DHAKA, 11 February 2025 – Two in three young people reported “too much fake news and misinformation” as the most significant cause of stress on social media in a new anonymous poll of children and young people in Bangladesh by UNICEF. Bullying and negative comments were cited as the most stressful experience by a further one seventh of respondents (slightly more for girls), while one out of seven also pointed to seeing harmful/upsetting content as the main cause of stress when using social media.Almost 29,000 responded to the poll through UNICEF platform U-Report in Bangladesh. Among other issues, it asked for opinions about rules governing content on social media. While a minority (23 per cent) of respondents said that rules “might stop people from saying what they really think”, more than double that number (52 per cent) thought that “rules are important to stop harmful behaviors like bullying and hate speech.” When asked what might happen if rules were relaxed, a staggering 79 per cent said vulnerable groups in their community would be harmed, identifying ethnic or religious minorities (30 per cent), children and youth (26 per cent) and women and girls (23 per cent) among those they think would be targeted.“We already know from painful experience, that misinformation and hate speech don’t just exist online - they can fuel real-world consequences, putting children at risk of mental and physical harm, especially children that already face discrimination like girls and minorities,” said Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh. “Young people in Bangladesh know digital spaces give positive opportunities for connection, learning, and open debate, but they’re also weighing up the risks now, as a lack of rules and regulations make these spaces feel unsafe for some.”More than half of poll respondents said they had noticed changes to the kind of content they are seeing on social media, with mixed responses on the impact this was having - 17 per cent of respondents said they were feeling less safe online. “The responsibility belongs to all of us, including policy makers, regulators, the big tech companies, educators, parents and caregivers, and the young people using the platforms – to ensure children and young people can access accurate and reliable information online, know how to distinguish truth from misinformation, and safely navigate online spaces,” emphasized Flowers.  UNICEF is committed to supporting environments where children in Bangladesh are safe from harmful content, hate and discrimination. In the increasingly complex, globalized digital environment, UNICEF continues to engage with relevant actors to advocate for safe, inclusive digital environments for children and young people.   UNICEF particularly calls for urgent actions from policy makers, regulators and technology companies with a presence in Bangladesh to facilitate:Moderation systems and policies that protect children and uphold their right to safety and dignity online;Safe, inclusive, and empowering digital spaces, where every child can express themselves without fear;Digital literacy education for young people, equipping them with cyber safety skills needed to critically assess online information, identify misinformation, and engage in responsible digital interactions.About U-ReportU-Report is a free social messaging tool that allows anyone from anywhere in the world to speak out on the issues they care about. UNICEF and partners developed the platform to capture a range of voices on critical development issues. U-Report encourages citizen-led development, facilitates responses to humanitarian emergencies and magnifies local voices globally to create positive change.     Adolescent and young people can join the platform by SMS or on social media (Facebook, Whatsapp or Viber) allowing them to respond to polls, report concerns, support child rights and work to improve their communities. Currently, there are more than 7 million U-Reporters are present in over 60 countries.         For more information visit https://bangladesh.ureport.in/, filtered_html

GENEVA – Bangladesh’s former Government and security and intelligence services, alongside violent elements associated with the Awami League party, systematically engaged in a range of serious human rights violations during last year’s student-led protests, a report by the UN Human Rights Office has found.Drawing on testimony of senior officials and other evidence, it also found an official policy to attack and violently repress anti-Government protesters and sympathisers, raising concerns as to crimes against humanity requiring urgent further criminal investigation. Based on deaths reported by various credible sources, the report estimates that as many as 1,400 people may have been killed between 1 July and 15 August, and thousands were injured, the vast majority of whom were shot by Bangladesh’s security forces.  Of these, the report indicates that as many as 12-13 percent of those killed were children. Bangladesh Police reported that 44 of its officers were killed.The protests were triggered by the High Court’s decision to reinstate a quota system in public service jobs but were rooted in much broader grievances arising from destructive and corrupt politics and governance that had entrenched economic inequalities. To remain in power, the former Government tried systematically to suppress these protests with increasingly violent means, the report finds.“The brutal response was a calculated and well-coordinated strategy by the former Government to hold onto power in the face of mass opposition,” said UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk. “There are reasonable grounds to believe hundreds of extrajudicial killings, extensive arbitrary arrests and detentions, and torture, were carried out with the knowledge, coordination and direction of the political leadership and senior security officials as part of a strategy to suppress the protests.”“The testimonies and evidence we gathered paint a disturbing picture of rampant State violence and targeted killings, that are amongst the most serious violations of human rights, and which may also constitute international crimes. Accountability and justice are essential for national healing and for the future of Bangladesh,” he added.At the request of the Chief Advisor of the Interim Government, Mohammed Yunus, the UN Human Rights Office in September dispatched a team to Bangladesh, including human rights investigators, a forensics physician and a weapons expert, to conduct an independent and impartial factfinding into the deadly events.The Interim Government extended significant cooperation with the inquiry, granted the access that was requested, and provided substantial documentation.Former senior officials directly involved in handling the protests and other inside sources described how the former Prime Minister and other senior officials directed and oversaw a series of large-scale operations, in which security and intelligence forces shot and killed protesters or arbitrarily arrested and tortured them.The report found patterns of security forces deliberately and impermissibly killing or maiming protesters, including incidents where people were shot at point-blank range.The report examined in detail the emblematic case of Abu Sayed, among others, who was filmed shouting “shoot me” at police with his arms spread wide apart at a protest at Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur. Using video footage, images and geolocation technology, investigators reconstructed his killing to corroborate testimonies of how it occurred. A forensic analysis concluded his injuries were consistent with his having been shot at least twice with shotguns loaded with metal pellets, from a distance of about 14 metres. The report concludes there are reasonable grounds to believe that Abu Sayed was the victim of a deliberate extrajudicial killing by the police.Having been at the forefront of the early protests, women, including protest leaders, were also subjected to arbitrary arrests, torture and ill-treatment and attacks by security forces and Awami League supporters. The report documents gender-based violence, including physical assaults and threats of rape, aimed at deterring women from participating in protests.It also found police and other security forces killed and maimed children, and subjected them to arbitrary arrest, detention in inhumane conditions and torture. In one of several deadly cases documented, a 12-year-old protester in Dhanmondi died from internal bleeding caused by some 200 metal shot pellets. Also among those killed were very young children who were brought by their parents to protests, or who were shot as bystanders. In one case in Narayanganj, a six-year-old girl was killed by a bullet to the head while standing on the roof of her building observing violent clashes at a protest.On 5 August – the final and one of the deadliest days of the protests – a 12-year-old boy who was shot by the police in Azampur recalled that police were “firing everywhere like rainfall”. He described seeing at least a dozen dead bodies.The report also documents cases in which security forces denied or obstructed critical medical care for injured protesters, interrogated patients and collected their fingerprints in hospitals, intimidated medical personnel and seized hospital CCTV footage without due process, in an apparent effort to identify protesters and to conceal evidence of the extent of violence by State forces.It also documents troubling instances of retaliatory killings and other serious revenge violence targeting Awami League officials and supporters, police and media, as the former Government started to lose control of the country.  Hindus, Ahmadiyya Muslims and indigenous people from the Chittagong Hill Tracts were also subjected to human rights abuses. While some 100 arrests in relation to attacks on distinct religious and indigenous groups have reportedly been made, the perpetrators of many other acts of revenge violence and attacks on such groups still enjoy impunity, the report says.The report provides a detailed set of recommendations to reform the security and justice sectors, abolish a host of repressive laws and institutions designed to stifle civic and political dissent, and implement broader changes to the political system and economic governance. “The best way forward for Bangladesh is to face the horrific wrongs committed during this period, through a comprehensive process of truth-telling, healing and accountability, and to redress the legacy of serious human rights violations and ensure they can never happen again,” the High Commissioner said. “My Office stands ready to assist in this vital national accountability and reform process.”To read the full report and the related Infographic, click here. For more information and media requests, please contact:Ravina Shamdasani - + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org 
Jeremy Laurence - +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org 
Thameen Al-Kheetan: +41 22 917 4232 / thameen.alkheetan@un.org, filtered_html

This week, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR) released the “State of Anticipatory Action 2024” report, highlighting the transformative potential of anticipatory action (AA) in disaster risk management.The report outlines significant progress made in 2024 while emphasising the urgent need to address funding and coverage gaps to safeguard vulnerable communities in Bangladesh from escalating climate-related disasters.Anticipatory action has proven to be a critical approach in reducing disaster impacts. Key achievements in 2024 include:The Government of Bangladesh has increasingly integrated AA into national disaster management frameworks, including incorporating it into the Standing Orders on Disaster (SOD) in 2019.15 AA were activated in 2024, covering 20 districts and reaching nearly 430,000 individuals ahead of four major hazards: monsoon floods, flash floods, cyclones, and heatwaves.Multi-stakeholder Anticipatory Action Technical Working Group (AA TWGs) was established, improving alignment with national priorities.Tools like El Niño forecasts and other predictive models were integrated into anticipatory planning, enabling timely and targeted responses.A total of USD 10.4 million was mobilized for AA activities, with multilateral donors playing a pivotal role.About the report, Mr. Razwanur Rahman, Director General, Department of Disaster Management (DDM) under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR) said, “This report shares the main lessons, impacts, and opportunities to improve and expand Anticipatory Action. In 2024, we achieved some major successes showing the value of Anticipatory Action. By providing cash support before Cyclone Remal, we reduced the damage to coastal communities, protected livelihoods while ensuring people had essential resources. Similarly, the AA support during the July floods and localised hazards helped prevent big economic losses.”  He added that while allocating financing for AA in 2025 and onwards, the MoDMR plans to expand AA to cover more disasters, improve early warning tool and increase community-level involvement.Despite these achievements, the report identifies critical gaps that must be urgently addressed. For 2025, a significant funding shortfall persists — of the USD 42 million required, more than half remains unfunded. The largest funding needs are for monsoon floods (USD 24 million), cyclones (USD 10 million), and flash floods (USD 8 million).Additionally, over 54% of households in need were left unsupported in 2024, with flash floods experiencing an 88.2% coverage gap. The need to expand coverage remains pressing.Looking ahead, the report underscores the continued necessity for anticipatory action to combat escalating risks in 2025. It identifies 23 districts for coverage, including new frameworks targeting cold waves, landslides, droughts, and heavy rainfall. Over 4.1 million households face potential exposure to major hazards, with 2.7 million households likely to experience significant impacts.To address these challenges, the report recommends exploring risk pooling, anticipatory action insurance, and multi-year funding commitments to ensure long-term sustainability.“While the report underscores significant progress in institutionalising and operationalising in Anticipatory Action in Bangladesh, challenges in the form of funding and coverage gaps persist. By addressing these gaps through enhanced coordination, innovative financing and expanded hazard coverage, Bangladesh can solidify its position as a global leader in AA,” said Riccardo Suppo, Head of Programmes, WFP Bangladesh. He also thanked donors, including the European Union, Germany, Ireland, UN CERF, KOICA, and others, for supporting AA efforts in Bangladesh.                                                                              For more information please contact: Syed Tashfin Chowdhury, Communications Officer, WFP Bangladesh, tashfin.chowdhury@wfp.org   , filtered_html

  Dhaka, 24 January 2025 – Severe weather events disrupted education for children around the world, including 33 million children in Bangladesh in 2024, according to an analysis released by UNICEF today. The report, "Learning Interrupted: Global Snapshot of Climate-Related School Disruptions in 2024," is the first of its kind, and reveals that heatwaves, cyclones, floods, and other extreme weather events led to multiple rounds of school closures around the world. Globally, at least 247 million students in 77 countries had their schooling disrupted by heatwaves, tropical storms, floods and droughts in 2024. South Asia was the most affected region. In Bangladesh, nationwide heatwaves in April and May 2024 left children at risk of dehydration and heatstroke, forcing schools to close across the whole country for up to two weeks, and several districts went on to suffer subsequent school disruption due to cyclone Remal, followed by intense flooding in June. Up to 18.4 million people were impacted by the floods countrywide, including 7 million children. Sylhet district was the worst hit, with severe flooding causing widespread infrastructure damage and leaving more than 600,000 learners without access to education. According to estimates from UNICEF in Bangladesh, children in Sylhet lost up to 8 weeks of school days cumulatively and areas in Khulna, Chattogram and Rangpur districts each suffered 6 weeks of climate-induced school closures over 12 months. “The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, exacerbated by the climate crisis, is having a knock-on effect on children’s education in Bangladesh and depriving children of their right to learn”, said Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh. “Extreme temperatures and other climate hazards don’t only damage schools, they can affect students’ concentration, memory and mental and physical health. Prolonged school closures increase the chance of children – especially adolescent girls – dropping out of school and being married off by families to cope with economic stress”. According to the UNICEF Children’s Climate Risk Index, children in Bangladesh are already among the most exposed and vulnerable in the world to climate and environmental hazards.[1] These disasters often put further strains on the ‘learning poverty’ in the country, where one in two children cannot read at their grade level and two-thirds are unable to do basic counting after completing primary education.[2] In addition, the country loses some of the brightest from their classrooms, as girls and Bangladesh pay the price of ranking among the top 10 countries in the world with the highest percentage of child marriage.[3]    The report notes that schools and education systems are largely ill-equipped to protect students from these impacts, and climate-centred finance investments in education remain strikingly low. UNICEF is calling on international climate financing institutions and donors, the private sector and the interim Government of Bangladesh to prioritize the needs of children in policies and plans, including by: Accelerating financing to improve climate resilience in the education sector, including investing in proven and promising solutions to build climate-smart learning facilities that are safe and inclusive for all children. Ensuring national climate plans – including Nationally Determined Contribution 3.0 and the National Adaptation Plan – strengthen child-critical social services, such as education, to be more climate- smart and disaster- resilient, and contain adequate emission reduction pledges to prevent the worst impacts of climate change. Ensuring children and young people are part of the climate decision-making process at all levels.  “Children in Bangladesh are at the forefront of two interconnected crises - climate change and deepening learning poverty, threatening both their survival and future. As children continue to speak up and call for urgent action on the devastating impacts of the climate crisis, decision-makers must heed their calls and place their needs at the centre of climate policies and financing plans,” said Flowers.  Sources:(1) UNICEF, 2021, The Children’s Climate Risk Index(2) Directorate of Primary Education, 2022, The National Students Assessment: Grades 3 and 5 (NSA)   (3) UNICEF, 2020, Ending Child Marriage: A profile of progress in Bangladesh    For more information, please contact:  Faria Selim | Communication Specialist |  fselim@unicef.org  , filtered_html