Bangladesh stands on the front lines of a global crisis, facing the challenges of a worsening climate emergency and the current humanitarian tension of sheltering around a million Rohingya people. These crises touch in areas such as Cox’s Bazar, Satkhira, Khulna, Barishal and Patuakhali, where extreme weather happenings are mounting in frequency and severity. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has stepped in, sounding the alarm on the urgent need for sustained solutions that strengthen resilience across Bangladeshi and Rohingya communities.
The recent initiatives and statements of IRC highlight the need for cooperative, global support to alleviate the challenges facing Bangladesh. The strategy of IRC represents a practical, actionable response to the insistent climate and humanitarian issues the country faces, demonstrating how global aid can be transformative in supporting communities vulnerable to climate shock.
Adnan bin Junaid, the IRC’s Regional Vice President for Asia, highlights the severe threat that climate change poses to Bangladeshi citizens and Rohingya people in the southern regions. Coastal areas and densely populated refugee camps are increasingly vulnerable to cyclones, floods and other extreme weather happenings. Local resources and arrangements are already strained under the burden of these challenges and any further climate impacts will enhance risks to food security, shelter, health and livelihood.
To face these challenges, the IRC has mobilised several strategies aimed at building resilience. Disaster awareness training, timely warning systems and evacuation training arrangement are the first line of protection, equipping these communities to act proactively in emergencies. Besides, climate-smart agricultural initiatives support sustainable farming practices, enhancing food security and generating new sources of income for Bangladeshi citizens and Rohingyas—a lifeline for many struggling in a precarious economic landscape.
A core factor of the IRC’s efforts involves cooperation with the Bangladeshi management to establish Local Adaptation Plans (LAPAs), which address particular climate risks in vulnerable areas. These plans include sustainable resource management and climate risk reduction strategies, and they prioritise community participation, empowering local voices in the adaptation process. This holistic approach aligns short-term needs with a sustainable, long-term vision for resilience, allowing communities to manage resources more effectively while minimising their exposure to climate impacts.
Moreover, IRC’s money transfer programmes have become a crucial support mechanism for the most affected communities. For families in Cox’s Bazar and other coastal areas, this direct financial assistance permits quicker recovery and rebuilding after disasters. The money transfer programmes also stabilise local economies and lay the foundation for long-term recovery by helping vulnerable people cover basic needs.
As the Rohingya crisis reaches its eighth year, the IRC has adapted its strategies to address the realities of prolonged displacement. Recognising that global attention and funding for the crisis have waned, the IRC has focused on building sustainable, long-term support systems for the Rohingya people and their host communities. By strengthening partnerships with local authorities and humanitarian actors, the IRC aims to create continuity in necessary services, ensuring that education, healthcare and livelihood support programmes remain available despite funding challenges.
Junaid acknowledges that while the final solution to the Rohingya crisis lies in Myanmar, the likelihood of safe, voluntary repatriation remains low given the current political instability in Rakhine State. As a result, the IRC has advocated for initiatives that enhance Rohingya self-reliance in Bangladesh. Programmes that provide accredited education, vocational training and skill-building opportunities offer a pathway for Rohingya people to contribute to local economies and rebuild a sense of purpose and dignity in their communities. Such approaches, if implemented in cooperation with the Bangladeshi management, would help ease pressure on local resources while fostering coexistence.
The IRC’s work in Bangladesh highlights a fundamental truth—countries facing extreme climate risks and displacement crises require comprehensive, global support. Bangladesh, which has shown extraordinary generosity in hosting Rohingya people, cannot sustain this burden alone. Adnan bin Junaid’s statements underline the urgent need for consistent climate adaptation funding and resilient humanitarian support—not only for Bangladesh but as a model for responding to similar crises globally.
The IRC’s current work in climate-smart agriculture, green skills training and disaster awareness showcases the sort of cohesive approach needed to tackle the complex issues facing Bangladesh. By merging climate resilience with livelihood support and protective services, IRC’s initiatives reflect a broader, systemic solution to humanitarian aid in a climate-stressed world.
The challenges faced by Bangladesh are a glaring reminder of the global community’s collective responsibility. Without sustained funding and coordinated support, the climate and Rohingya crises will continue to devastate vulnerable people, deepening existing inequities. The IRC’s work and Junaid’s advocacy represent a beacon for global action—it is not only a humanitarian imperative but also a strategic investment in global stability and resilience.
The IRC’s approach in Bangladesh should inspire the world to rethink humanitarian aid in the context of climate adaptation. By addressing immediate needs while building durable, sustainable resilience, the IRC demonstrates how international aid may lay a foundation for a more stable future. For Bangladesh and similar countries on the front lines of climate change, support from the global community is not just crucial—it is indispensable. As the world deals with mounting climate impacts, now is the time for courageous, coordinated action, transforming challenges into pathways for resilience, stability and hope.
Raj Kiron Das, an Editorial Assistant at Bangladesh Post and a founder of Equal Rights Organisation (ERO), can be reached at <ragbirajmcjru@gmail.com>
