Dhaka, 24 July 2025 — At a time when the impacts of climate change are hitting Bangladesh’s coastal belt with increasing severity, OKUP (Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Program) held a national consultation and research launch to address a critical question: Can Bangladesh’s existing Social Security Programs (SSPs) truly protect its most vulnerable populations from climate displacement and long-term livelihood loss?
Held at Hotel InterContinental, Dhaka, the event brought together policymakers, researchers, climate and migration experts, donors, and community voices to explore findings from OKUP’s newly published research titled:
“Social Security Programs (SSPs) in Sustainable Adaptation to Climate Change in Coastal Regions of Bangladesh: Scopes, Challenges, and Opportunities.”
Leadership Voices: Centering Protection, Dignity, and Mobility
In his opening remarks, Omar Faruque Chowdhury, Executive Director of OKUP, clearly outlined the urgent need for rethinking social protection from a mobility and equity lens.
“The coastal population faces double threats: the wrath of disasters and the trauma of migration. Many migrants are not international workers but people who move from one district to another due to river erosion, salinity, and repeated crop failure. They lose homes, land, and any proof of identity. These people fall through the cracks of our safety net systems.”
He called for the national budget and protection frameworks to explicitly recognize climate-affected internal migrants—including those displaced within districts—so they are not excluded from critical support.
Shakirul Islam, Chairperson of OKUP, built on this by highlighting the research’s community-driven origins:
“This study started with Masuma from Koyra. After three consecutive years of crop failure—due to heat, floods, and pests—she fell deep into debt. With no choice, she moved to Dhaka to work in a garment factory to support her child. Masuma’s story is the story of countless others. They don’t want charity—they want the opportunity to live with dignity, in their own land.”
He stressed that while Bangladesh has dozens of SSPs, none are tailored for climate resilience.
“If we continue designing social protection only for static poverty, we will miss the dynamic, climate-driven nature of vulnerability. A farmer flooded five times needs different support than a retired teacher. Adaptation must be human-centered, flexible, and responsive to real-time needs.”
What the Research Found: A Snapshot from the Ground
Presented by Urmi Jahan Tanni (Research Manager, OKUP) and Md. Sheikh Mohiuddin Shahrujjaman (Research Officer), the study—conducted in Koyra upazila of Khulna—used Participatory Action Research (PAR) involving 3,200 households, 10 FGDs, 10 IDIs, and 10 KIIs.
The findings painted a sobering picture:
🔹 Exposure vs. Protection:
- 99% of households were hit by disasters in the last five years.
- Yet only 18% received any social protection-related support.
🔹 Living in Fragility:
- 79% live in katcha (temporary) homes, 70% use makeshift toilets.
- 42% are in cyclical debt—often taking new loans just to repay old ones.
🔹 Migration as Survival:
- 76.6% of households had at least one member migrate—mostly within Bangladesh.
- Main drivers: Loss of livelihood, river erosion, and inability to recover after disasters.
🔹 Awareness ≠ Access:
- Though 91.8% were aware of Old Age Allowance and 83.7% of Widow Allowance, only 26.8% and 15.2%, respectively, actually received benefits.
🔹 Systemic Gaps:
- Barriers to access for people with disabilities, single women, and displaced households.
- Common problems: corruption, slow processing, server downtime, and unclear targeting criteria.
Key Recommendations from the Report
- Create Climate-Responsive, Adaptive SSPs:
Introduce real-time eligibility tied to early warning systems and disaster data. - Anticipatory Cash Transfers:
Give financial support before disasters strike, not after. - Gender and Disability-Inclusive Design:
Prioritize special benefits for pregnant women, female-headed households, and people with disabilities. - Unified Beneficiary Database:
Ensure mobile, digital records for displaced populations to access services across locations. - Community-Led Accountability:
Involve local citizens in monitoring selection processes to reduce corruption.
Panel Reflections: Urgency and Hope
Abul Basar, Project Director, Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation, delivered a powerful message:
“Adaptation is not enough. We need deeper transformation. People are not just losing homes—they’re losing hope. We must stop asking ‘Was this storm caused by emissions?’ and start asking: ‘What freedoms have people lost because of climate change?’”
He proposed long-term reforms including:
- Decentralizing the economy to reduce migration pressure on Dhaka.
- Rethinking governance structures of SSPs.
- Urban planning that accommodates climate-displaced people.
Kazi Amdadul Haque, Friendship, called Bangladesh a “silent pioneer”:
“Our social protection system already reaches 10 million people and has reduced poverty by 1.5 percentage points. But the stories remain untold. We need climate-smart social protection and we need to say it proudly.”
He also called for:
- Pre-disaster financing mechanisms.
- Targeted support for flood-prone and cyclone-prone zones.
- Stronger inclusion of climate-affected people in the National Adaptation Plan (NAP).
Dr. Abdul Malak, Jagannath University, emphasized:
“Climate budgeting must meet real needs. Equity, transparency, and rights—not just efficiency—must guide our protection systems.”
Mr. Mostafizur Rahman, Embassy of Sweden, stated:
“Bangladesh’s SSPs are structured for a different era. The climate is changing faster than our programs. We must be agile, collaborative, and prepared.”
Community Voices: Speaking Truth to Policy
From the ground, stories emerged that brought raw emotion and realism into the discussion.
Masuma Apa, from Koyra, said:
“We tried watermelon farming, but drought ruined it. We tried paddy, but floods destroyed it. People think we’re lazy. We’re not. We just don’t get a fair chance.”
Imdadul Haque Titu spoke of repeated river erosion:
“When the river took my home, I stood there helpless. Awareness is everything. Many don’t know they can go directly to the social services office—without any middlemen. We need training and local-level awareness to claim our rights.”
Government Commitments: Recognizing the Challenge
K.M. Abdul Wadud, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, responded:
“We thank OKUP for this timely and evidence-based study. Budget inefficiency is a real issue—often we can’t spend 60% of allocations due to targeting challenges. We are working on a unified database, but we need stronger collaboration across ministries.”
Abul Basar Md Amir Uddin, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance (via statement), acknowledged the shortfall in SSP coverage:
“Despite increased budgetary allocation, we are far from reaching those in real need. We are committed to building a system that serves climate-displaced populations.”
Conclusion: Time to Act
Closing the session, Shakirul Islam reminded all attendees:
“We are not here just to critique—we are here to co-create. Climate-affected communities are not asking for handouts. They are demanding dignity, opportunity, and justice. Let’s make that possible through inclusive, climate-resilient social protection.”
