Bangladesh
HI has been working in Bangladesh since 1997 to ensure that people with disabilities are integrated into society. Our programme also provides support to thousands of Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (Rohingyas) who have fled Myanmar.
Jubair is a 12-year-old Rohingya refugee. He was shot when he fled to Bangladesh. His left leg has been amputated, and he is undergoing rehabilitation by HI teams. | © Abdun Noor / HI
Actions in process
In response to the influx of hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas fleeing neighbouring Myanmar since August 2017, HI is providing assistance to people living in extreme precarity. Our teams deliver rehabilitation care, mental health & psychosocial support, protection and inclusive SRH support to thousands of people. HI has also set up a logistics platform with humanitarian aid storage facilities and a fleet of lorries that transport humanitarian aid for HI and other organisations.
HI encourages the inclusion of the most vulnerable by supporting their access to services, such as rehabilitation and inclusive employment, and their participation in society.
The organisation also improves access to education for all children, including children with disabilities, developmental delays and psychological disorders in camps for Rohingya refugees. Our teams train teachers to include children with disabilities in the classroom, organise rehabilitation sessions for children with disabilities to facilitate their access to school and raises community awareness of their right to education.
HI also takes action to ensure that people with disabilities have access to a source of income, giving them financial independence and improving their acceptance by their communities.
Areas of intervention
concretely
Situation of the country
Bangladesh, situated in South Asia, is the eighth most populated country in the world and among the most densely populated. From being one of the poorest nations at its foundation in 1971, Bangladesh reached lower-middle income status in 2015. It is currently faced with the influx of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees from neighbouring Myanmar.
Bangladesh is surrounded by India and has a shared border with Myanmar to the south. In 2020, an estimated 11.5% of its population, or 37.9 million people, was living below the poverty line. Despite strong growth, significant inequality persists. Economic growth is held back by internal factors, such as corruption, recurrent natural disasters (cyclones and devastating floods) and by monsoons five months of the year. Every year, between 50% and 70% of the land is submerged under water, destroying harvests, homes and livestock.
In response to the arrival from Myanmar of more than 700,000 Rohingya since August 2017, HI has assisted more than 30,000 refugees and continues to provide emergency assistance, notably rehabilitation care and psychological support.
Number of HI staff members: 343
Date the programme opened: 1997
Rajesh Chandra, Regional Programme Director
Phone: 01701 210685 - email: [email protected]
Sibghatullah Ahmed, Country Manager
Phone: 01729 945724 - email: [email protected] Information Focal point under Right to information act 2009 of Bangladesh
Md. Shohidul Islam (Mithu), Country Compliance Manager
Phone: 01715 950372 - email: [email protected]