TDS Desk

The susceptibility of Bangladesh to increasing sea levels and severe weather events is one of the many devastating effects of climate change, representing both an environmental and human rights catastrophe. More than 18 million people have been directly affected by severe monsoon conditions this year, with flash floods submerging vast areas in the country. These natural calamities have caused great loss to over 1.2 million families, leaving entire communities without shelter, food, and access to essential services. The impacts extend beyond immediate survival needs, with massive damage to roads, croplands, and fisheries, crippling livelihoods across the region.

Bangladesh’s responsibility to protect its citizens from the impacts of climate change falls under the scope of domestic human rights. The government is obligated to provide shelter, food security, and protection to those displaced by climate-related disasters. However, as these monsoon floods demonstrate, the sheer scale of climate-induced displacement is overwhelming the country’s capacity. While organisations like the UNHCR are providing relief—delivering 350,000 water purification tablets, 20,000 jerry cans, 15,000 hygiene kits, and 10,000 emergency shelters—the long-term solution requires much more than temporary aid. The need for stronger domestic policies to support displaced communities is evident, but these efforts are unlikely to be sustainable without sufficient resources.

The global community has a moral obligation to provide financial aid and technical support and facilitate resettlement where necessary. The UNHCR’s efforts to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases and ensure availability of clean drinking water by providing medical supplies and sanitation kits to affected regions are a step in the right direction. However, much more needs to be done to deal with the root causes of displacement. Developed nations, whose historical and on-going contributions to global emissions have exacerbated climate change, must take the lead in supporting Bangladesh through multilateral agreements and climate financing. The international community cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that their economic prosperity has come at the cost of environmental degradation in vulnerable countries.

Yet, there is scepticism about whether international efforts will be enough to address this crisis. Critics argue that wealthier nations often offer symbolic aid but fail to take responsibility for the long-term effects of climate change in countries like Bangladesh. While medical supplies and emergency shelters can provide temporary relief, they can scarcely resolve the deeper problem of global inequality in climate impacts. Moreover, the Rohingya crisis, which intersects with the climate crisis, further complicates the situation in Bangladesh. The predominantly Muslim Rohingya minority continues to live in precarious conditions, and their displacement exacerbates the strain on Bangladesh’s resources. Dr Muhammad Yunus’ call for international collaboration to ensure the safe repatriation of the Rohingya refugees highlights the global dimension of human rights in this context.

Ultimately, the current climate-related displacement and refugee crisis in Bangladesh provides evidence that there is a requirement for a more comprehensive view of human rights that extends beyond the borders of individual nations. While domestic human rights obligate the Bangladeshi government to protect its citizens, the global nature of climate change necessitates international cooperation. As millions of people struggle to rebuild their lives after the floods, and with more than one million Rohingya refugees still sheltered in camps, it is clear that this crisis requires a coordinated effort on the part of Bangladesh and the international community. This is not just an issue of environmental justice but also a matter of global responsibility to ensure that those most affected by climate change and displacement are given the support they deserve.

When the water rises, our commitment to preserving human rights, both within our own boundaries and beyond international borders, must also increase. The assistance that the international community provides to Bangladesh in the form of financial aid, technical assistance, and resettlement programmes needs to be regarded as more than just a moral gesture; rather, it is a binding obligation of the international community. The battle for climate justice undertaken by Bangladesh and the humanitarian need of the Rohingya people serve as reminders that our approach to human rights must be as interwoven as the difficulties that we are currently confronted with. The decisions that we make today will determine the future of millions of people, and while Bangladesh struggles to cope with the effects of climate change, the entire world must come together to ensure that they have the right to safety, security, and dignity.

The writer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at IUBAT and pursuing a Masters in Human Rights and Multiculturalism at University of South Eastern Norway