From conflict to climate: refugees to IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) in the Bay of Bengal

The Rohingya refugees rehabilitated in Bangladesh present a unique case bearing human and environmental security cross complications. Forced to flee from Myanmar due to military atrocities and ethnic violence, they took refuge in neighboring Bangladesh from 2017 onwards. These refugees are standing at the crossroads of converting from Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMNs) to potential climate refugees in the near future due to their rehabilitation in the environmentally sensitive island of Bhasan Char, which is regularly ravaged by cyclones, sea level rise and other climate challenges. This paper argues that Bangladesh is a case study of paradoxical human settlement. On the one hand, the host country is giving refuge to conflict victims while, at the same time, it is triggering climate-induced displacement within their own country. From conflict-ridden areas to climate-sensitive zones, such rehabilitation of refugees invites deeper crises and calls for immediate policy attention.