When Climate Disasters Become Human Rights Emergencies

The Rohingya crisis demands more than humanitarian relief.

• Artemis Kechagioglou

The devastating landslides that recently swept through the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar are another reminder that humanitarian crises rarely remain static.

They evolve, intersecting with climate change, displacement, fragile infrastructure and international political inaction.

According to Human Rights Watch, in its recent statement “Bangladesh: Landslides Deadly for Rohingya Refugees“ at least 17 refugees lost their lives and thousands more were displaced after heavy monsoon rains triggered landslides across the camps. The organisation warned that the tragedy was not simply the result of extreme weather, but also of the dangerous living conditions that have persisted for years.

Bangladesh has provided refuge to more than one million Rohingya who fled persecution and mass violence in neighbouring Myanmar. Over time, what was initially conceived as an emergency humanitarian response has evolved into one of the world’s longest-running refugee situations. Temporary shelters have gradually become semi-permanent settlements, often located on steep, deforested hillsides that are highly vulnerable to flooding, erosion and landslides during the annual monsoon season.

The tragedy illustrates how climate risks disproportionately affect populations that have already experienced conflict, forced displacement and statelessness. Refugees are among those least responsible for global greenhouse gas emissions, yet they frequently bear some of the gravest consequences of climate-related disasters.

Human Rights Watch argues that stronger disaster preparedness measures, safer infrastructure and sustained international financial support are urgently needed to reduce these recurring risks. Emergency response alone cannot provide lasting protection if the underlying vulnerabilities remain unchanged.

The international community also faces a broader strategic challenge. Humanitarian assistance cannot indefinitely substitute for political solutions. Nearly a decade after the mass displacement of the Rohingya population from Myanmar, durable prospects for voluntary, safe and dignified return remain elusive. Without meaningful progress toward accountability, security and the protection of fundamental rights in Myanmar, the refugee crisis is likely to persist for many years.

At the same time, climate change is transforming humanitarian emergencies into increasingly complex security and development challenges. Extreme rainfall events are becoming more frequent and more intense across South Asia, placing enormous pressure on governments, humanitarian organisations and local communities alike. Scientific evidence increasingly suggests that climate adaptation must become an integral component of refugee protection rather than a separate policy field.

The Rohingya tragedy therefore extends beyond Bangladesh. It raises fundamental questions about how the international system responds when armed conflict, forced displacement, environmental degradation and climate change converge within the same humanitarian space.

Protecting displaced populations today requires more than emergency relief after disaster strikes. It requires long-term investment in resilience, international solidarity and renewed diplomatic efforts to address the root causes of displacement itself.

For the Rohingya people, safety should not depend on surviving one crisis only to become vulnerable to the next.

• Artemis Kechagioglou is an associate and regular contributor to Agora Dialogue, reflecting on public life, sustainability, and the good society.