Backed by €1.25 million in EU funding, the three-year programme will improve climate displacement data, support policy development and strengthen regional cooperation on climate-related mobility across South Asia.
Bangladesh and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have launched a three-year initiative to develop an integrated strategy for managing climate change-induced displacement in South Asia, as millions of people across the region face growing risks from floods, river erosion, sea-level rise, cyclones and other climate impacts.
The project, funded by the European Union with a contribution of €1.25 million, aims to strengthen evidence-based policymaking, improve data systems on climate displacement and promote regional cooperation among South Asian countries.
A project agreement was signed on Thursday at the Economic Relations Division (ERD) between Bangladesh and IOM. ERD Secretary Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiqui signed the agreement on behalf of the Bangladesh government, while IOM Bangladesh Chief of Mission Dr. Laura Tom Bondy signed for the organisation.
The initiative will focus on collecting and analysing data on communities displaced by climate change, facilitating knowledge exchange among South Asian countries, and supporting research on effective displacement management approaches.
It will also seek to engage Bangladeshi diaspora communities in climate risk management efforts, strengthen climate resilience among vulnerable local communities and promote regional collaboration to address the growing challenges of climate-induced mobility.
As one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, Bangladesh has been at the forefront of discussions on climate adaptation and loss and damage. Rising sea levels, riverbank erosion, coastal salinity, floods and extreme weather events are increasingly affecting livelihoods and forcing many communities to relocate.
Through the project, Bangladesh and IOM aim to develop stronger climate displacement data, support informed policies and build a regional framework that can help governments better prepare for and respond to climate-related migration challenges.
IOM, the UN agency responsible for migration issues, has been working globally with governments and communities to address migration challenges, including those driven by climate change and environmental pressures.
The signing ceremony was attended by ERD Additional Secretary A.K.M. Sohel, Joint Secretary Dr. Kazi Shahjahan, Senior Assistant Secretary Dr. Rajibul Alam, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Fahmida Haque Khan, IOM National Programme Officer Ashfakur Rahman Khan and National Consultant Dr. S.M. Morshed.
