United Nations in Bangladesh

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Bangladesh:

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17 May 2026

“Digital Lifelines: Strengthening Resilience in a Connected World” Message for World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2026

On World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, the International Telecommunication Union and the world recognize digital technologies as lifelines – connecting people to safety, services and one another.When disaster strikes, networks carry early warnings, enable first responders, and keep clinics, classrooms and public services up and running. But lifelines must be trusted, secure and accessible to all. Too many communities remain offline. Critical systems are vulnerable. Disinformation and cyberthreats are growing. And as climate emergencies intensify and the AI divide widens, the cost of inaction falls hardest on those already left behind.We must invest in connectivity – from seabed cables to satellites, from local access to open standards and digital skills. We must implement the Global Digital Compact, advance rights-based AI governance and strengthen cooperation across governments, industry and civil society.Digital infrastructure is an essential public good, so let us build it to withstand the crises ahead. When digital lifelines are universal and safe, every community can prepare, respond and recover.

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13 April 2026

From Voices to Action: Building a Youth Voice Mechanism in Bangladesh

Across Bangladesh, young people are eager to contribute to decisions that shape their lives and communities. Yet many – especially those from marginalized groups –are trying to find trusted, and effective ways to make their voices heard. To help address this, the UNESCO led the coordination of a nationwide effort to explore how youth participation can be strengthened and formally built into public decision‑making. Working with UN agencies, national consultants, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS), UNESCO ensured that the process remained inclusive, coherent and aligned with national priorities.UNESCO stands with young people across Bangladesh to ensure their voices are not only heard, but built into the decisions that shape their lives. Working with national partners and the UN system, we are helping move from one-off consultations to lasting mechanisms that make participation inclusive and meaningful. Our commitment is clear: youth engagement must be part of how public decisions are made, not an exception to it. Khaled El-EnanyUNESCO Director-General A national youth survey, five regional workshops, and 14 focus group discussions brought together young people from all eight regions of Bangladesh. Rather than being asked simply to answer questions, they joined a co‑design process facilitated by UNESCO, helping to shape the proposed Youth Voice Mechanism (YVM). Particular efforts were made to include youth from ethnic minorities, tea‑estate workers, slum youth, young women, persons with disabilities, and gender‑diverse youth –ensuring that those who are usually left out were central to the discussion. UNESCO staff were present throughout consultations and focus group discussions, engaging directly and first‑hand with participants and helping to create spaces where sensitive issues could be shared openly.This is the first time we were invited not just to talk about problems, but to design solutions together.Youth participant, SylhetThe overarching aim was to develop a structured and long-term approach that ensures young people have a real say in decision-making processes. UNESCO supported the mapping of existing levels of youth participation, trust, and institutional responsiveness, while helping identify the social and structural barriers that continue to affect marginalized groups. The emerging Youth Voice Mechanism (YVM) model is rooted in evidence generated directly by young people and informed by international good practices, with strong attention to gender, accessibility, and accountability.The resulting YVM framework offers a practical way for young people to raise concerns related to livelihoods, safety, public services and dignity, and to channel them into formal decision‑making systems. Over time, a mechanism like this has the potential to reduce the need for crisis‑driven protests and encourage more continuous, constructive engagement between youth and state institutions Looking ahead, the next phase will involve piloting the Youth Voice Mechanism in different geographic and social contexts, testing how well it supports inclusivity, safety and responsiveness in real governance settings. As the mechanism develops, UNESCO’s leadership will remain central in ensuring that youth perspectives are systematically integrated into policy planning, service delivery, and accountability processes.

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24 February 2026

A Growing Movement in the Hill Tracts Against Digital Gender-Based Violence

For many women and girls, violence can seep through something as small as a phone screen. An unwanted text, a fake image or unhinged words. It follows them onto their phones, into their social media feeds, and into the private digital spaces where they hoped to feel safe. This year’s 16 Days of Activism focuses on digital violence. A growing form of harm that shapes how women learn, work, and express themselves online.Across the world, online abuse has become one of the fastest-rising forms of gender-based violence. UN studies show that women, especially young women, face far higher levels of harassment, threats, and non-consensual image sharing than men. WHO reminds us that one in three women will experience some form of violence in their lifetime. A 2023 UN study found that women, particularly young women and activists, are 27 times more likely to be harassed online than men. Today, many of those experiences are happening behind screens, often hidden from family and community support. In Bangladesh, digital violence has taken on new urgency as more young people connect to the internet. Girls are often the first to feel the risks—fake accounts, threatening messages, pressure for photos, and the fear of being shamed online. In remote areas, these fears are even sharper. The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) has seen a quiet rise in online harassment, especially among indigenous girls who have limited access to digital literacy and fewer places to seek help. One teacher in Rangamati explained it simply, “Our girls are excited to use phones. But they don’t always feel safe. They know the danger, even when they cannot name it.”To respond to this growing concern, the Ecosystems Restoration Resilient Development in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (ERRD-CHT) Project, with support from Global Affairs Canada and the European Union, launched the 16 Days of Activism campaign across the region. It aims to raise awareness about both digital and traditional gender-based violence, teach young people how to stay safe online, and bring communities together to support women and girls.Since 25 November 2025, the campaign has reached 3,959 people. This includes 2,672 women and girls and 1,287 men and boys, showing strong engagement from both groups. Students from 24 schools and colleges joined rallies, art competitions, debates, and digital safety sessions. Community members and traditional leaders gathered to discuss how online behaviour affects real lives. Many heard the term “digital violence” for the first time. During a poster-writing session in Khagrachhari, a college student said, “I thought harassment only meant someone touching you. Now I understand that a message can hurt too.”Others shared stories they had kept quiet for years. A young Marma girl whispered after a session, “I was scared to talk about what happened to me online. Today I learned it was not my fault.”Men and boys also took part, discussing their roles in creating safer spaces. A father in Bandarban reflected, “We must guide our sons. What they say online matters. It can protect a girl or break her confidence.”Reproductive Health Care Workers are also helping extend the campaign’s reach by sharing key messages with students and Mothers Club members in schools and colleges. Local police officers are visiting selected schools to talk directly with young people about the 16 Days of Activism, available support services, and how victim support centres operate.Across six upazilas, Local Volunteer Mediators Forums and youth groups are hosting events to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, bringing together teachers, education officers, students, mothers’ groups, and RHCWs to strengthen community awareness and collective action.Through simple materials, participatory learning, and strong collaboration with local authorities, the campaign is helping communities recognise digital harm and stand against it.The message from CHT is safety must include the digital world. When women and girls feel safe online, they can study, lead, and dream without fear. Ending digital violence is not only a campaign. It is a promise of dignity and a step toward equality for everyone.I was scared to talk about what happened to me online. Today I learned it was not my fault.

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08 March 2026

Justice that lets every woman and girl live free from fear

Op-ed by Stefan Liller, UN Resident Coordinator a.i. and UNDP Resident Representative in Bangladesh, Catherine Breen Kamkong, UNFPA Representative in Bangladesh and Gitanjali Singh, UN Women Representative in Bangladesh.This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls,” is a call to overcome structural barriers that deny women and girls equal access to justice, such as unequal laws, weak enforcement, discriminatory practices and harmful social norms that undermine rights and perpetuate violence.Across the globe, democratic space is narrowing and hard-won gains for gender equality are under pressure. Women and girls continue to face legal and social systems that institutionalise inequality and restrict their access to protection and redress. In 2026, women worldwide enjoy only 64 per cent of the legal rights held by men (World Bank), leaving them disadvantaged in areas ranging from employment and financial security to safety, property ownership and mobility. Without meaningful access to justice, rights remain promises on paper rather than lived realities.In Bangladesh, the experience of survivors underscores the need to further reform protection systems. As one survivor of sexual violence shared: “When I went to seek redress, I felt like the system saw everything except my pain. I kept asking myself: if justice isn’t for women like me, then who is it for? I stayed quiet for years because I thought no one would believe me. Speaking up was the only way for me to survive, but the journey to justice has been harder than the violence itself.” Her words echo the lived realities of many women and girls.The 2024 National Violence Against Women Survey reveals that 54 per cent of women in Bangladesh have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime, yet 64 per cent never told anyone. Silence is rarely a choice; it is often a survival strategy shaped by stigma, fear of retaliation, economic dependency and a lack of confidence in formal systems. When survivors do not see a clear, compassionate and effective path to justice, the system itself becomes another source of harm.Recent steps by the Government of Bangladesh to strengthen legal protections are both timely and necessary. New ordinances addressing domestic violence and sexual harassment in workplaces, educational institutions and online spaces, together with commitments to review the Child Marriage Restraint Act, signal a willingness to close systemic gaps. These measures reflect a life-cycle approach to protection, recognising that adolescent girls, young women, women in the home and workplace, women with disabilities, older women and transgender women face different and intersecting risks."Laws, however, only matter if they work for survivors. Justice must be visible, accessible and humane".Access to justice is inseparable from the realisation of women’s rights. Violence against women and girls is both a human rights violation and a public health crisis. Survivors require not only legal remedies but also confidential health services, psychosocial support and quality, survivor-centred case management. The integration of legal assistance with accessible health and social services is essential to ensure a multisectoral response that will enable women and girls to seek help safely and with dignity.Reformed legislation contributes to Bangladesh’s commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goals 5 and 16, as well as international frameworks such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Platform for Action and ILO Convention 190. These instruments, as well as the Commission on the Status of Women 70 platform, help close legal gaps by expanding definitions, extending protections across physical and digital spaces and acknowledging technology-facilitated gender-based violence. The Cyber Security Ordinance (2025) further strengthens efforts to address online abuse, which disproportionately affects women and girls.At the same time, legal reform must be comprehensive. Certain inequitable provisions within personal laws, dowry-related practices and aspects of rape legislation continue to undermine full equality before the law. Addressing these gaps with urgency and consultation is critical to building a coherent and rights-based legal framework.Laws, however, only matter if they work for survivors. Justice must be visible, accessible and humane. Internal complaint committees must be functional, independent and trusted. Reporting mechanisms must be safe and confidential. Police, health providers, social workers, legal aid services, employers and educational institutions must coordinate effectively to ensure timely referrals and survivor-centred support. Multi-sectoral response systems anchored in trained social service professionals and quality case management must be available to all survivors, regardless of age, marital status, disability, ethnicity, location or gender identity.Adequate financing is equally essential. Legal reforms without resources for implementation, monitoring and oversight risk remaining symbolic. Investment in training for law enforcement, judicial actors, health providers and social workers is critical to ensure that survivors are treated with respect and that cases are handled ethically and efficiently. Strengthened data systems, including those addressing technology-facilitated violence, are necessary to track progress, inform policy and hold institutions accountable. Supporting women’s movements and women’s rights organizations, which have long driven legal reform and accountability, is also needed. Preventing child marriage is also central to advancing justice. Child marriage remains both a driver and a consequence of gender inequality and gender-based violence, cutting short girls’ education, exposing them to early pregnancy, which increases their vulnerability to abuse, and closing the door to future opportunities. Ensuring that the Child Marriage Restraint Act is aligned with international human rights standards and effectively enforced will protect girls’ rights, health and futures.Public awareness and community engagement must accompany legal change. Women, girls and young people need accessible information about their rights and available services and the removal of all barriers to accessing these. Men and boys must be engaged as allies in challenging harmful norms and supporting equality. Community and religious leaders, sports champions, musicians and artists can be powerful in a movement to bring about this change for the women and girls of Bangladesh.
Above all, we must be clear: gender-based violence and child marriage are preventable. Strong laws are powerful instruments for shaping safer, more equal societies when enforced with commitment, care and accountability. Justice is about restoring dignity, rebuilding trust and ensuring that every woman and girl can live free from fear.The United Nations, including UNFPA and UN Women, stands firmly with the women and girls, men and boys of Bangladesh, calling for the conservation and extension of gains made and for translating commitments into action. Together, we can ensure equality in law and in practice, so that rights are realised not in theory but in the everyday lives of all women and girls across Bangladesh. The op-ed was originally published in The Daily Star. Click here to read.

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13 April 2026

A stronger start for newborns and new moms

As Cox’s Bazar was waking up one November morning, an auto-rickshaw sped towards the Cox’s Bazar District Sadar Hospital. Inside, a mother had given birth on the way.Health workers rushed forward, guiding the exhausted mother and her newborn into the facility. One team took the mother to the labour ward. Another team carefully carried the tiny baby to the Special Care Newborn Unit (SCANU).The mother was 37-year-old Misnahar. Her son had been born far too early, weighing just 900 grams and immediately started showing respiratory issues. Inside the SCANU, nurses placed him on oxygen support, monitoring him closely. Tubes and wires surrounded his small body, with machines measuring every breath and heartbeat. For the first 24 hours, Misnahar could not hold her baby. She anxiously watched him through the glass wall surrounding the unit.“I could not stop crying,” says Misnahar. “The first 15 days were some of the most difficult days of my life.”One month laterToday, Misnahar’s baby weighs 1.5 kilograms. Still tiny but steadily growing stronger. She has named him Mir Mohammed Sarid.Each day, she has been learning how to care for him. Keeping him warm with kangaroo mother care, feeding him only breastmilk, burping him gently after every feed, washing her hands frequently to protect him from infection. Nurses showed her how to read Sarid’s cues. Doctors explained what signs to watch once they returned home. She followed every instruction carefully and that made a big difference. Sarid still needs regular follow-ups. His next screening will check for retinopathy – an eye condition that can affect premature babies, especially those on oxygen therapy. Misnahar knows that the road ahead will require patience. But her fear is slowly being overpowered by hope.“When my son grows up, I want him to become a doctor or a nurse,” says Misnahar. “The people here saved my baby’s life. Maybe one day he can save others.”
Sarid’s survival was possible because Misnahar reached the hospital just in time and specialized newborn care was available when he needed it the most.Bangladesh records 22 neonatal deaths for every 1,000 live births. This accounts for 67% of all under-five deaths, according to the recently released preliminary findings of MICS 2025. Newborn survival is therefore the top child health priority.Across the country, UNICEF and partners have supported the Government to establish Special Care Newborn Units in 62 public hospitals. These units are designed to treat low-birthweight and critically ill newborns like Sarid with life-saving care. The units are equipped with reliable medical oxygen, radiant warmers, phototherapy, resuscitators, and continuous monitoring.In Cox’s Bazar District Sadar hospital, a referral facility serving both host communities and over one million Rohingya refugees, the 65-bed SCANU is a lifeline.“The unit has transformed healthcare for newborns,” says Dr. Imtiaz, one of the medical officers in charge of the ward. “We can monitor babies closely and respond quickly when something changes.”The demand is high. Most days, all the beds are occupied by newborns. Doctors and nurses move steadily from one room to the next, checking vital signs, adjusting oxygen levels, and soothing restless babies.Outside the glass walls, parents wait, some praying silently, some pressing their hands against the window, searching for a glimpse of their child. Inside, the sound of beeping monitors, soft cries, and calm footsteps of health workers fills the room. Strengthening the systemThanks to the support from the World Bank, UNICEF has been able to train health workers, provide their salaries, upgrade services and renovate infrastructure, improve data systems and essential supplies – from diagnostic machines to clean drinking water system that ensure good health and safety in Cox’s Bazar District Sadar Hospital.These investments help hospitals remain ready around the clock to deliver maternal and newborn care, immunization, nutrition counseling, and emergency services for both host communities and refugee populations.For families like Misnahar’s, these systems come together at the most critical moment – when a newborn needs immediate care for survival. For the doctors and nurses, each baby who leaves the hospital healthier and stronger is a reminder of why they do this work.“When a baby recovers and goes home healthy, we celebrate together,” says Dr. Imtiaz. “Those moments give us strength to keep going.”As for Misnahar, it means something simpler. A chance to watch her son grow and thrive.

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08 June 2026

The Library for Rohingya Young People That Refused to Wait

Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh — In one of the densely populated Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, 18-year-old Mohammad Siraj stood out as someone who carried both confidence and a quiet sense of responsibility for others.An articulate and thoughtful young man, he spoke with clarity about the challenges facing young people in the camp. Like many Rohingya youth, Mohammad was forced to flee Myanmar as a child. He has grown up in displacement, separated from the country he still considers home. As the conversation ended and visitors began to move on, Mohammad ran after them. He wanted to ask for something.In a place where needs are immediate and visible, his request might have been expected to reflect the daily hardships of camp life.But it did not. He asked for books about Myanmar’s history.“The youth will be very happy if we can provide knowledge about Myanmar history,” Mohammad said.His request is not only about learning Rohingya history. He wants young people to understand the history of Myanmar as a whole, the country they came from, the country they still belong to in memory, and the country many still hope one day to return to.The library he was sitting in was built by his own hands. A year ago, he was joined by ten other peers, and together they debated, voted, and decided to build a place for reading. There was nothing much in the area for young people to be busy with. Young men in the camp used to spend long hours in tea stalls. Some gambled. Some drifted toward groups that did not have their futures in mind.The idea for the library came through UNFPA's youth peacemaking initiative under the Rising Together project funded by Switzerland. Youth facilitators from Mukti Cox's Bazar gathered groups of young people in camps and asked them what they wanted to do with the unused space near the youth centre.Some boys voted for tree planting, and Mohammad wanted a library. "If we plant trees, in half a year they will just provide some breeze," he explained. "But if we make a library, we can get free time there, we can read books."Young people did not just decide. They led the entire process, from needs assessment through library design to seeking approvals from camp authorities to source materials. Today, the library exists because young people were passionate about it.Eighteen such youth-led revitalization initiatives were implemented across camps and host communities under the Rising Together project in its first year in 2025. In camp after camp, young people transformed unused, neglected spaces into gardens, libraries, reading clubs, and gathering points because they were given the tools, support, and trust to lead.In the Rohingya camps, 75% of youth lack access to education, and 72% report feeling unable to contribute meaningfully to their communities. A generation growing up in displacement, with no formal pathway to a livelihood, no legal right to work, and no clear prospect of return, is a generation at risk of exploitation, recruitment, and the slow erosion of hope.But a library is an argument, a hope against that erosion. It says: your time has value, your questions matter, your future is still worth imagining.Mohammad’s message to the youth of his camp is direct. He wants the library to become what he and his peers built it to be: a place that replaces the tea stall, the gambling app, and idle hours with something that builds rather than diminishes. Fahmida Amin, an Adolescent and Youth Centre Facilitator, has watched dozens of young people move through the same programmes that shaped Mohammad. "We have taught them life skills through structured sessions," Fahmida said. "We referred them to different services. We help them understand what they can do in an emergency. But we also see something else. Young people who start as participants become the ones leading."The Rising Together, in its first year, reached 1,410 young people through the Youth4Peace initiative and 2,010 adolescent girls through life skills education. 12,847 people were reached through youth-led community awareness initiatives.The library was built by Mohammad and his peers, who were told their future had already been decided, but young people decided to build their future otherwise - page by page, one book at a time.

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08 June 2026

From Shyamnagar to Dhaka When Stories Travel, Voices Rise

On a warm afternoon in Dhaka, three young storytellers from the coastal upazila of Shyamnagar stood before a room full of university students at the Community Storytelling Festival. They had not come as visitors. They came as narrators of a reality many in the capital rarely see.One of them was Shibani Munda, who shared the plights of women from the coastal area, how they struggle for water and with saline water due to climate change. She shared how women there suffer from frequent uterine issues. Another one was Md Arifuzzaman, who shared the crisis with livelihood in saline water.The students present at the event listened to them in awe. And this journey had started long ago in November 2025.Journalism, Media and Communication (JMC) department of Daffodil International University (DIU), in partnership with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), arranged a workshop with the youth of the coastal area – Shyamnagar, a place where rising salinity, shrinking agricultural land, and distant healthcare shape daily life. The goal was to enable the youth of the community to tell their own stories. After their training at the workshop, many youths came forward to highlight coastal stories, using a simple mobile phone. For many participants, this marked their first experience holding a camera or speaking on record. Their timeline began with the workshop, followed by recording, editing with apps like KineMaster, and sharing their voices on social media platforms.The stories were simple, but urgent. And the impact is incredible. In an auditorium full of university students, 3 of them shared their experience.“At first, my own people hesitated. They did not want to talk,” Shibani Munda recalled. Convincing communities to open up took time. But once they did, the stories came raw, unfiltered, and deeply personal.Identifying themselves as climate activists, they interacted with their urban peers with quiet confidence. They spoke not only of problems, but of responsibility. “We must keep speaking of the reality of the coast if we want our situation to improve,” said another activist, Md Arifuzzaman.The interaction was a two-way exchange. For the urban youth, it was a moment of reckoning. They emphasized that development, at its core, is not only about data or policy. It is about people, especially those whose voices are the hardest to hear.“Do you plan to carry forward your storytelling journey in the future?” asked Fahim, a university student. For them, the coast and climate change were no longer abstract headlines. It had faces, names, and voices. And for the storytellers, it was validation.Arifuzzaman, who learned how to hold a camera, said he will continue to document his surroundings, sharing videos on Facebook and YouTube. Shibani, on the other hand, hopes to keep telling stories not just to document, but to change her community’s situation.Initiatives like the Community Digital Storytelling Festival (CDSTF), first launched in 2023 and now in its third iteration, exemplify DIU's continued push for independent, grassroots storytelling. Without major sponsorships and relying instead on partnerships and collective effort, the initiative has grown into a platform where marginalised, raw voices find an audience. “We believe that raw storytelling creates real impact on climate change, and platforms like CDSTF are essential for bringing these authentic voices to the global stage,” said Md Abdul Quayyum, Head of Communications, UNDP Bangladesh.In an age where a one-minute video can travel across continents, these stories carry the potential to become global narratives. They challenge a persistent imbalance in development discourse where decisions are often made far from the realities.And sometimes, all it takes to bridge the gap is a phone, a story, and the courage to press record.

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08 June 2026

A nation’s response, a mother’s relief: Bangladesh steps up emergency measles vaccination

At the Ma O Shishu Shastho (Mother and Child) Hospital in Mohammadpur, west Dhaka, Afrida, 32, holds her two children – Ohran, 2, and Anika, 5 – close as they move through a crowded vaccination hall. Families arrive, children receive their shots and parents leave with quiet relief.“The situation is dangerous. Bangladesh is heavily affected, and I was very scared for my children,” she says. “I brought them because I know the vaccine will protect them.”Afrida’s concern is shared by families across Bangladesh, where, as of 18 April, a rapidly spreading measles outbreak has reached 58 of the country’s 64 districts. Highly contagious and potentially fatal, measles poses a serious risk to young children, particularly where immunization gaps persist.More than 22 400 suspected cases and 3278 confirmed infections have been recorded. Young children between the ages of 6 months and five years are most affected, with 178 suspected deaths, largely among un- and under-vaccinated children below two years of age.Rapid vaccination is critical to stop transmission and protect those most at risk.“Measles is one of the most contagious diseases,” says Dr Jahangir Alam, WHO’s Divisional Coordinator for Dhaka, one of the most affected divisions. “Even small gaps in immunization coverage can trigger outbreaks. Every missed child increases the risk, but this is a disease we can prevent.”A rapid national responseOn 5 April 2026, following a sharp rise in cases through March, the Bangladesh Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) launched an emergency measles–rubella vaccination campaign, targeting children aged 6 months to 5 years, regardless of prior vaccination status. The campaign began in 30 high-risk upazilas across 18 districts.The scale up has been swift. By 18 April, more than 1 492 000 children had been vaccinated in 30 Upazilas and four City Corporations, where over 2.4 million children are expected to be reached. On 20 April, the campaign was expanded nationwide, covering all remaining districts.For health workers, the campaign is more than a professional duty; it is deeply personal.“When I heard about the measles outbreak, it was heartbreaking to see so many children affected,” says Md Faruk Reza, a vaccinator and health professional at Ma O Shishu Shastho Hospital. “Now, I feel proud to be part of this effort, protecting children one by one and helping to stop the spread. It gives me great satisfaction to contribute to something that is saving lives.” Under the MoHFW’s leadership, WHO and partners are supporting health workers like Faruk through training and field support, strengthening frontline capacity.Critical to the campaign’s success is Bangladesh’s vast, country-wide network of WHO Surveillance Immunization Medical Officers (SIMOs), supported with generous financial contributions from Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance. “Across Bangladesh, WHO SIMOs are investigating suspected cases and outbreaks, strengthening disease surveillance and infection prevention in health facilities, as well as supporting Civil Surgeons and District Teams in the rapid rollout of the campaign,” says Dr Vinod Bura, Coordinator for Immunization and Vaccine-preventable Diseases (IVD) at the WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia, who has been deployed to Bangladesh to support the response.“Data collected through the SIMOs feeds into real-time monitoring systems that track disease trends, as well as vaccination coverage and safety, allowing rapid adjustments and helping national authorities to address gaps quickly.”Given the severity of the outbreak, WHO has classified it as a Grade 2 emergency, enabling coordinated support from immunization and health emergencies teams across all three levels of the Organization.“This level of emergency response allows WHO to rapidly scale up technical and operational support, working closely with national authorities and partners,” says Dr Anthony Eshofonie, WHO Team Lead for Health Emergencies in Bangladesh. “Rapid, coordinated action is essential to contain the outbreak and protect those most at risk.” Dr Ahmed Jamsheed Mohamed, WHO Representative to Bangladesh, says the campaign is critical to meeting immediate response needs, while providing an opportunity to strengthen routine immunization systems for more sustainable protection against vaccine-preventable diseases moving forward.“Bangladesh has reduced under-five mortality from 36 per 1000 live births in 2015 to 33 in 2025, but progress must accelerate to reach the SDG target of 25. Achieving full immunization coverage is critical to this effort. In addition to responding to the current outbreak, the campaign provides an opportunity to build momentum for a stronger, more equitable and resilient immunization system – one that reaches every child, wherever they live.”“Together with the MoHFW, UNICEF and partners, WHO will continue to support a coordinated national response, strengthening preparedness and resilience to prevent future outbreaks and protect vulnerable populations.”From fear to reliefBack at Ma O Shishu Shastho Hospital, the steady flow of families continues. Muniruzzaman, Assistant Director of the hospital administration, watches with cautious optimism.“We hope that our expert personnel will deliver a successful outcome for the campaign,” he says. “We aim to reach our targets, ensure high coverage and reduce the mortality we have seen thus far.”After the children are vaccinated, Afrida sits with her youngest, Ohran, resting quietly in her arms, while Anika stays close by her side.“I was very worried before,” she says. “Now, I feel relieved.”In the coming weeks, millions of mothers like Afrida will walk through clinic doors, carrying both fear and hope. Each vaccination is a step towards protection today, and a future where no child is lost to a preventable disease.

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08 June 2026

Bangladesh workers' organisations unite to shape a just transition, and the window is now

Trade unions and civil society organisations align around NDC 3.0, reduce duplication, and build a united and credible worker voice at a pivotal moment for Bangladesh's climate future.When workers have a seat at the table, transitions become truly just. Across history, it has been workers — organised, united, and clear-eyed about what their communities need — who have turned moments of economic upheaval into opportunities for lasting progress. A just transition is not simply about managing the costs of change. It is about workers actively shaping the future of work: securing green jobs with decent wages, building climate-resilient livelihoods, and ensuring that no one — no informal worker, no woman in a garment factory, no smallholder farmer — is left behind by decisions made without them. Bangladesh stands at exactly that kind of moment. And its workers' organisations are rising to meet it.On 1–2 April, representatives from more than ten workers' organisations gathered for an intensive working session on just transition. Convened by the ILO, the event forged coordination before a series of high-stakes national policy deadlines that will define Bangladesh's climate transition for decades. They left with four joint priorities, a shared vision statement, a coordination platform, and named focal points in every organisation to follow through on commitments that are grounded in evidence.A critical window — with a real deadlineBangladesh is one of the world's most climate-vulnerable countries, yet responsible for just 0.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Its workers are already on the front line: in 2024 alone, heat-related physical and mental health conditions led to costing the economy up to US$1.78 billion [1]. With 85% of the workforce in informal employment [2], the social protection systems that should cushion climate and economic shocks barely exist for most workers.At the same time, Bangladesh is navigating compounding structural shifts: LDC graduation, rising energy prices, rapid automation reshaping industry, and tightening EU due diligence and carbon border rules. Workers are being asked to adapt to changes they did not cause and were not consulted on.That is changing. Bangladesh is finalising its third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0), which includes (for the first time_ a dedicated Just Transition chapter. A national Just Transition policy and action plan is to be drafted and finalised by early 2027. The window for workers to shape that agenda is open right now.Workers' organisations must enter each phase with a clear, coordinated position (backed by evidence from the ground) to be credible partners in shaping Bangladesh's Just Transition framework.A common vision, common risks — and the commitment to act togetherParticipants mapped the transition risks already underway across the economy: from garments to agriculture, construction, and the informal economy. Across every group, the same picture emerged: job displacement, the particular vulnerability of women and coastal area workers, growing automation, climate-driven migration, and widening skills gaps. Informal and marginalised workers (including persons with disabilities, indigenous communities, and home-based workers) were consistently the most exposed, and the least served by existing support. A gallery walk of organisations' work plans surfaced something striking. Multiple organisations were running similar policy advocacy, capacity building, and research programmes, often targeting the same communities, without awareness of each other's efforts, but with a common commitment and vision. Participants reframed this not as a problem, but as an opportunity: shared ground from which to build a division of labour, pool limited resources and amplify collective impact. Despite the diversity of organisations present, the groups converged on a shared vision:"An inclusive, low-carbon, climate-resilient future of work where all workers — formal and informal — are recognised, given opportunities and protected with equal wages, decent working conditions, safe workplaces, and universal social protection."
— Joint vision statement agreed in plenary, 1–2 April 2026Concrete commitments and tools, not just good intentionsThe workshop closed with organisations agreeing to four joint priority areas: policy advocacy, coordination, capacity development, and research and data. Under the National Alliance for Just Transition Bangladesh (NAJTB), member organisations committed to:Joint sectoral research with findings feeding directly into the NDC 3.0 reviewSectoral, district, and targeted consultations for upcoming NDC 3.0 processes, feeding into one coordinated worker positionA shared resource hub and knowledge repository for workersCo-bidding on complementary projects to pool resources and avoid duplicationRegular coordination meetings, with focal points nominated across all organisations But translating commitments into impact will require more than coordination among workers' organisations alone. Sultan Ahmed stressed that just transition cannot succeed as a standalone agenda — climate, employment, social security, and labour law policies must reinforce rather than contradict each other. He pointed to a telling example: workers currently cannot take leave to reskill, undermining the very upskilling programmes that the transition depends on. Unless policy coherence is treated as a precondition, even the best-coordinated worker voice risks pushing against a system that is pulling in the opposite direction.In short: Bangladesh's workers did not cause the climate crisis, but they will bear its costs unless they act with one voice, now, in the spaces where policy is being written. The coordination built in Savar is the foundation for worker leadership that Bangladesh's just transition cannot succeed without.

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Story

08 June 2026

She Learned to Earn, Then Learned to Stand Strong

A Rohingya woman turns skills into income in Cox’s BazarCox's Bazar, Bangladesh — The wall mat hanging in Nur Bahar's shelter did not come from a market. She made it herself, from fabric strips she bought with her own money, cut with her own hands, and stitched together on the floor of the same small space where, not long ago, she sat and waited for others to provide.Nur Bahar, 50, supports a family of six in the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, including her son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. For years, support meant stretching what little arrived and managing the daily strain of a woman responsible for everything, but with little of her own.Like many Rohingya women living in displacement, opportunities to earn or learn were limited. Survival depended on aid, and decisions about the future often felt out of reach.“I did not know anything before,” she says quietly. “I stayed at home and depended on others.”Even small expenses felt unreachable. She has a thyroid condition. When she needed medicine, she had to ask. "If I needed money for medicine, it was difficult," she said with the flat precision of someone describing a fact they have long accepted.She accepted it, until someone came to her door and offered her a different possibility.Volunteers from a Women-Led Community Centre visited her block, speaking to women about a free, three-month skills training programme. Nur Bahar was uncertain. Leaving home, even for a few hours, even for something that might help, was not something she was accustomed to doing.But the idea stayed with her. "If I learn something, maybe I can help my family," she said.The technical training she joined is supported by UNFPA through the Rising Together project, funded by Switzerland. Over 120 hours, participants learn practical vocational skills, tailoring, handicrafts, tie-dye, block-batik, but the programme is designed around more than technique. Before needles are threaded or fabric is cut, participants sit together in structured sessions that address child marriage, women's rights, gender-based violence, and where to go for help. For many women, it is the first time these subjects have been spoken aloud in a room they feel safe in.“These sessions helped me understand things I never knew before,” Nur Banar shared. “Now I know where to go if someone needs help.”She chose handicraft training so she could make items such as wall mats, bags and other stitched products from her shelter, without needing expensive tools. At first, she doubted herself.“I thought I could not do it,” she said.But with encouragement from trainers and peers, she kept going. Then she sold her first item."I felt very happy," Nur Bahar saidToday, she buys raw materials from the local market, produces items from her shelter and sells them within the camp. The income is modest, but it has changed her daily life. She contributes to household expenses, buys food and pays for her own medicine."I can go to the camp market myself," she said. "If I don't have money, who will give it to me? Now I have it."Her role within the family has shifted as well. Nur Bahar shared that her family respects her more, and she feels more confident in making decisions. “I feel good,” she added. “I can support my family.”In the Rohingya camps of Cox’s Bazar, where women and girls make up more than half of the refugee population and formal employment is legally restricted, projects like Rising Together are helping women build skills, confidence and new sources of income from within their homes and communities.Nur Bahar is one of 44 participants who have started earning through home-based work after completing skills training under the Rising Together project. In its first year, the programme provided training to 252 individuals and reached more than 62,000 people through integrated services delivered via Women Friendly Spaces and Adolescent and Youth Centres.Change does not always come easily. In conservative settings, even leaving home to attend a nearby training can be difficult for women. Project teams work with families and community leaders to build trust and show, through results, what is possible."I tell other women: if you learn, it will help you," Nur Bahar said. "You can earn something and support your family." She has started teaching neighbours informally, showing them how to cut and stitch, encouraging them to join the next training cohort. The programme did not ask her to do this. She decided to.She wants to keep learning. More skills mean more work for Nur Bahar to engage in. “If we return one day, I will continue this work there too," Nur Bahar said with hope.The Rising Together project is funded by Switzerland through SDC and implemented by UNFPA. In its first year, it delivered integrated services, skills development, GBV prevention, sexual and reproductive health, and psychosocial support to more than 62,000 individuals across Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char.

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Press Release

09 June 2026

Advocacy Session on Gender-Disaggregated Data Collection to Advance SDG Localization in Bangladesh

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Bangladesh, in collaboration with the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), organized an “Advocacy Session on Gender-Segregated Data Collection” under the Accelerate SDG Localization in Bangladesh project.Implemented by UNOPS in partnership with UN Women, the project aims to develop a “Bangladesh Model” for localizing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 — Gender Equality, and SDG 16 — Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.The advocacy session brought together representatives from the BBS, district administrations, local government institutions, civil society organizations, women’s think tanks, and other key stakeholders to strengthen the collection, analysis, and utilization of gender-segregated data at the local level.Mr. Mohammad Obaidul Islam, Director General (ad interim) of BBS, graced the session as the chief guest, with Mr. Md. Emdadul Haque, Director of the Demography and Health Wing, presiding as the chair. The event also featured Ms. Shirin Sultana, Partnership Advisor at UNOPS, as the guest of honour, while welcome remarks were presented by Mr. Md. Alamgir Hossen, Focal Point of the SDG Cell.Accurate and disaggregated data is central to achieving the SDGs and ensuring that development efforts respond effectively to the realities faced by women and marginalized communities. While BBS serves as the national custodian of official statistics, local-level engagement remains essential for translating national commitments into inclusive planning and evidence-based policymaking. The session aims to enhance awareness among district-level stakeholders on the importance of gender-segregated data for inclusive governance and SDG monitoring. It will also strengthen the capacity of local leaders to advocate for gender-responsive policies and improve alignment between local data systems and national standards established by BBS.The discussions focused on the Government of Bangladesh’s 39+1 National Priority Targets, with particular emphasis on SDG 5 and SDG 16 indicators at the sub-national level. Key technical focus areas included tracking female labor force participation, reducing child marriage, promoting women’s participation in local governance, monitoring birth registration, strengthening access to justice, and improving institutional responsiveness to women’s safety concerns.The initiative is expected to result in stronger commitments from local authorities to maintain and report gender-disaggregated datasets, while also supporting improved localized reporting into the National SDG Tracker. Through these advocacy sessions, the project aims to establish a network of 190 “SDG Data Champions” across Dhaka, Rajshahi, and Chittagong divisions. About BBSThe Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) is the National Statistics Office (NSO), responsible for collecting, compiling, analyzing, authenticating and disseminating data to support evidence based policymaking and planning. About UNOPSThe United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) supports the UN and partners worldwide in delivering peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development projects through expertise in infrastructure, procurement, human resources and project management. For media inquiries, please contact: Karishma Mahfuz +8801746660676 karishmam@unops.org

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Press Release

31 May 2026

UN80 Initiative: New report warns status quo is “untenable” as reforms enter decisive phase

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today issued a progress report on the UN80 Initiative, outlining reforms underway across the UN system and urging strong Member States’ engagement to move the process forward.“The status quo is untenable,” he warns, arguing that the choice is between planned reform, led by Member States, or externally imposed, crisis-driven change. The report places the Initiative in a new “decisive phase”. It shows where UN80 has generated movement, and how reform proposals are advancing along their decision pathways. It distinguishes issues that are ready, or nearly ready, for decision-making from those requiring further design and consultation. It also makes clear where political support and decisions are now needed to carry reform all the way. Progress Across the Initiative The report describes key reforms already underway to strengthen impact, reduce fragmentation and duplication across the UN system, while recognizing that progress is advancing at different speeds. Key developments include: • The adoption of General Assembly resolution 80/251, establishing a new basis for mandate discipline and strengthening how UN system mandates are created, implemented and reviewed;• Changes to the Secretariat’s operating model, including a 21 per cent reduction in staff positions in 2026, new common administrative platforms and the relocation of about 230 posts from high to lower-cost locations, as part of about 2,300 positions UN system-wide; • New delivery models, including integrated supply chains under the New Humanitarian Compact, now being piloted in Afghanistan, Haiti, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Somalia and Sudan, alongside the empowerment of Resident and Humanitarian Coordinators working in crisis settings; • A forthcoming peace operations review, expected in June, which will present recommendations to adapt the UN’s toolbox and create a more flexible peace operations architecture fit for today’s challenges; • Reconfiguring UN country teams, resetting regional arrangements, and improving access to support for countries via an Expertise-on-Demand Mechanism and Joint Knowledge Hubs to accelerate the delivery of Sustainable Development Goals; • The establishment of the Human Rights Group to better coordinate human rights work across the UN system; • Work to strengthen shared services, technology and data capacities across the UN system, including a new Unified Services Roadmap for all administrative services, a UN System Data Commons, and Technology Accelerator Platform to better connect these critical enablers of delivery.• Other structural proposals, including assessments of potential mergers involving UN system entities. Shared Responsibilities for the Next Phase Member States will help shape the next phase of the Initiative. “From now on, Member States will craft the key outcomes of UN80,” the Secretary-General writes, noting that many of the proposals will move through established intergovernmental processes in line with the UN Charter, existing mandates and applicable rules and procedures. The Secretary-General sets out six priorities to move the initiative from reform design to delivery. He urged governments to use resolution 80/251 as a practical governance instrument; provide clear direction on country and regional reform; back shared services, technology and data as system-wide enablers; assess structural proposals on their merits, align funding practices with coherent delivery; and exercise governance consistently across the UN system. Inaction, Guterres warns, would be “a mistake and a failure of responsibility,” adding that the political and technical investment made since March 2025 now needs to be taken to its most impactful conclusion. “The opportunities carefully constructed over the past year could slip away and the moment could be lost”, he cautions. “Our shared responsibility is to make sure that does not happen.” Media Contacts UN80 Secretariat un80contact@un.org

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Press Release

30 May 2026

UN Headquarters Observes International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on 5 June

UN Secretary-General to honour fallen peacekeepers, including six from Bangladesh, and highlight the urgent need to invest in peaceThe International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers will be observed around the world to pay tribute to all women and men serving in UN peacekeeping, and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace. The UN Headquarters will observe the Day on Friday, 5 June. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will lay a wreath to honour the nearly 4,500 peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948 and preside over a ceremony at which the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal will be awarded posthumously to 68 military, police, and civilian peacekeepers, who paid the ultimate price in the line of duty, including 59 who perished last year. Among the peacekeepers to be honoured posthumously with the Dag Hammarskjold medal are six from Bangladesh: Pvt Md Jahangir Alam; Pvt Md Sobuj Mia; Cpl Md Masud Rana; Pvt Md Mominul Islam; Pvt Shamim Reza; and Pvt Santo Mondol who were all killed in a drone strike on 13 December 2025 while serving in the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). Today, more than 50,000 civilian, military and police peacekeepers serve under the UN flag in some of the world’s most complex environments, where conflicts are increasingly fragmented, protracted, and shaped by emerging threats, including the misuse of digital tools and the spread of harmful information. A total of 118 countries currently contribute uniformed personnel to 11 peacekeeping missions.

Bangladesh is the fourth largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping. It currently deploys more than 4,000 military and police personnel – including 277 women -- to the UN operations in Abyei, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Libya, South Sudan, and Western Sahara.The General Assembly established the Day back in 2002 and selected May 29 as it was the day in 1948 when the Security Council established the first UN Peacekeeping operation, the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in the Middle East. This year’s theme for the Day is “Invest in Peace.” At a time when UN Peacekeeping operations face reduced resources, the theme underscores that peacekeeping remains one of the most effective tools the international community has to respond to conflict—supporting political solutions, preventing escalation, protecting civilians, monitoring ceasefires, enabling humanitarian assistance, clearing landmines, and more.

In his message, Secretary-General António Guterres said: “On this International Day, we honour peacekeepers past and present and reaffirm our shared responsibility to respect and strengthen their work. We pay tribute to nearly 4,500 peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948, including 59 last year. No one should die serving the cause of peace. Attacks on peacekeepers are grave violations of international humanitarian law, and Member States must uphold their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel at all times.” He further stated that “in an era of rising tensions, peacekeeping is a proven and cost-effective way to restore stability and hope. But it requires steady political backing – and reliable financial support.” During a special ceremony, the Secretary-General will also award the “Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage” to Corporal Matias Reyes of Uruguay for his actions in Goma, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo during the height of the crisis in early 2025, and to the late Sergii Prykodko of Ukraine who served as a private contractor in the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and was killed during a mission to extract besieged soldiers in March last year. The Secretary-General will also present awards to the 2025 Military Gender Advocate of the Year, Major Abhilasha Barak of India, who serves in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and to the UN Woman Police Officer of the Year, Stephanie Königs of Germany, who served in UNMISS. “At a time of rising conflict and shrinking resources, United Nations peacekeepers continue to protect civilians, prevent violence from escalating, and keep hope alive in some of the world’s most difficult environments. Investing in peacekeeping means investing in stability, prevention and the possibility of peace itself,” said Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations. Schedule of events at UN Headquarters on 5 June + 09:45 a.m.: The Secretary-General will lay a wreath in honour of fallen peacekeepers at the Peacekeepers Memorial Site on the North Lawn. (If there is inclement weather, the ceremony will be held near the Chagall window in the Visitors’ Lobby). While UN Photo and UN TV will cover the ceremony, members of the UN press corps are invited. It will not be webcast live, but will be available on demand shortly afterwards: https://webtv.un.org/en (update closer to date) + 10:00 a.m.:  The Dag Hammarskjöld Medal, Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage, UN Woman Police Officer of the Year and UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year ceremonies will be held in the ECOSOC Council Chamber and shown live on UN Webcast: https://webtv.un.org+12:00 p.m.: Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix will be the guest at the noon briefing. It will be webcast live on https://webtv.un.org/en ******Media contacts: Department of Global Communications - Doug Coffman - coffmand@un.org +1 917 361 9923 Department of Peace Operations - Sophie Boudre boudre@un.org +1 917 691 5359

For more information, please visit: https://www.un.org/en/observances/peacekeepers-day

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Press Release

20 May 2026

UN and partners appeal for USD 710.5 million to meet the critical needs of Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi host communities

The United Nations and its partners, in close coordination with the Government of Bangladesh, call for renewed international support — appealing for USD 710.5 million to meet the most critical needs of Rohingya refugees in the Cox’s Bazar camps and on Bhasan Char, as well as local host communities. The call comes amid growing global instability and rising humanitarian pressures, which have forced difficult prioritization and threatened essential services for vulnerable populations. Sustained international assistance remains crucial to bolstering Bangladesh’s response as it continues to generously host refugees until a durable solution is achieved. Nearly a decade after fleeing targeted violence and persecution in Myanmar, some 1.2 million Rohingya refugees now reside in Bangladesh. Needs continue to rise as conflict in Myanmar forces more people to flee. Since early 2024, some 150,000 Rohingya have newly arrived, straining limited humanitarian resources and intensifying pressure on overcrowded camps. The scaled-down, hyper-prioritized 2026 update of the Joint Response Plan (JRP) for the Rohingya humanitarian crisis will reach up to 1.56 million people, including refugees and Bangladeshi host communities.The USD 710.5 million appeal—26% lower than in 2025— covers only the minimum required to sustain lifesaving assistance. It includes USD 247.3 million for food, USD 128 million for shelter, USD 61.2 million for water, sanitation and hygiene, USD 52.7 million for education, USD 49.9 million for health, and USD 35.1 million for livelihoods and skills development. It also includes USD 36.2 million, across all sectors, in support for host communities affected by the crisis.From 2017 to the end of 2025, the international community has contributed nearly USD 5.42 billion in humanitarian funding to the Rohingya response – with the United States remaining the largest donor – allowing Bangladesh to sustain lifesaving assistance and making possible major progress in refugee education, health and protection. However, significant humanitarian needs persist and, without continued international solidarity, Rohingya families risk losing precious gains.“As resources become more limited, it is more important than ever to help refugees build skills and resilience, so they can gain independence, hold on to hope, and rebuild their lives,” said Kelly T. Clements, Deputy High Commissioner of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.“Until the Rohingya can return home in safety and can rebuild their communities there, we must continue to provide safety, care, and dignity where they are. The humanitarian community is working hard to deliver this support as efficiently as possible as we continue to see resources decline. But the needs remain enormous, and efficiencies alone cannot offset the very real impacts of funding cuts on the Rohingya people and the impact on their host communities. Helping the refugee community become more self-reliant remains a crucial goal.”“Bangladesh has shown extraordinary generosity in hosting this highly vulnerable population, and we are deeply grateful to our donors who have continued to stay the course. Their sustained support remains a lifeline for refugees,” said Rania Dagash-Kamara, Assistant Executive Director for Partnerships and Innovation at the UN World Food Programme. “WFP continues to adapt its operations to ensure assistance is delivered equitably, efficiently and effectively, based on real and evolving needs in the camps. But humanitarian assistance is not the end goal. Rohingya refugees want to return home to Myanmar when they can do so safely, voluntarily, and with dignity. We must continue to help create these conditions; we cannot let this crisis be forgotten.”“The needs of Rohingya refugees, especially women and girls, remain immense, and the impact of funding cuts is already being felt across every aspect of daily life in the camps,” said Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, Deputy Executive Director for Normative Support, UN System Coordination and Programme Results. “Within the broader challenges of displacement, women and girls face even more risks and barriers that require sustained attention. A gender-responsive, women-centred, comprehensive, and well-resourced response that addresses the overall needs of the refugee population, while recognizing the urgent need for safety, dignity, inclusion, and protection from gender-based violence, is essential to building resilience across the entire community.”Amid sharp reductions in humanitarian funding and declining development support, Rohingya refugees remain largely reliant on aid. In 2025, some 35% of camp households relied fully on humanitarian food assistance, 42% had access to temporary and unstable income sources, and only 23% earned income through cash-for-work-based humanitarian activities. Limited economic opportunities and reduced assistance continue to heavily impact Rohingya households—a situation exacerbated for new arrivals and vulnerable groups, including women and girls, persons with disabilities, and older people. As conflict inside Rakhine State continues, hopes for an imminent return to Myanmar are fading. As conditions worsen, more refugees resort to desperate choices, including dangerous and often deadly sea journeys in search of opportunities elsewhere in the region. 2025 was the deadliest year on record for such voyages—just last month, a vessel carrying more than 270 people, many of them refugees, capsized, leaving only nine survivors. Against this backdrop of increasing and overlapping pressures, the appeal focuses assistance on the most critical humanitarian needs. Support must be strategically prioritized across a growing refugee population, and investment in refugee resilience and self-reliance is crucial to preserving dignity and hope and reducing long-term dependence on aid.The 2026 JRP update was presented at the UN House in Dhaka by Kelly T. Clements of UNHCR; Rania Dagash-Kamara of WFP; Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda of UN Women; H.E. M. Forhadul Islam, Acting Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh and Secretary for Intergovernmental Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Carol Flore-Smereczniak, United Nations Resident Coordinator a.i.The appeal is supported by 98 humanitarian partners, including 52 Bangladeshi organizations. The appeal followed a four-day joint high-level donor mission, led by Kelly T. Clements and Rania Dagash-Kamara, which brought together a group of key international donor representatives. The mission included a two-day visit to Rohingya camps and host communities in Cox’s Bazar, with participation from key partners: Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.The delegation also engaged with the Government, UN and NGO partners, as well as the broader donor community, in Cox’s Bazar and Dhaka. The humanitarian community reiterates that the most desirable and durable solution to the Rohingya crisis is the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of refugees to Myanmar. Until conditions in Myanmar are conducive, continued international solidarity and support remain essential—not only as a humanitarian imperative, but also to uphold human rights, preserve regional stability, and ensure that refugees and their host communities are not abandoned.FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: UNHCR: Shari Nijman, Communications Officer nijman@unhcr.org | +880 1894 802 700 UNHCR: Mosharaf Hossain, Communications Associate; hossaimi@unhcr.org | +880 1956475430 WFP: Kun Li, Head of Partnerships, Communication and Reports; kun@wfp.org | +880 1322846137

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Press Release

04 May 2026

Protecting 45 000 Rohingya lives ahead of life-threatening landslides

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Bangladesh received USD 584369 from the Bangladesh Humanitarian Fund to deliver urgent, life-saving slope stabilization and community preparedness interventions to help vulnerable Rohingya households mitigate the life-threatening risks of landslides and safeguard shelters ahead of the imminent monsoon season. The funding will enable FAO to stabilize approximately 170 hectares of high-risk slopes across 85 sites in 15 Rohingya refugee camps within Ukhia and Teknaf. Key activities include planting deep-rooted native vegetation, applying bioengineering techniques such as bamboo crib walls and contour trenching, and providing emergency Cash-for-Work (CfW) opportunities to 800 direct beneficiaries. These interventions will directly reduce the immediate risk of deadly landslides, protecting more than 45000 Rohingya refugees living in high-risk areas by safeguarding shelters, evacuation routes, and access to essential services during the monsoon season.Jiaoqun Shi, FAO Representative in Bangladesh, stated, “In Cox’s Bazar, fragile and deforested slopes combined with extreme monsoon rainfall are increasing the risk of life-threatening landslides putting thousands of vulnerable people and shelters at immediate risk. Sustainable, cost-effective prevention measures are urgently needed to avert avoidable loss of life and secondary displacement. I am grateful to the Bangladesh Humanitarian Fund as this support will fill a critical gap of the 2025–2026 Hyper-prioritized Rohingya Joint Response Plan (JRP), where slope stabilization is prioritized as a high-impact, life-saving intervention in the most vulnerable camps.”He added, “Nature-based solutions are highly cost-efficient, delivering between USD 7 and USD 30 in returns for every USD 1 invested, while simultaneously reducing disaster risks and generating life-saving income.” FAO is uniquely positioned to deliver this critical support building on its strong technical expertise in nature-based bioengineering, with a strong operational presence in Cox's Bazar. Through the Safe Access to Fuel and Energy Plus (SAFE+) programme, FAO has already stabilized more than 3,500 hectares of degraded slopes since 2018. In humanitarian emergencies, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) support is life-saving. By utilizing nature-based soil binding and erosion control techniques, FAO ensures that assistance translates rapidly into physical safety for families living on the front lines of climate vulnerability.FAO maintains a strong field presence in Cox's Bazar since the Rohingya influx in 2017, working within the Rohingya Coordination Platform (RCP) to ensure interventions are aligned with site management, shelter, and protection responses and reach communities most exposed to hazards. The project activities will be delivered through local community structures including majhis (community leader), imams (Muslim spiritual leader), and youth networks to build long-term ownership and self-reliance.The Bangladesh Humanitarian Fund enables rapid and flexible financing for the most urgent life-saving priorities. In Bangladesh, this timely support allows partners like FAO to act before predictable hazards such as landslides claim lives or caused secondary displacement.As climate-induced hazards and acute food insecurity rise globally, FAO is scaling up nature-based slope stabilization and bioengineering to protect vulnerable communities and safeguard their livelihoods. FAO’s 2026 Global Emergency and Resilience Appeal seeks USD 2.5 billion to support over 100 million people in 54 countries. By investing in ecosystem-based early action, FAO helps reduce future humanitarian needs and costs. This new contribution from Bangladesh Humanitarian Fund underscores the importance of timely, flexible humanitarian funding in saving lives and livelihoods, and highlights the critical role of nature-based solutions as an effective frontline response to climate-driven emergencies. For media inquiries and further information:Naila Fahmin Rasha, Communication Specialist, Email: naila.rasha@fao.orgMohammad Abid Azad Shuvo, Communication Specialist, Email: mohammad.shuvo@fao.org About FAO Bangladesh:The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has been a strategic partner of the Government of Bangladesh since 1973, working to transform the nation’s food and agricultural sectors. A core priority of FAO’s 2022–2026 Country Programming Framework is fostering climate resilience through nature-based, sustainable development. For more information, please visit our Facebook, website, and FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

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