Speakers have highlighted the need to ensure the safety and security of aid workers and vulnerable communities in Bangladesh, especially in the Rohingya response.
They also called for reducing management costs as aid decreases and criticised the World Bank’s recent $700 million loan pledge for the Rohingya and host community response.
They were speaking at a virtual event, titled "Act for Humanity — Leave No One Behind," organised by COAST Foundation, Cox’s Bazar CSO-NGO Forum (CCNF), and BDCSO Coordination Process, in collaboration with the Alliance for Empowering Partnership (A4EP), to mark World Humanitarian Day.
They argued that loans in humanitarian efforts are unethical and set a bad global precedent.
The event was presided over by Shireen Huq of Naripokkho and moderated by Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Executive Director of COAST Foundation. The keynote presentation was delivered by Md Iqbal Uddin of COAST.
Distinguished participants included Mirela Shuteriqi from ICVA, Switzerland; Gawher Nayeem Wahra from Disaster Forum, Bangladesh; Nanette S Antequisa, chairperson of A4EP and executive director of ECOWEB, Philippines; Palwashay Arbab from Community World Service Asia; Sudhanshu S Singh, executive director of Humanitarian Aid International, India; Dr Md Shahid Uz Zaman, chairperson of Start Fund Bangladesh; Rafiqul Islam from Rupantor in Khulna; Fazlul Kader Chowdhury from Green Cox in Cox's Bazar; Marianna Narhi, from NGO Platform, Coxs Bazar; AHM Bazlur Rahman, CEO, BNNRC, Dhaka.
In his keynote, Md Iqbal Uddin expressed concern that aid workers often become victims in conflict zones instead of being recognised as heroes while Mirela Shuteriqi stressed the need to protect civilians, aid workers, and humanitarian premises.
