IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i8p4686-d793565.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Household Migration and Intentions for Future Migration in the Climate Change Vulnerable Lower Meghna Estuary of Coastal Bangladesh

Author

Listed:
  • Bimal Kanti Paul

    (Department of Geography and Geospatial Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA)

  • Munshi Khaledur Rahman

    (Department of Geology and Geography, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30458, USA)

  • Max Lu

    (Department of Geography and Geospatial Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA)

  • Thomas W. Crawford

    (Department of Geography, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA)

Abstract

Coastal residents of Bangladesh are now confronted with the increased incidence, variability, and severity of weather-related hazards and disasters due to climate change-induced sea level rise (SLR). Many researchers hold the view that as a consequence residents of such area have either already migrated to inland locations or intend to so in the near future. We examine the migration of households following a flash flood event that took place in August 2020 and address intentions for future migration in the Lower Meghna Estuary of coastal Bangladesh. The data obtained for this study include 310 household surveys, field observations, and informal discussions with respondents and local people. Based on the analysis of the field data, this empirical research found one household migrated to other district within one year after the event. When the respondents were asked about their future migration intensions, only a tiny proportion, namely 21 (6.77%) households, likely will leave the study area to settle in other districts while the remaining 289 households likely will stay in the Lakshmipur district. This finding challenges the existing narratives about vulnerability to environmentally induced migration. Moreover, it provides evidence of non-migration, which is a new as well as thriving area of investigation in relation to coastal Bangladesh.

Suggested Citation

  • Bimal Kanti Paul & Munshi Khaledur Rahman & Max Lu & Thomas W. Crawford, 2022. "Household Migration and Intentions for Future Migration in the Climate Change Vulnerable Lower Meghna Estuary of Coastal Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-17, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:8:p:4686-:d:793565
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/8/4686/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/8/4686/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bishawjit Mallick & Jochen Schanze, 2020. "Trapped or Voluntary? Non-Migration Despite Climate Risks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-6, June.
    2. Stark, Oded & Bloom, David E, 1985. "The New Economics of Labor Migration," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 75(2), pages 173-178, May.
    3. Michael Berlemann & Thi Xuyen Tran, 2020. "Climate-Related Hazards and Internal Migration Empirical Evidence for Rural Vietnam," Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Springer, vol. 4(2), pages 385-409, July.
    4. Bishawjit Mallick, 2019. "The Nexus between Socio-Ecological System, Livelihood Resilience, and Migration Decisions: Empirical Evidence from Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-17, June.
    5. Frank Biermann & Ingrid Boas, 2010. "Preparing for a Warmer World: Towards a Global Governance System to Protect Climate Refugees," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 10(1), pages 60-88, February.
    6. John R. Logan & Sukriti Issar & Zengwang Xu, 2016. "Trapped in Place? Segmented Resilience to Hurricanes in the Gulf Coast, 1970–2005," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(5), pages 1511-1534, October.
    7. Azizur Rahman Khan, 2015. "The Economy of Bangladesh," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-137-54974-7.
    8. Michael Berlemann & Thi Xuyen Tran, 2021. "Tropical Storms and Temporary Migration in Vietnam," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 47(4), pages 1107-1142, December.
    9. J. Chen & V. Mueller, 2018. "Coastal climate change, soil salinity and human migration in Bangladesh," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 8(11), pages 981-985, November.
    10. Joyce J. Chen & Valerie Mueller & Yuanyuan Jia & Steven Kuo-Hsin Tseng, 2017. "Validating Migration Responses to Flooding Using Satellite and Vital Registration Data," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(5), pages 441-445, May.
    11. Kelsea B. Best & Jonathan M. Gilligan & Hiba Baroud & Amanda R. Carrico & Katharine M. Donato & Brooke A. Ackerly & Bishawjit Mallick, 2021. "Random forest analysis of two household surveys can identify important predictors of migration in Bangladesh," Journal of Computational Social Science, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 77-100, May.
    12. J. Birkmann & P. Buckle & J. Jaeger & M. Pelling & N. Setiadi & M. Garschagen & N. Fernando & J. Kropp, 2010. "Extreme events and disasters: a window of opportunity for change? Analysis of organizational, institutional and political changes, formal and informal responses after mega-disasters," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 55(3), pages 637-655, December.
    13. Robert Stojanov & Ilan Kelman & AKM Ahsan Ullah & Barbora Duží & David Procházka & Klára Kavanová Blahůtová, 2016. "Local Expert Perceptions of Migration as a Climate Change Adaptation in Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-15, November.
    14. Ilan Kelman & Justyna Orlowska & Himani Upadhyay & Robert Stojanov & Christian Webersik & Andrea C. Simonelli & David Procházka & Daniel Němec, 2019. "Does climate change influence people’s migration decisions in Maldives?," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 153(1), pages 285-299, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mizanur Rahman & Jeff Popke & Thomas W. Crawford, 2022. "Resident perceptions of riverbank erosion and shoreline protection: a mixed-methods case study from Bangladesh," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 114(3), pages 2767-2786, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bangkim Biswas & Bishawjit Mallick, 2021. "Livelihood diversification as key to long-term non-migration: evidence from coastal Bangladesh," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(6), pages 8924-8948, June.
    2. Richa Richa & Ilan Noy & Subir Sen, 2024. "Extreme Weather and Inter-State Migration in India," CESifo Working Paper Series 10919, CESifo.
    3. Bhusal, Prabin & Kimengsi, Jude Ndzifon & Raj Awasthi, Kavi, 2021. "What drives environmental (Non-)migration around the Himalayan Region? Evidence from rural Nepal," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 23(C).
    4. Mallick, Bishawjit, 2023. "Environmental non-migration: Analysis of drivers, factors, and their significance," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 29(C).
    5. Cristina Cattaneo & Emanuele Massetti, 2019. "Does Harmful Climate Increase Or Decrease Migration? Evidence From Rural Households In Nigeria," Climate Change Economics (CCE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 10(04), pages 1-36, November.
    6. Sedova, Barbora & Kalkuhl, Matthias, 2020. "Who are the climate migrants and where do they go? Evidence from rural India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    7. Clark Gray & Richard Bilsborrow, 2013. "Environmental Influences on Human Migration in Rural Ecuador," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 50(4), pages 1217-1241, August.
    8. Azad, Md Javed & Pritchard, Bill, 2022. "Financial capital as a shaper of households' adaptive capabilities to flood risk in northern Bangladesh," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    9. Bishawjit Mallick & Jochen Schanze, 2020. "Trapped or Voluntary? Non-Migration Despite Climate Risks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-6, June.
    10. Thiede, Brian C. & Robinson, Abbie & Gray, Clark, 2022. "Climatic Variability and Internal Migration in Asia: Evidence from Integrated Census and Survey Microdata," SocArXiv hxv35, Center for Open Science.
    11. Bishawjit Mallick & Chup Priovashini & Jochen Schanze, 2023. "“I can migrate, but why should I?”—voluntary non-migration despite creeping environmental risks," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-14, December.
    12. Robert McLeman & David Wrathall & Elisabeth Gilmore & Philip Thornton & Helen Adams & François Gemenne, 2021. "Conceptual framing to link climate risk assessments and climate-migration scholarship," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 165(1), pages 1-7, March.
    13. Thiede, Brian C. & Chen, Joyce & Mueller, Valerie & Jia, Yuanyuan & Hultquist, Carolynne, 2020. "It’s Raining Babies? Flooding and Fertility Choices in Bangladesh," SocArXiv cz482, Center for Open Science.
    14. Dasgupta, Susmita & Wheeler, David & Bandyopadhyay, Sunando & Ghosh, Santadas & Roy, Utpal, 2022. "Coastal dilemma: Climate change, public assistance and population displacement," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    15. David J. Kaczan & Jennifer Orgill-Meyer, 2020. "The impact of climate change on migration: a synthesis of recent empirical insights," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 158(3), pages 281-300, February.
    16. Marion Borderon & Kelsea B. Best & Karen Bailey & Doug L. Hopping & Mackenzie Dove & Chelsea L. Cervantes de Blois, 2021. "The risks of invisibilization of populations and places in environment-migration research," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, December.
    17. Kelsea B. Best & Jonathan M. Gilligan & Hiba Baroud & Amanda R. Carrico & Katharine M. Donato & Brooke A. Ackerly & Bishawjit Mallick, 2021. "Random forest analysis of two household surveys can identify important predictors of migration in Bangladesh," Journal of Computational Social Science, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 77-100, May.
    18. Arne Wiig & Minhaj Mahmud & Ivar Kolstad & Päivi Lujala & Sosina Bezu, 2020. "Preparing to leave? Household mobility decisions in climate affected areas of coastal Bangladesh," CMI Working Papers 4, CMI (Chr. Michelsen Institute), Bergen, Norway.
    19. Sarker, Md Nazirul Islam & Wu, Min & Alam, GM Monirul & Shouse, Roger C, 2020. "Livelihood resilience of riverine island dwellers in the face of natural disasters: Empirical evidence from Bangladesh," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    20. Hajer Habib, 2023. "Remittances and Labor Supply: Evidence from Tunisia," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 14(2), pages 1870-1899, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:8:p:4686-:d:793565. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.