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The relationship between gender and migration is complex. Gender differences in roles and relations affect who migrates, to where and with what purpose. Migration also has gendered effects in both receiving and sending areas and, in turn, affects roles and relations. Migration has long been an important component of livelihood strategies in Bangladesh. The majority of migration is from rural areas due to lack of employment, as has been recognized in the Sixth and Seventh Five Year Plans. Migration to urban areas is one of the major contributors to urban growth (Afsar 2003; Government of Bangladesh 2012, 2015).

Bangladesh is situated at the confluence of three major rivers–the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna–with a large proportion of its surface area defined as a delta where these rivers meet the Bay of Bengal. Deltas are characterized by change, with the land areas constantly shaped and reshaped by the interaction of river sediment loads from upstream and the erosive capacity of the sea. Populations living in deltas have become accustomed to this variability. However, the rate of environmental change is exacerbated by human activities and climate change, which alter the context in which livelihoods are carved out and in which migration decisions are made (Szabo et al. 2015).