Bangladesh

Since 2018, Italian Development Cooperation has been engaged in humanitarian assistance in response to the Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh, supporting refugees hosted in the camps of Cox’s Bazar and on Bhasan Char Island, in coordination with the United Nations humanitarian response.

The Rohingya, a Muslim community originating from Rakhine State in western Myanmar, have for years been forced to live in conditions of extreme vulnerability due to persecution, violence, and systematic discrimination in their country of origin. The denial of citizenship and the severe restrictions imposed by the Myanmar authorities have progressively compelled hundreds of thousands of people to flee Myanmar and seek refuge in neighboring Bangladesh in successive waves, notably in 1978, 1992, and 2017. These circumstances led to the displacement of more than 740,000 people. Following the military takeover in Myanmar in February 2021, the resurgence of ethnic conflicts and the continued discrimination against the Rohingya have unfortunately contributed to a further increase in the number of refugees in Bangladesh, which today hosts approximately 1.2 million Rohingya.

The initiatives managed by the AICS Office in Hanoi support Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi host communities through funding provided to United Nations agencies, namely UNHCR and WFP, which are engaged in the delivery of essential multi-sectoral services and in strengthening the resilience of vulnerable populations. Particular attention is given to protection, human dignity, and gender equality.

Bangladesh’s ranking in the Human Development Index (HDI): 130th out of 193 countries.

 

 

Learn more:

Bangladesh World Bank Country Overview