CRS in Bangladesh

Located on the Bay of Bengal and crisscrossed by hundreds of rivers, Bangladesh bears the brunt of severe weather during its rainy season. When cyclones hit, villagers in coastal areas must struggle against powerful winds and neck-high, surging water to reach safety.

Through its local partner, Caritas Bangladesh, CRS responds to these emergencies with lifesaving aid. CRS helps survivors start over after storms, rebuild homes and replace lost assets such as rickshaws or cows so that people can earn a living. CRS-supported Disaster Risk Reduction programs prepare villagers to save their families and assets during future storms. CRS also provides strategic leadership and technical guidance on water and sanitation for health (WASH) activities, and supports the formation of savings and internal lending committees (SILC).

CRS' History in Bangladesh

CRS has been providing humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh since its independence in 1971. We began by assisting refugees and then gradually moved to education, emergency response activities, and helping communities prepare for disasters. CRS reaches out to Bangladesh's most vulnerable people, especially in isolated areas.

In the past, CRS has implemented projects funded by the U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) to reduce coastal communities’ vulnerability to natural hazards and support recovery of shelters, waster, sanitation and hygiene following disasters and a USAID project focused on community-led livelihood restoration and risk reduction, among other projects.

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