Rafiqul Montu
Stories from the ground — Environment, Climate, Science, Coastal Communities, Public Health, Tech etc. Multi award winning independent investigative journalist & the pioneer of coastal journalism.
🇧🇩 Dhaka, Bangladesh.
E-mail: rafiqulmontu@gmail.com
- Year in Review 2025: Coast of Bangladesh www.risingbd.com/risingbd-spe...
- Happy New Year 2026
- Climate Crisis Disrupts Sundarbans Community Festival, Prosperity by me in @ipsnews.net www.ipsnews.net/2025/12/clim...
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuThe Committee expressed particular consternation that the EA had not told them about 3 landfill sites reported on by Sky News. 2/3 share.google/46lDHquOEgGn...
- Reposted by Rafiqul Montueven if look past the errors of fact and poor reasoning throughout this piece, you are still left with a massive normative claim that isgur doesn’t even bother to support, which is that the purpose of the executive branch is to execute the president’s will and priorities.
- Reposted by Rafiqul Montu
[Not loaded yet] - Panel discussion on ‘New Trends in Journalism: Creative Approaches’, part of the 10th Annual Conference of Communication and Journalism Educators Network (CJEN), Bangladesh, organized by DW Akademie and SACMID. I participated as a panelist
- Coastal women in Bangladesh are on the front lines of the impacts of climate change. Rising sea levels are making their livelihoods even harder.
- On October 2, 2025, the University of Arizona organized a webinar on climate change and human rights for its students. I was fortunate to be a speaker at this webinar. I gave a presentation on climate change and human rights in the context of the coast of #Bangladesh.
- Tides affect the lives of all people. Some people's lives are disrupted by the impact of tides. They are displaced and have to change homes frequently. Rising sea levels are putting people on the margins at risk. We want to go deeper into the story of tides. Let's move forward.
- The stories are about to begin................
- Silent Killer: Saltwater Threatens Women’s Health in Coastal Bangladesh globalhealthnow.org/2024-05/sile...
- The city of millions that is being flooded every day Chittagong in Bangladesh is one of the ten fastest-sinking coastal cities in the world. Many people have moved to this city fleeing climate disasters in other places across the country. by me in @dandc www.dandc.eu/en/article/c...
- Reposted by Rafiqul Montu"Across Gaza, life has become both a struggle to survive and a fight to live with dignity in a reality where even basic human rights are scarce. The Israeli war has taken everything people once cherished — homes, livelihoods, and dreams." inkstickmedia.com/postcard-fro...
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuOur small, independent team is digging into the defense industry’s influence on local politics — secretive deals, corporate subsidies, misinformation, and surveillance. But we can’t finish this work — or keep it free for everyone — without your support. inkstick.substack.com/p/award-winn...
- Reposted by Rafiqul Montu"This is not random violence. This is a systematic war against Palestinian mothers of all ages — young mothers, elderly mothers, widows, and those still holding their children close — waged with no regard for women’s rights, no respect for motherhood."
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuLong read: For refugees and migrants trying to reach the European Union from Bosnia, leftover landmines and border violence haunt the journey. Words: @connellyandrew.bsky.social & @ahnidzara.bsky.social Photos: Maryam Ashrafi
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuMy new book is out. It's based on nearly a decade of reporting on neo-Nazis and border violence in Greece. For years, editors would tell me readers had "refugee fatigue." I always hated that. I think these stories still matter. Order it from my favorite indie shop, @deepvellumbooks.bsky.social
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuIn an excerpt from her recent book, essayist and poet Adrianne Kalfopoulou reflects on borders, displacement, and the 're' in 'refuge.' inkstickmedia.com/on-borders-r...
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuRefugees and migrants are increasingly taking a new, lengthier, and more dangerous sea route from Libya to Greece. inkstickmedia.com/as-boats-sai...
- Deepening Climate Crisis Fuels Child Marriage in Bangladesh With extreme weather events on the rise, more families are resorting to child marriage. Story by me in @inkstickmedia.com @patrickobrienstrickland.com inkstickmedia.com/deepening-cl...
- Handwritten Community Newspapers in Bangladesh: Concept and Strategy rafiqulmontu.substack.com/p/handwritte...
- How coastal communities are becoming landless by me in @thedailystar online.thedailystar.net/slow-reads/u...
- How coastal communities are becoming landless by me in @thedailystar online.thedailystar.net/slow-reads/u...
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- 'It's over for us': how extreme weather is emptying Bangladesh's villages The frequency of natural disasters is making life in rural areas increasingly difficult, pushing inhabitants into city slums www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
- Journalism for coastal communities, Words lead to story ideas ------
- How Mangroves Save Lives, Livelihoods of Bangladesh Coastal Communities By me in @ipsnews.net www.ipsnews.net/2025/05/how-...
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- In coordination with countries around the world, the Global Climate Strike-2025 was observed in Bangladesh today. This strike was organized by various youth organizations including YouthNet Global.
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuHow Bangladesh rolled out the world’s largest off-grid solar programme theprogressplaybook.com/2025/03/10/h...
- Handwritten newspaper brings hope to remote Bangladesh village Bangladesh’s own special correspondent handwrites paper to share local news by @tazali.bsky.social in @theipaper.com inews.co.uk/news/world/h...
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuTrump orders USAID-funded HIV organisations in South Africa to shut down South Africa has the world’s best HIV prevention and treatment programme, thanks in part to USAID. bhekisisa.org/health-news-...
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuEurope’s shift to electric cars accelerates thanks to tighter pollution rules Including traditional hybrids, cars with batteries comprised 57% of all sales last month, while models powered entirely by fossil fuels saw their share of the mix slide to 39%. theprogressplaybook.com/2025/02/25/e...
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuSolar will soon overtake gas as California’s largest source of power. Meanwhile, big batteries are muscling gas out of peak demand periods. theprogressplaybook.com/2025/02/23/b...
- Too Much Salt in the Soil Is No Problem for These Crops Halophytes that thrive in increasingly saline soils could help feed people and livestock by @racheldparsons.bsky.social, Edited by @mfischetti.bsky.social in @sciam.bsky.social www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-...
- How Does Your Mother Tongue Speak to Nature? young.downtoearth.org.in/gobar-gyan/b...
- An explanation of the science behind news fatigue, plus expert advice to take control and protect your well-being while staying engaged Excellent piece by @meghanbartels.bsky.social, Edited by @andreatweather.bsky.social, in @sciam.bsky.social www.scientificamerican.com/article/feel...
- Are you tired of hearing bad news from all over the world? Then read @rtbcheerful.bsky.social. Here you will find heart-warming features from all over the world. reasonstobecheerful.world/indian-women...
- Tobacco cultivation and elephant death trap On February 12, the Forest Department recovered a dead elephant from a tobacco field on the side of a hill in Chakaria, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Local residents said that the elephant died in an electric trap set to protect the tobacco field.
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuWelcome back to StatsSunday — your statistical fix, pulled from this week’s stories. Read this stat’s story here: ow.ly/34bj50UW1nv
- Journalism for Coastal People The world people know that the people of coastal area of Bangladesh living here are gradually being affected by climate changing. Fighting with hazardous environment is an everyday affair. Read Story: medium.com/@sanubd/jour...
- Scientific American Magazine February 2025, Volume 332, Issue 2 www.scientificamerican.com @sciam.bsky.social
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuBy definition, numerical weather models require international data. The atmosphere knows no geopolitical boundaries: any model that begins and ends at its country’s border is unable to generate reliable predictions until after a weather system crosses its boundaries. Which defeats the purpose!
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuA delightful story about how humpback whale song follows some of the basic laws that govern all human languages. Biology and evolution are amazing. 🧪
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuFor years, the storied French waterway was nearly biologically dead. Now, it’s teeming with marine life once again, as it did centuries ago. ow.ly/u1Au50USnsP
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuNew and old ways to share wedding outfits and other supplies are slowly changing mindsets — while keeping the exuberance of the celebrations alive. ow.ly/RKXu50UTrM6
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuSee what stories caught our attention this week, from harnessing the immune systems of crops to cooling green roofs in Brazil. ow.ly/p3c050UU6P4
- @andreatweather.bsky.social writes a weekly newsletter that brings together SciAm stories about the Earth and the environment. Read it.
- If you're interested in earth and environment news, I write a weekly newsletter that rounds up SciAm's stories in that area. Check it out: shorturl.at/PNaME And subscribe here: www.scientificamerican.com/newsletter-s...
- 'A ruby that lights up the dark': Bangladesh’s only handwritten newspaper The newspaper focuses on the stories of hope – from reporting on the boom in yearly crop yield to someone buying a cow. @tazali.bsky.social www.trtworld.com/magazine/a-r...
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuAdaptation may not be thought of as a cruel injustice. But the movement of tens of millions of people this century in an unending Climate Emergency is an 'adaptation' they did not choose, and for which they are not responsible.
- Why Thousands Are Fleeing The River Islands Of Bangladesh "Our house will be washed away one day. We can't stay here at all in the rainy season. But where do we go?" — Marina, who lives on the island of Kutubdia, coast of Bangladesh. by me in @indiaspend.com www.indiaspend.com/climate-chan...
- Why Thousands Are Fleeing The River Islands Of Bangladesh "Our house will be washed away one day. We can't stay here at all in the rainy season. But where do we go?" — Marina, who lives on the island of Kutubdia, coast of Bangladesh. by me in @indiaspend.com www.indiaspend.com/climate-chan...
- Women in coastal Bangladesh's climate-vulnerable households are making a living through small-scale initiatives. For this, women have to struggle a lot and face many risks. Many women have to bear the burden of the entire family with risks. The stories of those risks of women remain hidden.
- Gutting stories of tiger widows, women who lost their husbands to Bengal tigers in Bangladesh’s Sundarbans Story by me in @GaonConnetion en.gaonconnection.com/reportage/gu...
- The story of the lost forest of the seashore. The sea is becoming increasingly agitated. The sea is swallowing villages, houses, infrastructure. Biodiversity is under threat. The people of the seashore are moving back. They are looking for a place to live elsewhere. @the-revelator.bsky.social
- The struggle for livelihood of fishermen on the coast of Bangladesh has become more difficult due to the impact of climate change. The battle with natural hazards has increased more than before. Still, the expected fish are not found. They risk their lives to survive by casting nets into the sea.
- Heartbreaking—In just 1 week during the breeding season, 151 dead olive ridley sea turtles have washed up on the coast of Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. The breeding grounds of Olive Ridley turtles in Bangladesh are all along the coast of Cox's Bazar. @johnrplatt.bsky.social @the-revelator.bsky.social
- The struggle for livelihood of fishermen on the coast of Bangladesh has become more difficult due to the impact of climate change. The battle with natural hazards has increased more than before. Still, the expected fish are not found. They risk their lives to survive by casting nets into the sea.
- ''The hungry sea is swallowing us. Our homes and forests are gone. We are becoming insecure. Our struggle for survival is becoming increasingly difficult. Maybe one day we will have to move from here to somewhere else.'' — Abdul Jalil, fisherman, coast of Bangladesh
- Climate Change Could Cut the Economy in Half. We’re Not Ready for It. A new study suggests global warming’s effect on GDP has been vastly underestimated. Will it finally break through the religion of infinite growth? by @doctorvive.bsky.social in @newrepublic.com newrepublic.com/article/1905...
- ''Unlike those age-old religious texts, science is never set in stone; it’s a dynamic conversation.'' ''As environmental journalists, we play a role in that conversation, reflecting not just the facts but the humanity within them.'' — @judeisabella.bsky.social hakaimagazine.com/article-shor...
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuIn the years after WWII, Japanese whalers killed thousands of whales to feed their hungry, war-ravaged country. The baleen from each whale was saved and carted to an offsite Smithsonian storeroom, where it sat forgotten for decades... 🧵 www.biographic.com/how-whales-f...
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuFollowing the song of the toad can be treacherous: www.biographic.com/toads-on-the... #conservation
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuSaguaro Struggles: A Desert Icon Feels the Heat • @the-revelator.bsky.social therevelator.org/saguaro-stru...
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuCanada's first national urban park is getting bigger. The Narwhal has learned the federal government will cancel its plan for an airport in Pickering, east of Toronto, and transfer most of the land set aside for it to Rouge Urban National Park. #onpoli thenarwhal.ca/pickering-ai...
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- Pakistan Is Losing Its Glaciers to Climate Change The South Asian country boasts the largest number of these massive ice formations outside the polar regions, but what happens when they melt? by Aina J. Khan in @newlinesmag.bsky.social newlinesmag.com/reportage/pa...
- Donald Trump’s disaster capitalism Los Angeles was primed to burn – by human error and human greed. by @leninology.bsky.social in @newstatesman.com www.newstatesman.com/environment/...
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuNEW: As a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Gaza takes hold, Palestinian father and journalist @mohamhawish.bsky.social reflects on survival amid unimaginable loss and the uncertainty around returning home. newlinesmag.com/spotlight/re...
- Reposted by Rafiqul Montu1. 🧵 Pakistan is home to the most glaciers in the world outside of the Arctic and Antarctic. Climate change is posing a grave threat. newlinesmag.com/reportage/pa...
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- Hello, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He’s nostalgic for the good old days of public health—when more people died. by @laurahelmuth.bsky.social in @slate.bsky.social slate.com/technology/2...
- The Guardian view on development’s paradox: the rich benefit more than the poor The global south needs a fairer deal than this one, in which it funds the lifestyle and wealth of the global north www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
- TNH marks 30 years, Congratulations!! I have been following this prestigious media outlet since IRIN. I'm proud to have a byline on TNH. TNH (@newhumanitarian.bsky.social) CEO Tammam Aloudat (@tammam.bsky.social) tells us more in this article. Link: www.thenewhumanitarian.org/Letter-from-...
- Reposted by Rafiqul MontuIf you’re following the nomination of Chris Wright, Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Energy, here’s what you need to know about his ties to the fossil fuel industry, support for fracking, and history of spreading climate disinformation.
- Economic growth could fall 50% over 20 years from climate shocks, say actuaries Exclusive: Report by risk experts says previous assessments ignored severe effects of climate crisis www.theguardian.com/environment/...
- Column: Los Angeles is a climate disaster. The fires will change nothing by @sammyroth.bsky.social in @latimes.com www.latimes.com/environment/...
- Western societies cannot do without migrants: Amitav Ghosh Amitav Ghosh ( @amitav.bsky.social ) was interviewed by @ Rajat Ghai of Down To Earth about his new book Wild Fictions. From this interview, we get to know the author's thoughts on the book. www.downtoearth.org.in/environment/...
