In the Sundarbans, labour is shaped by uncertainty—cyclones, embankment breaches, salinity and erosion reduce local work, pushing large numbers of people into seasonal and long-distance migration. Many workers travel through middlemen to paddy transplantation, construction, brick kilns, fisheries, and domestic work—often with verbal contracts, unsafe conditions, wage theft, and little access to social protection. Women, youth, and distressed families face added risks, including trafficking and exploitation.