Nearly 4.96 million people displaced by natural disasters in Bangladesh: IOM

Nearly 4.96 million are currently internally displaced persons (IDPs) caused by natural disasters in Bangladesh, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which released its first comprehensive nationwide estimate.

The report highlights how floods, cyclones, river erosion, and other hazards continue to disrupt lives across the country.

Chattogram division hosts the largest share of IDPs with 1.21 million, followed by Dhaka with 0.79 million and Rajshahi with 0.66 million, it said.

Four districts -- Chattogram, Sirajganj, Bhola, and Noakhali -- account for a quarter of all displaced persons. Most IDPs, about 85 percent, live in rural union areas, the report reads.

IOM made the information public through a press statement sent to media today.

The assessment found that two out of three IDPs were displaced before April 2020, indicating long-term unresolved displacement. One in four were displaced between April 2020 and April 2024.

The assessment covered all eight divisions, 64 districts, 4,579 unions, 329 municipalities, and 480 city corporation wards.

Data collection took place between September and October 2025, including more than 5,300 field visits and interviews with over 29,000 key informants.

Talking about the report, Lance Bonneau, Chief of Mission of IOM Bangladesh, said that understanding the scale of displacement is essential for effective disaster management and long-term planning.

"These findings give national authorities, local leaders and development partners a shared foundation to respond to displacement with greater clarity and coordination," he said.

Government representatives welcomed the report as a major step to improve the implementation of the National Strategy on Internal Displacement Management, which calls for systematic data collection on displaced populations.

Bonneau added that the new estimate will help guide policies on disaster preparedness, relocation planning, social protection, climate adaptation, and long-term development.

"This is a critical step to ensure that the government and partners can better plan and respond to the needs of displaced communities," he said.