Bangladesh: UNICEF urgently needs USD 35 mn as 20 lakh flood-hit children are at risk

Virendra Pandit

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing political instability and communal violence in Bangladesh, more than two million children in eastern districts are at risk as the worst floods have swept through their homes, schools, and villages in the last few weeks.

In areas where flood waters are receding, the South Asian country faces outbreaks of water-borne diseases on a large scale.

In the past 24 hours, around 3,000 people have been hospitalized because of waterborne diseases in flood-hit areas, according to the Directorate General of Health Services. Many areas remained submerged, preventing stranded people from accessing healthcare facilities.

An analysis in 2015 by the World Bank Institute estimated that 3.5 million people in Bangladesh, one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, were at risk of annual river flooding.

The media reported on Saturday that the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) issued this warning as it sought emergency funding of over USD 35 million to address the grim situation.

The unprecedented floods, the worst in eastern Bangladesh in 34 years, have affected over 5.6 million people.

Nearly 470,000 people have taken refuge in 3,300 shelters across 11 flood-hit districts, where around 600 medical teams are helping provide treatment, with the security forces and the border guard assisting in rescue operations, officials said.

Major rivers in the southeast parts of the climate-vulnerable country are overflowing because of unprecedented monsoon rains this year, killing more than 50 people, and rendering over 500,000 people homeless.

Amid stagnant or rising waters because of swollen rivers, their homes have remained submerged, roads broken, and streets flooded for weeks, particularly in the Chattogram and Sylhet Divisions.

Millions of children and families remained stranded without food and emergency relief supplies. Although government officials and volunteers are conducting rescue operations, access remains difficult in some areas. In the coming weeks, more people will be affected as the monsoon season continues, the reports said.

“The devastating floods in the eastern parts of Bangladesh are a tragic reminder of the relentless impact of extreme weather events and the climate crisis on children,” said Emma Brigham, Deputy Representative of UNICEF Bangladesh.

“Far too many children have lost loved ones, their homes, schools, and now are completely destitute. UNICEF is on the frontlines providing water purification tablets, oral rehydration salts, and other essential supplies, but more funds are needed to reach these children and prevent an even more devastating impact on their futures.”

UNICEF has been on the ground since the onset of the disaster. Having joined an initial assessment mission with Hasan Arif, the Advisor to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, UNICEF with its partners has reached over 338,000 people, including 130,000 children, with life-saving supplies, including 3.6 million water purification tablets, 25,000 jerry-cans to store water and over 250,000 oral rehydration salt sachets.

But this is not enough. The affected people and children urgently require cash assistance, safe drinking water, hygiene kits, emergency latrines, sanitary pads, oral rehydration salts, and emergency life-saving medicines. Primary healthcare services to treat sick newborns and children and help pregnant women to give birth must be restored immediately.

The recent floods come close on the heels of the floods in north Bangladesh and Cyclone Remal in May. Jointly, the three emergencies have impacted over 13 million people across Bangladesh, including 5 million children.

To effectively respond to these three emergencies, UNICEF urgently requires up to USD 35.3 million for critical, life-saving, and multi-sectoral interventions for children, as well as pregnant and lactating women.

Climate change increases the frequency, severity, and unpredictability of cyclones, floods, and other extreme weather events affecting Bangladesh, underscoring that the climate crisis is fundamentally a child rights crisis.

According to the UNICEF Children’s Climate Risk Index, children in Bangladesh are the most exposed in the world to climate and environmental hazards.

Globally, UNICEF addresses the climate crisis to:

a) protect the lives, health, and well-being of children;
b) empower every child to become a champion for the environment; and
c) reduce the emissions and environmental footprint.

“Year on year, the lives of millions of children in Bangladesh are being ravaged by floods, heatwaves, and cyclones, said Brigham.

“Climate change is changing children’s lives. We call on global leaders to act urgently, and take strong measures to mitigate the effects of climate change before it is too late for children.”