Taslima, a 42-year-old woman, resides in the crowded and vibrant Korail slum, the largest informal settlement in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Home to more than 200,000 residents, Korail is a melting pot of the city’s most vulnerable, including low-income climate migrants. It is a place of resilience and relentless struggle, where every day is a battle against poverty and uncertainty.
Taslima’s journey to an informal settlement began in the coastal village of Daligharnagar in Lalmohan Upazila, Bhola district. Life was simple but challenging, shaped by the mighty Meghna River. Her husband, Mokles (60), was a fisherman, and they had two young sons. However, their calm life by the river was disrupted by a series of devastating floods and relentless river erosion.
In 2003, floods from the Meghna River swept away large parts of their village, starting a period of uncertainty. By 2005, a severe flood pushed their home 300 feet into the river overnight, leaving Taslima and her family homeless and destitute. They lost their home, essential belongings and livestock. With no aid from the local government and little help from neighbors, they faced a painful decision: stay and struggle or leave and search for a better life.
With heavy hearts and clothes on their back as their only possession, Taslima and her family left their beloved native village with her son. The journey to Dhaka, nearly 200 miles away, was fraught with hardship and uncertainty. They sought refuge with distant relatives before finally settling in the Korail slum, an area notorious for its harsh living conditions but also a beacon of hope for many like them, with no other feasible options left for them
Upon arriving in Korail, Taslima’s life took on a new challenge. She worked tirelessly, taking on menial jobs as a road sweeper, garment factory worker and eventually, as a brick breaker. The living conditions in Korail were harsh; small tin shaded housed families of 2 to 10 people. The rent for these cramped spaces consumed nearly half of their income, leaving little for other basic needs.
Despite the initial hardship, Taslima’s determination never wavered. She found work as a domestic helper, earning a meager 600 taka per month plus food. Her husband eventually found a job with a monthly salary of 1500 taka. Although these jobs provided some stability, life in Korail remained a daily struggle, exacerbated by issues like unreliable water and electricity supplies, and the high cost of firewood for cooking.
Living in Korail has further been worsened by non-adaptive conditions to frequent natural disasters and man-made calamities. Fires and floods routinely disrupt their fragile existence, often destroying what little they have managed to accumulate. The COVID-19 pandemic was a particularly harsh blow, decimating their already limited income and leading to severe food insecurity. During this time, Taslima’s health deteriorated significantly. She was affected by allergies and diabetes, conditions that left her weak and unable to work.
Despite these challenges, Taslima’s sons stepped up, finding jobs to support the family. However, the pandemic underscored their vulnerability, as government aid was scarce and inconsistent. “After coming to Korail Basti, we did not get any kind of help from the government,” Taslima shared. “No one wanted to know how we are, what we eat. But they come to us right when asking for votes.”
Taslima’s journey is evidence of the indomitable human spirit. Despite the constant adversities, she has not lost hope. “In our worst times, there was no one to offer us even a single meal. We never imagined our lives would turn out this way.” she reflects. Her resilience is evident in her ability to adapt and survive against all odds, a common trait among the residents of Korail.
Korail slum community is a needlepoint of stories like Taslima’s, each unique yet interconnected by common threads of resilience, hope, and an unwavering will to survive. The slum’s dense population of domestic workers, cleaners, and day laborers is a vibrant community that, despite facing extreme poverty, remains hopeful for a better future.
Looking ahead, Taslima dreams of a better life for her children. “Due to lack of financial ability, I could not study. We could not even educate our sons,” she laments. “Now it is better than before, but there is no future plan. Only my chest heaves when I remember the village house. Their house, once surrounded by greenery, disappeared into the riverbed as they stood there watching. Her words echo the sentiments of many in her community who yearn for stability and a life, free from the constant threat of displacement. Natural disasters take away people’s joy every year, destroying property and houses. Taslima said, “Growing up, we didn’t know how to survive natural calamities. During my childhood, there were no modern shelters, and the only warnings we got were from the radio.”
The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) latest ‘Slum and Floating Population Census-2014’ survey report highlights the scale of the challenge. There are 3,399 slums in Dhaka North and South City Corporation. The report reveals that a significant number of families migrate to the slums in search of work, while others, like Taslima’s, are driven by natural disasters such as river erosion.
Taslima’s story is a powerful reminder of human resilience and the urgent need for comprehensive support for vulnerable populations affected by climate change and poverty. Her journey from Bhola to Dhaka is not just a tale of survival but a call to action for better policies, substantial aid, and a more empathetic society.
As Taslima navigates life’s challenges in Korail, her story inspires us, showing the strength of those fighting for a better life. By sharing her journey, we honor the courage of many others who, despite the odds, continue to hope and strive for a brighter future.
While Taslima’s tale is one of hardship, it highlights the indomitable human spirit. Her life shows the need for systemic change—policies that address immediate needs and build resilient communities. To truly honor stories like Taslima’s, we must push for inclusive urban planning, better healthcare, and education for the urban poor. Additionally, addressing the root causes of rural displacement through sustainable development and climate resilience is crucial, for which additional technical and financial resources is of paramount importance. Families who have been affected by river erosion, floods, droughts, and cyclones are temporarily living in various slums of Dhaka. These families need to be identified, and the government and urban planners need to plan devise strategies for this identification process. It is crucial to plan how to transform these individuals into valuable human resources and rehabilitate them effectively. Many people affected by climate change are currently involved in various criminal activities. Technical and financial planning for their permanent rehabilitation is essential to build a modern city.
Interviewer’s Perspective
One thing made me very sad while interviewing Taslima. Those who migrate due to river erosion, cyclones, floods and climate change are not the only ones who suffer financially. Their family and social ties are broken. The mental condition of children and elderly members of their families becomes very deplorable. They may receive some temporary relief, but the scars of their mental suffering remain. Family children lose their school friends forever, never met their neighbors.
Conducting this interview with Taslima Akter has been a profound experience for me. As someone deeply involved in climate communication and community development, hearing Taslima’s firsthand account of the hardships faced by climate migrants has reinforced the urgency of our work.
Her resilience amidst such adversity is both inspiring and heart-wrenching. It highlights the critical need for comprehensive support systems for vulnerable populations. This interview is a stark reminder of the human faces behind the statistics, urging us to push for meaningful policy changes and robust support structures to aid those affected by climate change.
About the interviewer
Md. Hasan Iqbal is a postgraduate student of Communication. He completed a Master of Social Science in Sociology from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology. Currently, he works as a Technical Specialist in Sponsorship Communication at an international NGO. He is also engaged with the non-profit community-based library “Folklorist Hamidur Rahman Library & Cultural Centre” to enhance supplementary reading habits among rural children. Through the library, he is implementing the issue-led campaign “Eco-Reader: Community Library Respond to Youth-led Climate Action in Netrokona.” He is experienced in campaign planning and activation, climate communication, communication strategy development, sustainable project design, knowledge management systems (KMS) development, and project management. Besides this, he has published several books, including: “Language, Women and Mythology of Men” (2016), “Liberation War in Bhatpoetry” (2016), “Women Interpretation in Bhatpoetry” (2018), “Women Worship in Bangla Poetry” (2016), “Proverbs and Folk Rhymes of Netrakona” (2014), “Sharing Hope: Stories of Rural Children” (2020), and “COVID-19: Stories of Resilience and Overcoming Obstacles” (2021).
About the interviewee
Taslima Akter has been living in a rented house in Karail Basti for around 19 years. From a young age, she migrated from rural areas prone to river erosion to the slums of Dhaka city due to climate change. Because of this climate migration, she has not received even the minimum civic benefits. She urges the government and private sector to rehabilitate members of climate-affected families like hers. Otherwise, a large population will live subhuman lives of unproductiveness and become a burden to society rather than a valuable human resource.
Story written by: Md. Hasan Iqbal
Main Contributor and related people:
Taslima (42), middle-aged woman
Mukles (60), husband of Taslima
