UNHCR Bangladesh Operational Update, December 2024

KEY UPDATES

• 2024 JOINT RESPONSE PLAN (JRP): As of 31 December, the 2024 JRP was 64.4% funded, with USD 548.9 million received against an appeal of USD 852.4 million, according to the FTS tracker. The 2024 JRP requests continued support for one million Rohingya refugees, who depend on humanitarian assistance, and for more than 400,000 host community members. As the conflict in Myanmar continues to escalate, international solidarity with Bangladesh and support for refugee protection is urgently needed. In 2023, the JRP was 66% funded with USD 578 million received against an overall appeal of USD 876 million. Read more.
• FIRE IN CAMP 1 WEST: On 24 December, a fire broke out in UNHCR-managed Camp 1W, destroying 435 refugee shelters and four host community houses, affecting 2,202 individuals (473 households). Some 311 shelters were dismantled as a fire containment measure. UNHCR First Onsite Response Team (FORT) coordinated the emergency response, including hot meals, non-food items, WASH services, Protection and MHPSS support. The fire resulted in two deaths and 36 injuries, with burn patients referred to specialized hospitals in the host community. Several facilities, including partner facilities, mosques, water tanks, and learning centres, were damaged or destroyed. In consultation with stakeholders, UNHCR has developed an integrated site plan to rebuild fire-affected blocks, including measures to contain fires, such as widening spaces between shelters, and improving access to WASH facilities. The site plan is pending approval from the Office of the Repatriation Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC).
• ASSISTING NEW ARRIVALS: On 31 December, UNHCR received government approval for a biometrics identification exercise for new arrivals, after continued advocacy by the international community. The exercise is scheduled to begin in January 2025, starting with individuals who received tokens during the October headcount. Meanwhile, 5,915 new arrival families with headcount tokens received a second distribution of compressed rice husk for cooking in December.
• COMPLAINTS & FEEDBACK RESPONSE: In December, UNHCR recorded 24,167 tickets in the Centralized Automated Information Processing Platform (CAIPP) — an 11% increase compared to November when 21,716 tickets were recorded. CAIPP centralizes tickets from all complaints and feedback channels, including complaint desks, the Helpline, emails and letters. From June to December 2024, UNHCR received 220,594 queries through all CAIPP channels, an average of 31,500 queries per month. On average, 23,000 tickets (73% of queries) were generated from these queries monthly, while the rest were addressed on the spot. Shelter queries comprised 41% of all tickets. By year-end, 84% of all tickets were closed, up from 60%in September, attributed to closing of the shelter assistance backlog.
• ONWARDS MOVEMENTS: From 1 January to 31 December 2024, 9,195 Rohingya individuals attempted dangerous boat journeys departing from Myanmar or Bangladesh in search of protection, a 212% rise compared to 2023 when 4,338 attempted journeys. 657 people have been reported deceased or missing. Visit the data portal.
• ● LIVELIHOODS & SKILLS: In 2024, UNHCR maintained eight production centres: seven in Cox’s Bazar and one in Bhasan Char. Five of these centres, in partnership with Fast Retailing (FR), specialized in sewing female underwear and reusable sanitary napkins. Agreements with IOM and UNICEF to procure these items for all 33 camps will enhance project sustainability, as income generated from these orders will be reinvested back into the production centres. Meanwhile, 7,353 individuals completed vocational skills training in Cox’s Bazar camps in 2024, with 6,101 of them successfully passing the assessments (83% pass rate). On Bhasan Char, 409 learners completed the vocational skills training in 2024, with 222 learners successfully passing the independent assessments (54% pass rate). In 2024, UNHCR provided 6,917 refugees with livelihood and economic intervention support, while 4,767 skills graduates were self-employed or earning wages through volunteer opportunities.
  ● INCOME GENERATION ON BHASAN CHAR: In 2024, 3,454 refugees on Bhasan Char were engaged in vegetable cultivation, aquaculture and livestock rearing, benefiting some 40% of the island’s total population of 36,539 refugees. Despite challenges, farmers increased yields and incomes with a year-by-year comparison finding that crop yields on the island grew an estimated 10 to 15% in 2024, as a result of improved soil quality and natural desalinization by rainfall. Meanwhile, the number of households rearing chicken increased from 40 to 123 households, with local production meeting 35% of the island’s market demand. 174 fishermen sold an average of 4-5 tons monthly, and improved rearing practices allowed 49 households rearing sheep to increase their average herd size to 11 sheep.
• BAMBOO SUPPLIES: UNHCR and partners made progress towards closure of the shelter assistance backlog in December, distributing shelter repair materials to 2,974 households and constructing 160 shelters — including 142 composite bamboo shelters across UNHCR-managed camps. Currently, 430 eligible households are awaiting shelter assistance, compared to 3,870 households in November (89% reduction). As of year-end, 95% of the 66,847 shelter tickets received from June to December 2024 were closed.
• TEKNAF WATER CRISIS: On 20 December, water rationing began in Teknaf camps, with daily supply reduced from 20 to 15 litres per person per day. Preliminary estimates suggest that 100 days of water trucking may be needed before the rainy season starts, with an estimated cost of USD 1.5 million, including camps and affected host communities. Alternative, reduced-costs solutions are being explored, such as utilizing water from the Naf River. A review of water availability in surface reservoirs over the past five years shows severe decline: Reservoirs that held 190,000 cubic metres of water during the first week of 2024 hold just 90,000 cubic metres a year later, mainly because of insufficient rainfall in the area between October and December 2024. This is the worst water crisis in Teknaf since 2017 and, without significant resource mobilization, will severely impact daily life in the community. An urgent appeal has been launched by the WASH Sector. Read appeal.
• CHOLERA OUTBREAK: A post-monsoon upsurge in acute watery diarrhea cases has seen 534 confirmed cases of cholera in 2024 but no deaths. In December, 151 cases were confirmed as cholera, with two-thirds of them in five camps (2E, 2W, 3, 8W, 15) — indicating possible contamination in the area water network. Most confirmed cases are in children five-years-old or younger. The Health and WASH Sectors are intensifying their response activities, and a single dose oral cholera vaccination campaign for refugees above one-years-old will be rolled out from 12 to 16 January in all Ukhiya and Teknaf camps
• MISSION REPORT: UNHCR welcomed 13 visits from donors/partners in December, including the UK High Commissioner, delegations from Ireland, Japan, Korea, US, China, Australia, and a team from the Asian Development Bank.
• FUNDING UPDATE: As of 31 December, the UNHCR Bangladesh operation was 43% funded against an operating plan of USD 275 million.