Climate and Environmental MigrationResearch article
Staying through Salinity: Household Mobility Decisions in Southwestern Bangladesh
- Amina Warsame · University of Nairobi, Kenya
- Sofia Alvarez · Universidad de los Andes, Colombia
- Hana Kovac · University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Zainab Qureshi · Lahore University of Management Sciences, Pakistan
Abstract
Rising salinity can alter livelihoods without producing a simple choice between permanent migration and remaining in place. This study investigates household mobility decisions in four villages in southwestern Bangladesh. Three survey rounds with 312 households were combined with soil and drinking-water salinity measurements, livelihood calendars, and 38 interviews conducted over eighteen months. Household models examined associations between salinity exposure, income diversification, and temporary work away from home. Higher dry-season salinity was associated with more short work trips among households able to finance travel, while poorer households often reduced cultivation without sending a worker elsewhere. Care responsibilities and uncertainty about destination jobs also shaped decisions to stay. Residents distinguished maintaining a home from keeping all household members continuously present. The findings connect environmental pressure to unequal capacities for both movement and continued residence. Measurements from selected sites cannot capture every household's exposure, and observed associations do not establish salinity as the sole driver. Adaptation support should address water access, livelihood options, and the costs of constrained mobility together.
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Warsame, A., Alvarez, S., Kovac, H., & Qureshi, Z. (2025). Staying through Salinity: Household Mobility Decisions in Southwestern Bangladesh. Journal of Migration and Displacement. https://jmddiu.org/articles/staying-through-salinity-household-mobility-decisions-in-southwestern-bangladesh-f0666327
Warsame, Amina, et al. “Staying through Salinity: Household Mobility Decisions in Southwestern Bangladesh.” Journal of Migration and Displacement, 2025, https://jmddiu.org/articles/staying-through-salinity-household-mobility-decisions-in-southwestern-bangladesh-f0666327.
Warsame, Amina, Sofia Alvarez, Hana Kovac, and Zainab Qureshi. “Staying through Salinity: Household Mobility Decisions in Southwestern Bangladesh.” Journal of Migration and Displacement (2025). https://jmddiu.org/articles/staying-through-salinity-household-mobility-decisions-in-southwestern-bangladesh-f0666327.
Warsame, A. et al. (2025) ‘Staying through Salinity: Household Mobility Decisions in Southwestern Bangladesh’, Journal of Migration and Displacement. Available at: https://jmddiu.org/articles/staying-through-salinity-household-mobility-decisions-in-southwestern-bangladesh-f0666327 (Accessed: 4 November 2026).
A. Warsame, S. Alvarez, H. Kovac, and Z. Qureshi, “Staying through Salinity: Household Mobility Decisions in Southwestern Bangladesh,” Journal of Migration and Displacement, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://jmddiu.org/articles/staying-through-salinity-household-mobility-decisions-in-southwestern-bangladesh-f0666327
Warsame A, Alvarez S, Kovac H, Qureshi Z. Staying through Salinity: Household Mobility Decisions in Southwestern Bangladesh. Journal of Migration and Displacement [Internet]. 2025 Dec 3 [cited 2026 Nov 4]. Available from: https://jmddiu.org/articles/staying-through-salinity-household-mobility-decisions-in-southwestern-bangladesh-f0666327
@article{warsame2025staying,
author = {Warsame, Amina and Alvarez, Sofia and Kovac, Hana and Qureshi, Zainab},
title = {{Staying through Salinity: Household Mobility Decisions in Southwestern Bangladesh}},
journal = {Journal of Migration and Displacement},
year = {2025},
month = {dec},
publisher = {Dhaka International University},
url = {https://jmddiu.org/articles/staying-through-salinity-household-mobility-decisions-in-southwestern-bangladesh-f0666327},
keywords = {salinity, environmental mobility, immobility, livelihood diversification, southwestern Bangladesh},
abstract = {Rising salinity can alter livelihoods without producing a simple choice between permanent migration and remaining in place. This study investigates household mobility decisions in four villages in southwestern Bangladesh. Three survey rounds with 312 households were combined with soil and drinking-water salinity measurements, livelihood calendars, and 38 interviews conducted over eighteen months. Household models examined associations between salinity exposure, income diversification, and temporary work away from home. Higher dry-season salinity was associated with more short work trips among households able to finance travel, while poorer households often reduced cultivation without sending a worker elsewhere. Care responsibilities and uncertainty about destination jobs also shaped decisions to stay. Residents distinguished maintaining a home from keeping all household members continuously present. The findings connect environmental pressure to unequal capacities for both movement and continued residence. Measurements from selected sites cannot capture every household's exposure, and observed associations do not establish salinity as the sole driver. Adaptation support should address water access, livelihood options, and the costs of constrained mobility together.}
}TY - JOUR AU - Warsame, Amina AU - Alvarez, Sofia AU - Kovac, Hana AU - Qureshi, Zainab TI - Staying through Salinity: Household Mobility Decisions in Southwestern Bangladesh JO - Journal of Migration and Displacement PY - 2025 DA - 2025/12/03 PB - Dhaka International University UR - https://jmddiu.org/articles/staying-through-salinity-household-mobility-decisions-in-southwestern-bangladesh-f0666327 KW - salinity KW - environmental mobility KW - immobility KW - livelihood diversification KW - southwestern Bangladesh AB - Rising salinity can alter livelihoods without producing a simple choice between permanent migration and remaining in place. This study investigates household mobility decisions in four villages in southwestern Bangladesh. Three survey rounds with 312 households were combined with soil and drinking-water salinity measurements, livelihood calendars, and 38 interviews conducted over eighteen months. Household models examined associations between salinity exposure, income diversification, and temporary work away from home. Higher dry-season salinity was associated with more short work trips among households able to finance travel, while poorer households often reduced cultivation without sending a worker elsewhere. Care responsibilities and uncertainty about destination jobs also shaped decisions to stay. Residents distinguished maintaining a home from keeping all household members continuously present. The findings connect environmental pressure to unequal capacities for both movement and continued residence. Measurements from selected sites cannot capture every household's exposure, and observed associations do not establish salinity as the sole driver. Adaptation support should address water access, livelihood options, and the costs of constrained mobility together. ER -
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