Severe salinity contamination in drinking water and associated human health hazards increase migration risk in the southwestern coastal part of Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a deltaic country and it is highly vulnerable to climate change and sea level rise. The southwestern part of this country is repeatedly devastated by cyclonic storm surges which create long-term waterlogging, flooding’s, and salinity problems. After the cyclone Sidr in 2007 and Aila in 2009, salinity problems in groundwater have significantly increased where groundwater is a principal source of drinking water in the coastal community. After the continuing consequences of salinity contamination and consumption of those types of water, local peoples are suffering from several types of health diseases. Average household health expenditure is significantly increased and it exerts more pressure on their vulnerable household economy. Thus, in the near future, climate change impacts may contribute more human migration from the coastal part of Bangladesh to other areas of the country or across the border, depending on their options.