Ensuring permanent housing on government-owned *khas land* for climate-displaced people living in informal settlements across Satkhira town has been set as the foremost priority of the newly formed Climate Displaced People’s Rights and Development Forum. The Forum has also called for measures to ensure the food and nutritional rights of displaced families through market-oriented skills development, employment opportunities for women, men and young people, access to affordable loans and financial services, and decent income opportunities.

The demands were presented through the ’11-point Climate Displaced People’s Rights and Development Declaration’ at a press conference held on 31 October to mark the official launch of the Forum. The Forum was formed through the joint initiative of Participatory Research and Action Network (PRAAN), Khani Bangladesh and SWADESH Satkhira.

The press conference was chaired by Fatema Begum, President of the Forum. Sonia Khatun, Member Secretary of the Forum, presented the written statement, while Madhab Dutta, Executive Director of the local development organisation SWADESH, moderated the event.

Among those present were disaster management expert and founder of the National Disaster Forum Gawher Nayeem Wahra; Nurul Alam Masud, Chief Executive of Participatory Research and Action Network (PRAAN); and Gouranga Nandi, Chief Executive of CEPR, alongside representatives of civil society, rights activists, journalists and climate-displaced communities.

The declaration highlighted that recurring floods, waterlogging, tidal surges, cyclones, river erosion and salinity have forced numerous families to abandon their homes, land and livelihoods and seek shelter in Satkhira town. An estimated 7,573 climate-displaced families are currently living in 47 informal settlements within Satkhira Municipality. Their displacement has evolved into a prolonged crisis of human rights and development.

Alongside permanent housing and decent livelihood opportunities, the declaration outlines several other demands, including emergency food assistance; inclusion in fair-price food distribution and social protection programmes; nutrition services for children and pregnant and lactating mothers; access to safe drinking water and sanitation; and recognition and meaningful participation of displaced communities in urban development and climate adaptation planning.

The Forum also called for an end to evictions without ensuring rehabilitation, upgrading of informal settlements and legal protection for their residents, access to National Identity Cards and voter registration, education for children, mobile healthcare services, and evidence-based planning and budget allocation that adequately reflect the circumstances and needs of displaced families.

Following the presentation of the written statement, SWADESH Executive Director Madhab Dutta and Forum President Fatema Begum responded to questions from Sonia Khatun and attending journalists.

They emphasised that climate-displaced people are not merely recipients of relief or assistance; **they are citizens of the country and rights-holders**. Safe and permanent housing, livelihoods, decent income, food and nutrition, water, healthcare, education and social protection are their fundamental rights.

The Forum stated that it would serve as a collective platform for climate-displaced communities to raise their demands at both district and national levels. It also pledged to pursue meaningful engagement and dialogue with the government, Satkhira Municipality, the District Administration and other relevant authorities to advance the implementation of the commitments outlined in the **2021 National Strategy on Internal Displacement Management.