ActionAid UK launches emergency Bangladesh Floods Appeal as over five million affected and disease threats escalate
In response to the devastating floods and unfolding humanitarian crisis in Bangladesh, ActionAid UK has today launched an emergency fundraising appeal.
Farah Kabir, ActionAid Bangladesh Country Director, said: “Amidst a deadly cyclone and monsoon season, Bangladesh is facing one of the worst floods in its history, with over five million affected and nearly one million trapped without access to food, clean water, or shelter. The crisis is reaching catastrophic levels, especially in submerged rural regions where blocked roads are obstructing vital rescue and relief efforts. Families, including heavily pregnant and lactating women, are now crammed into flood shelters where essential supplies of drinking water and food are rapidly running out.
“As the floodwaters start to recede and the full scale of the devastation becomes apparent, we are increasingly concerned about the imminent risk of disease outbreaks in affected communities. With relentless monsoon rains and stagnant floodwaters set to stay, deadly diseases like cholera and dengue fever could spread rapidly.”
With 5.7 million people impacted and 27 dead – many losing their homes, their livestock, and their livelihoods - the scale of the crisis is overwhelming. Many communities remain in the dark and without electricity as critical infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed. In collaboration with local partners and authorities, ActionAid is actively responding to the crisis in the flood-affected regions of Sadar, Begomgonj, and Sonaimuri in Noakhali District and will start responding in Feni District as soon as water levels recede.
So far, our teams have delivered crucial support, including food, dignity kits for safe and hygienic menstruation, clean drinking water and water purification tablets, oral rehydration kits to prevent diarrhoea. In the coming days and weeks, our team hopes to provide emergency medicine to 7,500 flood survivors currently staying in temporary shelters. To reach waterlogged communities in Noakhali District, ActionAid’s dedicated network of youth volunteers is braving treacherous conditions, travelling by small boats to deliver food and crucial supplies to those in dire need. Our teams are also providing mental health support to displaced families coping with the ongoing trauma of the crisis.
Hannah Bond, Co-CEO at ActionAid UK, said: "Just months after the devastation wrought by Cyclone Remal and relentless monsoon rains, millions in Bangladesh are now grappling with yet another severe climate disaster - one they have scarcely contributed to.
“Today, as we expand and scale up our support to remote and isolated communities, ActionAid UK is launching its Bangladesh Floods Appeal. Recognising the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, we urge the British public to give what they can to help flood-affected communities respond and recover. Your support will make a significant difference and is vital in helping us to rapidly and effectively expand our response to this escalating disaster.”
ENDS
Farah Kabir, Country Director at ActionAid Bangladesh, is available for interview on request.
To contact the ActionAid UK Press Office email uk.media@actionaid.org or call 07753 973 486.
Appeal link: https://www.actionaid.org.uk/bangladesh-floods-appeal