Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, August 6, 2024 —  As Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigns from her position and flees Bangladesh, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is calling for stability and the continued protection of vulnerable communities, including Rohingya refugees.  

Four weeks of deadly protests against the civil service quota system spiraled across the country, with the government deploying arms against protesters and shutting down mobile data and internet services. Over 300 people have died and thousands have been injured. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has since resigned and fled the country, and there are reports of widespread looting and arson at the Prime Ministerial residence and office, as well as both government and non-government infrastructure. 

As a result of unrest and shutting down of communications, all IRC operations have been suspended except for the IRC’s 24/7 health center in Cox’s Bazar refugee camp, which delivers essential primary and emergency health services. Rohingya refugees, the most persecuted minority in the world, have been exposed to various safety and security concerns and only able to receive essential primary health services for two hours per day. 

Hasina Rahman, IRC Country Director for Bangladesh, said, 

“The ongoing violence has heavily impacted the IRC’s ability to deliver essential humanitarian services as well as the security of our staff and clients. We urge the authorities to restore peace and ensure the protection of at risk groups, including refugee communities. 

“For the Rohingya community in Bangladesh, the already catastrophic humanitarian situation demands renewed efforts to bring an end to the violence and to ensure humanitarians can do their jobs. We must be able to continue with our programming for the nearly one million refugees living in Cox’s Bazar. ”

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.