Rights groups on Tuesday demanded that the Internal Displacement Policy be integrated into the upcoming 7th Five Year Plan to ensure effective rehabilitation of the climate victims.

They also demanded proper rehabilitation of the dwellers of Kalyanpur slum before their eviction as about 90 percent of them are climate-induced displaced people.

The demands were made at a human chain formed by 27 rights organisations in front of the Jatiya Press Club in the city, said a press release.

Moderated by Mustafa Kamal Akanda of EquityBD, the human chain programme was addressed, among others, by ASM Badrul Alam of Bangladesh Krishak Federation, Pradip Kumar Roy of Online Knowledge Society, Advocate Shafikul Islam of Bangladesh Krishak Federation, Rafiqul Islam Pothik of Gono Forum, Engineer Foyez Ahmed of Jatyo Sromik Federation, Firuja Begum of Jago Nari, Aminur Rasul Babul of Unnayan Dhara Trust and Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBD.

Rezaul Karim Chowdhury said it is estimated that one of each five people of the country will be climate migrant within 2050. “We have to be ready to address their problems.”

He said around 35 percent people of Dhaka city are living in slums while 90 percent of the slum dwellers are climate-induced displaced people coming from coastal areas.

UNB/RI