Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Bangladesh + 1 more

Bangladesh Red Crescent Society - Population Movement Operation (PMO), Cox's Bazar, Operational Update No. 101 - August 2024

Attachments

Context

BDRCS continues humanitarian assistance to the displaced people from Rakhine in Cox’s Bazar the world's largest refugee camp reaching out to 994,1241 displaced people including 35,510 relocated to Bhasanchar Island. After seven years of the crisis with no sign of repatriation, the situation remains complex and the crisis is protracted. BDRCS assistance also reaches 445,9722 people in host communities who have been impacted due to the influx. Humanitarian assistance is the sole means of survival for over a million refugees in the camps. Among them, 51% were females and 49% males, with 52% being children, 44% adults and 4% older people. Additionally, 5.57% are extremely vulnerable individuals, including 2.36% who are persons with disabilities and have special needs. Existing marginalized living conditions compounded by frequent natural disasters, lack of income opportunities, and lack of a prospect of repatriation, have made them extremely vulnerable.

Bangladesh experienced significant civil unrest, leading to the resignation of the Prime Minister of the country and the formation of an interim government on 5th August, there were widespread violence, including clashes between the security forces and protestors, resulting number of casualties. Numerous government and private facilities were vandalized, and individuals associated with the former regime were attacked. The civil unrest significantly disrupted humanitarian operations in Cox’s Bazar where a million displaced people reside and are fully dependent on humanitarian assistance. The movements to Cox’s Bazar camps were restricted for the aid workers, limiting to delivery of essential services only, this heightened the already existing poor living conditions of the people in camps. There were reports of increased crimes and exploitations. A few additional holidays due to the unrest and network shutdown limited office functioning and field movement. The security situation at the Myanmar and Bangladesh border has escalated with increased explosions, gun firing and armed clashes, this forced several thousand people from Myanmar to cross the international border, and travel through the Naf River into Bangladesh, seeking refuge in camps and host communities despite the risks involved. Also, cases of drug trafficking, exchange of firearms, abduction and target killing were increased in the camps during the period.