The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS), supported by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and other humanitarian partners, has been on the frontlines of this crisis since the very beginning. Our mission is to provide lifesaving aid, protect dignity, and help build resilience for both refugee and host communities.
Bangladesh is home to one of the largest refugee populations in the world. Since 2017, hundreds of thousands of people have fled violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, seeking safety in Cox’s Bazar. Today, the area hosts a vast number of refugees, most of whom live in overcrowded camps under extremely challenging conditions.
The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS), supported by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and other humanitarian partners, has been on the frontlines of this crisis since the very beginning. Our mission is to provide lifesaving aid, protect dignity, and help build resilience for both refugee and host communities.
Life in the camps is marked by limited resources, inadequate shelter, and the constant threat of disease outbreaks. From the first days of the influx, BDRCS mobilized emergency teams to provide food, clean water, shelter materials, hygiene kits, and essential medical care.
Our volunteers, many of whom come from the host communities themselves, are trained to respond quickly and effectively. We ensure that the most vulnerable — including women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities — receive the assistance they need without discrimination.
Access to healthcare is critical in such a densely populated setting. BDRCS operates health posts and mobile medical units that provide primary healthcare, maternal and child services, and emergency referrals. Immunization campaigns, health education, and hygiene promotion are central to our efforts to prevent disease outbreaks such as cholera, diphtheria, and COVID-19.
We also address mental health needs through psychosocial support programs. Many refugees have experienced severe trauma, and emotional recovery is as important as physical healing.
In the camps, clean water and proper sanitation are essential to preventing illness. BDRCS works to install tube wells, latrines, and bathing facilities, ensuring they are safe and accessible for women and persons with disabilities. Hygiene promotion activities encourage safe practices such as handwashing, waste disposal, and water purification.
The refugee influx has placed a heavy burden on host communities in Cox’s Bazar. Competition for resources, environmental degradation, and economic challenges affect both refugees and locals. BDRCS provides targeted support to host communities, including livelihood training, cash grants, and disaster preparedness programs, to help ease tensions and promote coexistence.
While the crisis remains unresolved, BDRCS is committed to sustaining its support for as long as it is needed. We advocate for the rights, dignity, and safety of refugees while working closely with government authorities and humanitarian partners to coordinate assistance and avoid duplication.
Your support for our Refugee Crisis programs helps us:
