August 27, 2024 —  Dhaka, Bangladesh - More than 5.5 million people in Bangladesh have been affected by severe flooding across much of the country. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is preparing to launch an emergency response to affected areas in Cox’s Bazar and Chattagram districts, where vulnerable communities continue to bear the brunt of climate change.

At least 23 people have lost their lives in devastating floods that have affected 11 districts across the country, with critical infrastructure, including power lines, roads, and communications, being destroyed. 

Hasina Rahman, IRC Bangladesh Director, said,

“This is one of the worst floods ever experienced in Bangladesh, with extreme weather events dramatically increasing in frequency over the last five years. This could spell disaster for countless communities across the country, particularly refugee and host communities in Cox’s Bazar and those who live in remote coastal areas in southern Bangladesh. Women and girls are at particular risk, with the risk of violence and exploitation increasing during times of crisis.

“The IRC is a leading humanitarian actor in Bangladesh, and our teams are preparing to scale up our response to the worst-hit remote areas of the country in coordination with local partners and government. This will include the delivery of basic survival packages, comprised of items such as drinking water, rehydration sachets, lights and basic food supplies, to around 10,000 households in Chittagong. Meanwhile, the IRC is calling for the Government of Bangladesh to strategically coordinate actors and institutions in Bangladesh to support those who need it most.

“It is high time that the international community recognizes the knife edge that Bangladesh balances on when it comes to climate change. More funding is urgently needed to ensure that humanitarian efforts are robustly supported and communities can adequately prepare to mitigate disaster and protect their families in times of crisis.”

The IRC began responding to the Rohingya crisis in August 2017 and launched its response officially in March 2018. With over 400 staff in Bangladesh and operating across 27 camps across the district, our teams provide essential healthcare to the host community as well as the Rohingya population in Cox’s Bazar, as well as reproductive and maternal healthcare, child protection, education, prevention and response to Gender-Based Violence, and Emergency Disaster Risk Reduction (EDRR).  Since 2021, the IRC has supported communities in southern Bangladesh in Health, Protection, Education, and Economic Recovery in response to climate change and climate-induced disasters.

To learn more about IRC’s programming in Bangladesh, go here.