A CASE STUDY IN KHULNA CITY

Khondoker Mahmud Parvez*1 and S. M. Moniruzzaman2

1
Ph.D. Student, Institute of Disaster Management, KUET, Bangladesh, e-mail: parudu@[Link]
2
Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, KUET, Bangladesh, e-mail: moniruzzaman@[Link]
*Corresponding Author

ABSTRACT
As a low-lying country of South Asia, Bangladesh has to face various types of climatic events and
challenges especially in the coastal areas. These events can affect population movement in
Bangladesh in various ways. The primary causes including both the unexpected and periodic
environmental events impact on the displacement of population in altered ways. The study has the
importance which indicates that sudden environmental hazards like cyclones, floods, and riverbank
erosion and these movements usually happen on a huge scale. In these circumstances, people return to
their original places after the situation of the affected area becomes stable. However, there are also
some extreme events which can result in a permanent form of migration. The study is aimed to
explore why the migrants are forced to leave their own environment in the Khulna city of Bangladesh.
To achieve the objective, 200 different surveys were conducted on the migrants living in Khulna city.
These migrants came from the different disaster-prone upazillas from Khulna district in Bangladesh.
The research reveals that cyclones and extreme flooding events, the erosion of riverbank, loss of
agricultural land and salinity intrusion in the study area were the principal reasons for their movement
and they are facing various troubles in terms of their employment opportunities, new living conditions
in the new places of unfamiliar environment.

Keywords: Climate induced migration, causes, disasters, movement, Khulna city

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INTRODUCTION
The coastal areas of Bangladesh are enormously vulnerable to different kinds of climatic disorders for
its climate and geographical situation (World Bank, 2002). The country encountered serious cyclones
like Sidr in November 2007, Aila in April 2009 and continuous flooding in the year 2004, 2007 and
2009, cyclone Nargis in 2010 and Mahasen in May 2013 (Ahmed, 2010). The Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC 2001) stated that the coastal areas of Bangladesh are in danger which
may increase saline water by 2050. Also, temperature rising may reduce the manufacture of crop by
30% and decrease the production of Boro rice by 62% and wheat by 61% by 2050 in Bangladesh
(Adger, 2003). Environmental disorders greatly influence the movement of population in different
ways. It also depends on the intensity of the disaster and the affected countries and people.
Nevertheless, in the aftermath of ultimate climate events, there is a deficiency of clear suggestion for
a systematic trend of actively pursued patterns of migration (IPCC, 2012).

The present situation of migration illustrates that many people are now being displaced by
environmental disasters than war (Ahsan, 2014). The idea of climate and population movement due to
environment is not a new chapter and can be drew back to previous considerations on environmental
displacement those were predominantly noticeable from the 1990s. Climate induced migration has
appeared as the extreme danger encountered by human beings in the present world (Clime Asia,
2009). It effects on various sectors like economic development, social security and basic rights of the
people (UNDP, 2007). A lot of individuals have already been exiled for the cause of climate induced
natural calamities like Aila and Sidr in Bangladesh. These affected people are forced to shift from one
place to another for the environmental disaster and are unable to continue their livelihood any longer.

The southern seaside areas of Bangladesh are the place of living for 35 million habitants with a 738
person/km2 density which will be 40-50 million by 2050 (Hossain, 2009). Basically, the coastal
people of Khulna district suffer much for the natural disasters due to its location. For this reason, by
this time many people have shifted to the Khulna city areas from the coastal zones for the regular
storms and cyclones, erosion of riverbanks, salinity intrusion, loss of agricultural lands etc. This
procedure of climate induced rural to urban migration in Khulna started in 1970 when a robust
cyclone attacked the coastal regions that caused to 3 million deaths (IOM, 2009). In recent, the
cyclones Sidr and Aila are liable for the great destruction in the southwest coastal region in
Bangladesh in 2007 and 2009. Salinity intrusion in groundwater and soil is another environmental
challenge in this area, which reduces the amount of agricultural land and living places. The primary
objective of the study is to examine the inherent factors of migration why they are forced to leave
their own environment in the Khulna city of Bangladesh.

METHODOLOGY
This study has been conducted based on stratified systematic random sampling method. Out of 1100
respondents in different slums and urban fringe areas in and around Khulna city, about 200
respondents are classified as the targeted community. The targeted communities are the people who
are displaced or migrated from their origin due to climatic hazards like cyclones and flooding, river
erosion, water and soil salinity, loss of agricultural land etc. Based on the research, targeted
respondents are categorized in the climate displaced or climate migrant stratum. Out of those 200
selected respondents, 100 respondents are selected through systematic random sampling, every
alternative sample has taken to conduct the questionnaire survey. The alternative sample has been
taken to minimize the sampling error and to get the maximum diversity. Selected 100 samples are not
equally distributed among the thanas of Khulna city, rather they were selected based on the
concentration of the displaced or migrated communities. Therefore 50% of the respondents are
selected from Daulatpur thana, 20% from Khalishpur thana, 20% are from Dighalia and rest 10%
from Sonadanga thana. Pre-selected survey was performed to conduct the questionnaire survey to get
the field data. Secondary data sources were also used to gather information regarding the inherent
causes of the migrants. Needed documents were composed from numerous sources specifically
through surveying household, focused group discussion, key informants’ interview (KII) and from

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thesis papers and several journals. The key informants were the head of the family and the local
counselors of that area. The flow chart of the research methodology is presented in Figure 1 below:

Conceptualization

Secondary Data Collection

Selection of the Study Area

Reconnaissance Survey

Development of Data
FIRST Collection Tools PHASE

Field Data Collection

Quantitative Data Collection Qualitative Data Collection

Questionnaire Survey with  Focus Group Discussion

Climate Induced Migrant  Key Informant Interview
Households  Case Study
 Field Observation

Monitoring, Supervision &

Quality Control
SECOND PHASE

Data Consolidation and

Analysis

Data Interpretation and Report Writing

THIRD PHASE

Incorporating Comments & Feedback Final Report

Figure 1: Methodology of the Research

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The Place of Origin of the Migrants

Among the 100 climate migrants, the highest percentage is originated from Koyra, Dacope and
Paikgacha. The other locations from where the migrants originated found from the study are
Shamnagar, Ashasuni, Vagba, Sagordari, Tala, Keshobpur Sadar as described in Figure 2. All these
places are susceptible due to the effects of the natural disasters like cyclones, flood, storm surges etc

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 7th International Conference on Civil Engineering for Sustainable Development (ICCESD 2024), Bangladesh

become a frequent climate threat in these places. As such the people are pushed to migrate in the
urban areas.

Figure 2: Place of origin of the migrants

Types of Migration
While studying the climate migrants living in the urban areas of Khulna city, it was found that most of
them are permanently migrated to the city and have no plan to go back to their place of origin. Figure
3 indicates that the percentage of climate migrant that have left their origin permanently is 80%. The
percentage of seasonal migrants who have come because of heavy rain, flood, draught or other
reasons is 15% and the temporary dwellers who will go back to their origin after having some
resources is 5%.

Figure 3: Pattern of migration

Year of Migration
According to Figure 4 below, among the 100 climate induced migrants, 3 people migrated in1995 and
2000, 5 people in 2003, 20 people in 2007, 15 people in 2008, 20 people in 2009, 16 people in 2019,
13 people in 2020 and 5 people in 2022. The Figure also indicates that, 66% have migrated to Khulna
city till 2009 and the rest 34% migrated between from 2010 to 2022. In 2007, 2008 and 2009,
cyclones Sidr, Nargis and Aila hit the southern coast of Bangladesh which created climate migrants
from mainly Koyra and Dacope upazillas. They were forced to come to the city in search for a job in

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that period (IOM, 2009). After these occasions, new climate migrants created in 2019 mainly for the
events of dreadful cyclones Fani and Bulbul.

Figure 4: Year of migration

Inherent Factors Behind Migration

In this study, the composed data exposed that the respondents migrated to Khulna city for some
particular reasons of climate-induced natural disasters. The poor and deprived people in southwest
coastal areas especially women, senior citizens, kids are the most harshly affected by the natural
disasters. They are really unable to deal with and react to natural catastrophes because of their poor
economic condition. Basically, the people who are marginalized, economically inferior and politically
deprived are less able to the processes of decision-making in the society. As in Figure 5, the results
found from the study indicate that the cyclonic disasters, river erosion, soil salinity, water logging,
flood etc. are the main reasons for the migration. Among the respondents, 77% are cyclone affected,
15% are affected by riverbank erosion, 5% by loss of agricultural land and rest 3% have migrated
because of the salinity intrusion in that area.

Figure 5: Reasons of migration

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Cyclones and Extreme Flooding Events

There were three severe cyclones occurred in 2007, 2008 and 2009 namely Sidr, Nargis and Aila
attacked the southern coastal region of Khulna and as a result, a large number of people were
displaced in a short period (IOM, 2009). A different climate migration arose in 2019 mainly for the
actions of overwhelming cyclones Fani and Bulbul. The affected people displaced for safeguarding
their socio-economic securities after these cyclones form that region. The collected data in Figure 6
represent that 22 people migrated in 2007 for the cyclone Sidr, 20 people for cyclone Nargis, and
another 20 people for Aila. In 2019, 8 people migrated for the cyclone Fani and 7 people for Bulbul.
After the cyclone Aila, people migrated for the shortage of food and water, losing the own living
places, fish and agricultural business farms. The data denotes that the highest 28.57% people migrated
by the cyclone Sidr in 2007.

Figure 6: Migration due to cyclones

Riverbank Erosion
Riverbank erosion is another reason for the displacement of the migrants for their loss of household
possessions. People, who live in the riverside areas, are very much vulnerable. They lose their land
and assets immediately after the erosion of the river starts and become helpless. After losing their
assets, the poor families were forced to travel to Khulna city in an instant response for their shelter
and rehabilitation. The present study illustrates in the Figure 7 that, in the year 2000 the numbers of
migrants were 2 and in 2005, one people migrated to Khulna City. But in 2010, the number of
migrants increased to 5 because of the consequent strikes of natural disasters in that period, which is
33% and it is the highest amount of migration due to the riverbank erosion. From 2015 to 2022, total 7
people migrated to Khulna city.

Figure 7: Migration due to riverbank erosion

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Loss of Agricultural Land

Salinity Intrusion and Riverbank Erosion are the main causes for the losses of agricultural lands.
Salinity intrusion is a significant issue in this area. This process happens when saltwater mixes up
with the ground water and soil. This kind of involvement of salt into agricultural areas makes the soil
less fertile and less suitable for farming. It leads to reduced agricultural productivity and the
abandonment of cropland. Other reasons include quick urbanization and the construction of roads,
highways, industrial areas, and other infrastructure projects result in the conversion of agricultural
land into non-agricultural use. This process is particularly relevant in rapidly growing cities and towns
like Khulna. According to the Figure 8 below, the study indicates that 2 people migrated in 2010 and
2015 respectively, which is 40% among the entire migrated people; and 1 people migrated in 2022
which is 20%.

Figure 8: Migration due to loss of agricultural land

Salinity Intrusion
Salinity intrusion in the coastal regions in Khulna is a great problem. In Bangladesh, this is a
significant environmental issue which affects the region's agriculture, water resources, and
livelihoods. This is the gradual increase of saltwater into freshwater sources, primarily rivers and
groundwater, which can have harmful effects on the local ecosystem and societies. Local communities
were forced to migrate in search of better opportunities as the agricultural productivity declines. It
also leads to various social and economic challenges for the migrants. The data in Figure 9 revealed
that 3 people migrated due to the salinity intrusion in the land and drinking water in the year 2010,
2015 and 2022 respectively, which is 33% of the entire migrants.

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Figure 9: Migration due to salinity intrusion

CONCLUSION
The research on climate-induced migration in the Khulna region highlights the crucial need for
comprehensive and adaptive actions to address the multifaceted challenges posed by various kinds of
natural disasters. The primary data showed that the extreme damages and losses for the cyclones had a
straight influence on persuading the choice of migration. The findings expose a clear relationship
between environmental changes and population migration along with underlining the demanding
nature of the issue. There were some push factors and pull factors which prompted the people to
transfer in the city areas like better lifestyle, employment opportunity, developed transportation
systems. The major findings from the research are as follows:

1) Cyclones and extreme flooding events are the major factors for the migration. 28.57% people
migrated by the cyclone Sidr in 2007.
2) Because of the consequent strikes of natural disasters in 2010, 33% people migrated for riverbank
erosion.
3) Due to the loss of agricultural lands, 80% people migrated from 2010 to 2015 and 20% people
migrated in 2022.
4) 33% people migrated due to the salinity intrusion in the land and drinking water in the year 2010,
2015 and 2022.

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