Children at risk due to the effects of climate change

Miad Hossain

Nahid, a fifth-grade student from a government school in Charfashan Upazila, Bhola, relocated with his family to a slum in Kalyanpur, Dhaka, in July 2023. Since moving, Nahid has been working at a food stall in the area. "I work from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. and earn Tk 3,000 a month," he says. When asked if he would like to return to school, he replied, "I work all day long. When would I have time for school?" He explained that his family was forced to move to Dhaka after their home was swept away by floods. Now, he lives in the slum with his parents and younger sister.

Nahid's story is not unique. Every year, many children in Bangladesh drop out of school as their families are displaced by climate change. Flooding, rising sea levels, and increased storms force families to leave their homes, turning children into refugees. As a result, their lives become increasingly vulnerable.

Floods also pose a deadly risk to children, who are often at high risk of drowning, one of the leading causes of child mortality in Bangladesh. During floods, families crowd into temporary shelters, where schools close, and exams are canceled, further disrupting children's education.

Tahmina Akhter, who used to study in the fifth grade in Noakhali's Underchar, also saw her life uprooted by climate change. After her family’s home was destroyed by the Meghna River two years ago, they sought refuge with relatives. In 2022, at the age of 14, Tahmina was married off and moved to a slum in Kalyanpur with her husband. Now a mother to a baby girl, she reflects on her lost school life with a sigh: "School was fun, I liked the classes. I dreamed of becoming a doctor."

Monirul, a child from Kurigram’s Ulipur Upazila, now sells vegetables in a small Dhaka market. His family came to the capital after their home was submerged in floods three years ago. Monirul spends his days selling vegetables, while his father works as a rickshaw puller, and his mother as a maid. When asked if he wants to go back to school, Monirul said, "That won’t happen. We have too many expenses, and my parents can’t afford to send me to school."

Nazrul Mia, a fourth grader from Gaibandha’s Phulchari Upazila, had to move to Dhaka in June last year after floods submerged his family’s home. He now sells hog plum and guava in the streets, while his father sells nuts and his mother works as a domestic helper. Nazrul’s story is another example of how children’s lives are disrupted by climate-induced displacement.

Bangladesh, a riverine country, faces frequent natural disasters like storms, floods, and river erosion, making it particularly vulnerable to climate change. With children making up 44% of the population, experts warn that climate change poses a severe threat to their well-being.

According to UNICEF, most children living in urban slums do not attend primary school, and those from disaster-prone areas have even fewer opportunities for education. Research shows that around 1.7 million children are involved in hazardous labor in Bangladesh, with one in four being 11 years old or younger. Many girls work as domestic helpers.

In Dhaka’s slums, children work in tanneries, tailors, fruit markets, and as porters at bus and railway stations. Many of these children are climate refugees from disaster-stricken areas of the country.

Educationist Professor Shafi Ahmed highlights the immense damage climate change has done to Bangladesh’s education system. Over the past few years, approximately 300 schools in districts across northern Bangladesh have been washed away by river erosion. This has left children displaced, often without access to new schools. Even when children can re-enroll, they struggle to adjust and are left behind. Families facing extreme poverty have no choice but to send their children to work instead of school.

The situation has also led to an increase in child involvement in crime, including drug trafficking. Many children grow up feeling marginalized and discriminated against. Professor Ahmed stresses the need for arrangements to ensure that displaced children can enroll in other schools, both public and private, with necessary resources provided.

Abu Sadat Moniruzzaman Khan, Head of Climate Change Programs at BRAC, points out that when children are forced to leave their homes due to climate change, they face enormous challenges in adapting to new environments. Children who once attended school in their villages often find no opportunity for education in the slums. Salinity in water also causes health problems, including diarrhea and skin diseases, which further hinder children’s development.

Moniruzzaman adds that while the government has some projects addressing education and nutrition, these efforts fall far short of the growing demand. Non-governmental organizations are also working to support children’s nutrition and education, but more resources are needed to address the impacts of climate change on children’s futures.