By Amina Yesmin

---

Bangladesh stands on the frontline of climate change, enduring its devastating consequences more severely than many other nations. Situated at the northern edge of the Bay of Bengal and home to the world’s largest delta, the country is exceptionally vulnerable to environmental disruptions. Over recent decades, recurring floods, riverbank erosion, tropical cyclones, and salinity intrusion have destroyed lives and livelihoods, forcing millions of people to abandon their ancestral homes in search of survival. Monsoon floods in 2024 triggered about 1.3 million movements, particularly in Sylhet division where 723,000 took place in June alone. Yet, this internal displacement has brought with it a complex set of challenges, most notably, rising crime and social conflict.

Climate Change, Migration and Vulnerability

The movement of people due to environmental disasters is not merely a humanitarian issue but also a security concern. Migrants often find themselves without stable housing, employment, or social networks. Many lack essential documents such as national ID cards or birth certificates, cutting them off from state support systems. For example, over 12,000 children in Dhaka’s largest slum, Chinnomul, remain undocumented, leaving them highly vulnerable to insecurity, child marriage, and criminal exploitation.

Within the displaced population, children are particularly at risk. Displaced youngsters, often unable to pursue education beyond the fifth grade, are drawn into precarious jobs or worse— criminal activities such as hijacking, drug trafficking, or smuggling. Some fall prey to traffickers who lure them with promises of employment or migration abroad.

At the beginning of 2021, statistics from the Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) showed that the number of child marriages had increased by 44% from 2019 to 2020. Tragically, some of the displaced individuals have been victims of sexual assault and feel compelled to get married the men who abused them.

Crime as a By-product of Displacement

Criminologists define crime as acts that violate established laws and are punishable by the state. But in the context of climate displacement, crime often emerges as a survival tactic. Lacking food, shelter and income, many displaced individuals resort to unlawful activities to meet basic needs. Others become easy recruits for organized crime groups, human smuggling networks, or extremist organizations.

Farmers, forced off their unproductive land, may be tempted by illicit networks offering money and social standing. Similarly, slum dwellers—stigmatized as criminals by society—often face harassment from law enforcement while being disproportionately vulnerable to victimization themselves. This paradox leaves them trapped in a cycle of insecurity and exclusion.

Tensions and Conflicts over Resources

The internal displacement of individuals within Bangladesh due to the gradual and sudden climate change phenomena could lead to heightened rivalry and probable disputes over crucial resources such as property, housing, foodstuff, water, and employments. In areas like Khulna, Kutubdia and Cox’s Bazar, migrants have clashed with locals and authorities over access to government land (khas land). Eviction drives in Dhaka’s slums, such as the violent clash in Kalyanpur in 2016, reveal how displacement often fuels conflict between migrants, law enforcement, and state officials.

In rural regions, tensions have flared between forest inhabitants and plain land migrants over resource extraction. Meanwhile urban slums, overcrowded and under-resourced, have become hotspots of unrest with residents frequently uprooted multiple times due to forced evictions. Such instability not only heightens the risk of violence but also provides fertile ground for political exploitation, as displaced populations are often mobilized during protests, blockades, and strikes.

Extremism and Political Manipulation

Climate displacement also has national security implications. Marginalized slum dwellers, stripped of livelihoods and dignity, can be manipulated by extremist groups seeking to expand their ranks. Terrorist organizations exploit poverty, alienation, and disempowerment to recruit vulnerable youth. The probable connection between displacement caused by climate change and extremism also contributes to a wider narrative, following the events of 9/11, concerning the fear of the spread of ‘Talibanization in Bangladesh’.

A Case in Point: The Chittagong Hill Tracts

The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) provide a striking example of how migration can trigger long-term conflict. Following Bangladesh’s independence, a large-scale resettlement program relocated nearly half a million non-indigenous people, many displaced by coastal disasters, into the CHT. This influx disrupted the demographic balance, threatening the identity and culture of indigenous groups and sparking an armed movement that persisted until the 1997 peace treaty. Yet, disputes over land and resources remain unresolved, underscoring how climate-induced migration can inflame deep-rooted tensions.

Toward a Safer Future

The connection between climate-induced displacement and crime cannot be ignored. From rural land disputes to urban slum violence, the challenges ripple across social, economic, and political domains. Slum evictions often escalate into clashes with law enforcement, while survival struggles push many displaced individuals into illicit activities.

To address these issues, Bangladesh must adopt holistic strategies that combine disaster preparedness, livelihood protection, and inclusive urban planning. Strengthening social safety nets, ensuring documentation for displaced persons, and improving access to education and healthcare are vital. Additionally, community-based conflict resolution mechanisms could help mitigate tensions between migrants and host communities.

Climate change is not only an environmental challenge, it is a human security issue. Unless the vulnerabilities of climate-displaced populations are addressed, the cycle of displacement, conflict, and crime will continue to threaten both the displaced and wider society.

Amina Yesmin is a Lecturer in Law at Bangladesh University.

---

The views expressed in this article belong to the author/s and do not necessarily reflect those of the Refugee Law Initiative. We welcome comments and contributions to this blog – please comment below and see here for contribution guidelines.