Experts Call for Collective Action on Water and Climate Risks

Experts Call for Collective Action on Water and Climate Risks

Speakers at a recent Dhaka workshop highlighted the need for stronger cross-sectoral collaboration to address humanitarian and strategic challenges arising from water insecurity and climate-induced displacement.

The event brought together policymakers, security officials, researchers, academicians, and young professionals to discuss one of Bangladesh’s most pressing non-traditional security issues.

Organised by the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) under the EU-funded project ‘Climate Change & Security: Potential Instabilities in Bangladesh,’ the workshop was titled “Water Insecurity and Climate-Induced Displacement in Bangladesh: Security Challenges and Policy Responses.”

BIPSS President Major General ANM Muniruzzaman (retd) stressed the importance of water security and urged policymakers to adopt integrated, forward-looking strategies combining effective water governance with human security frameworks.

The workshop featured two expert-led sessions followed by interactive discussions and tabletop exercises.

The first session, “Hydro-Climatic Stressors and Displacement in Bangladesh: Emerging Risks and Consequences,” was conducted by Sumaiya Binte Selim Subha, Researcher and Programme Coordinator at the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD). It explored environmental drivers such as floods, riverbank erosion, drought, and salinity intrusion, and their impact on internal displacement and community vulnerability. Migration patterns, emerging risks, loss and damage, and policy adaptation measures were also discussed.

The second session, “Strategic and Security Dimensions of Water Insecurity and Climate Migration in Bangladesh,” was led by Commodore Syed Misbah Uddin Ahmed, Director General of the Bangladesh Institute of Maritime Research and Development (BIMRAD). It examined national and regional security implications of climate-induced migration, including border management, maritime challenges, and institutional coordination for resilience. Strategic aspects of water insecurity and the link between human security and internal displacement were also highlighted.

Participants emphasised the need for integrated policy responses connecting water management, climate adaptation, and national security. Discussions focused on strengthening institutional preparedness, enhancing inter-agency coordination, and fostering partnerships among government, academia, and civil society to build long-term resilience.