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“Shompritee – Locally Led Development for Climate Migrants” Project Fosters Inclusive Urban Systems to Support Climate Migrants in Jashore

Bangladesh
Green cities, Growth entrepreneurship
Mst Prottasha and Ali Mohammad Moyeth 27.10.2025
The Shompritee project strengthens Jashore Municipality’s capacity to provide inclusive urban services, improving access for climate migrants through local partnerships and sustainable solutions.

The inception workshop of the “Shompritee and Water Kiosks Project” was held on 23 September 2025 at the BRAC Learning Centre in Jashore. The initiative is jointly funded by the Embassy of Switzerland/the Government of Switzerland and Lokales Wasser/Max Ditting AG, and implemented by Swisscontact Bangladesh.

The workshop brought together representatives from jashore municipality, local government institutions, development organizations, private entrepreneurs and climate migrant communities. The event provided a platform to discuss challenges and identify potential solutions for ensuring inclusive urban service delivery for climate migrants.

Through this initiative, Swisscontact supports Jashore Municipality in enhancing its institutional capacity, particularly by updating and maintaining accurate data on climate migrant populations. This ensures their effective inclusion within municipal service systems. The project also emphasizes opportunities to expand access to essential social services—such as water, sanitation, education, and healthcare—for underserved communities, particularly where climate migrant populations are significant, through collaboration with the private sector.

In his welcome remarks, Md. Rafiqul Hasan, Administrator of Jashore Municipality and Deputy Director (Local Government), Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Jashore, stated:

"I myself migrated from Shyamnagar, Satkhira to this town. I have witnessed how many of my family members moved to urban areas for various reasons. Jashore Municipality has around 209,000 registered residents, but at times more than 500,000 people live here—many of whom are climate migrants. Due to lack of proper employment opportunities, many are living in extremely difficult conditions. With the right measures, these challenges can be addressed in the future"
Md. Rafiqul Hasan, Administrator of Jashore Municipality 

From Swisscontact Bangladesh, Razik Fazle, Head of Quality Assurance, South and Southeast Asia, and Sakib Khaled, Senior Manager, presented the objectives and planned activities of the Shompritee project.

"Climate-induced migration is one of the world’s greatest challenges. We need to view migrants not as a burden but as an opportunity. Jashore can become a frontrunner in addressing this challenge, where Swisscontact, together with local partners, aims to build a sustainable system.”"
Razik Fazle, Head of Quality Assurance, South and Southeast Asia
"We were displaced from our coastal villages by recurring floods and cyclones that destroyed our homes and livelihoods. Now, we survive on small daily jobs with little access to housing or stable income. Locals often call us ‘refugees,’ which feels painful. This is the first time we’ve felt seen and included with dignity"
Abdul Kalam, a representative of the climate migrant community

Participants engaged in a detailed dialogue on key challenges and opportunities for improving urban service delivery for climate migrants. They also explored future collaboration models and potential partnerships to enhance the accessibility and quality of services.

In his closing remarks, Syed Morad Ali, Chief Executive Officer of Jashore Municipality, expressed appreciation to all participants and called for continued cooperation to ensure the successful implementation of the project.

2025 - 2027
Bangladesh
Green cities
Shompritee – Towards Locally Led Development for Climate Migrants
Bangladesh ranks as the seventh most climate-vulnerable country, with coastal regions exposed to sea level rise, salinity intrusion, river erosion, and cyclones. These hazards have displaced millions, many of whom face inhumane conditions in urban areas, especially secondary cities.
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