Swisscontact and Jashore Municipality Partner to Strengthen Inclusive Urban Systems for Climate Migrants under the SHOMPRITEE Project

Implemented by Swisscontact, Shompritee aims to enhance the capacity of Jashore Municipality to plan, manage, and deliver inclusive urban services for climate migrants. The project is jointly funded by the Government of Switzerland and Lokales Wasser/Max Ditting AG.

To formalise this collaboration, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on 23 October 2025 at the Jashore Municipality office. This partnership marks an important milestone in promoting locally led, climate-responsive urban governance—where municipalities play a central role in building resilient and equitable systems.

The MoU outlines a framework for collaboration focused on integrating climate migrants into urban development planning, strengthening municipal data systems, and co-developing sustainable service delivery models.

Key Focus Areas:

• Enhancing municipal data and planning systems to better identify and respond to the needs of climate migrants.
• Strengthening participatory governance through mechanisms such as the Municipal Adaptation Plan (MAP), Local Climate Adaptation Committee (LCAC), and Multi-Stakeholder Working Group (MSWG).
• Piloting innovative public–private service delivery models that address local needs and ensure long-term ownership.
• Building institutional capacity of municipal officials and local actors through targeted workshops and technical exchanges.

Md. Rafiqul Hasan, Administrator of Jashore Municipality and Deputy Director (Local Government), Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Jashore, remarked:

“Jashore is home to thousands who have migrated from coastal areas due to climate disasters. Through this partnership, we aim to strengthen our city’s systems and ensure that no community is left behind.”

Helal Hussain, Country Director of Swisscontact Bangladesh, emphasized Swisscontact’s commitment to locally led, evidence-based solutions:

“Shompritee reflects our vision of empowering municipalities to lead the way in inclusive, climate-resilient development. Together with Jashore Municipality, Swisscontact aim to co-create models that make essential services accessible and sustainable.”

This collaboration builds upon the outcomes of Shompritee’s inception workshop held in September 2025, where representatives from government, the private sector, and communities jointly identified strategies to improve urban service access for climate migrants.

The signing of the MoU sets the stage for Jashore to become a model municipality—demonstrating how locally led, data-driven, and partnership-based approaches can foster inclusive and sustainable urban transformation in Bangladesh.