Bangladesh Red Crescent Society

Bangladesh Red Crescent Society
Name	Bangladesh Red Crescent Society
Native name	বাংলাদেশ রেড ক্রিসেন্ট সোসাইটি
Formation	1973
Headquarters	Dhaka, Bangladesh
Region served	Bangladesh

Bangladesh Red Crescent Society is the national humanitarian society founded in 1973 to provide emergency response, health services, and disaster risk reduction across Bangladesh. It operates within a network of International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement actors and coordinates with regional, national, and international institutions for relief, recovery, and resilience building. The society delivers services in contexts ranging from Cyclone Sidr-era responses to contemporary flood, cyclone, and public health challenges affecting Dhaka, Chittagong, and other districts.

History

The society was established in the aftermath of the Bangladesh Liberation War and formalized during the early years of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Its formative period overlapped with humanitarian responses to crises such as the 1974 Bangladesh famine and subsequent floods in the Ganges Delta. Over the decades it has engaged in relief after events like Cyclone Sidr (2007), Cyclone Aila (2009), and seasonal riverine floods affecting the Brahmaputra River and Meghna River basins. The organization’s evolution reflects interactions with peers including the British Red Cross, American Red Cross, and Japanese Red Cross Society as well as with regional groupings such as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation during disaster diplomacy and humanitarian coordination.

Organization and Governance

The society is headquartered in Dhaka and administers provincial branches across divisions like Rajshahi Division, Sylhet Division, Khulna Division, and Barisal Division. Its governance includes an elected governing body, a secretary general, and committees that liaise with entities such as the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Bangladesh), the National Disaster Management Council (Bangladesh), and municipal corporations like the Dhaka North City Corporation. Corporate partners, volunteer networks, and youth units coordinate alongside institutions including the World Health Organization, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies for policy alignment and operational oversight.

Humanitarian Activities and Services

The society implements emergency relief, shelter, water and sanitation, and livelihoods support following events linked to Tropical cyclone impacts and riverine erosion along the Padma River. It runs cash-assistance programs and food distribution in coordination with actors like the United Nations World Food Programme and the United Nations Children's Fund. Health outreach and first aid training operate alongside collaborations with academic partners such as the University of Dhaka and the Bangladesh Institute of Health Sciences. The society also participates in migration and displacement responses involving populations moving from vulnerable districts to urban centers like Chittagong and Comilla.

Disaster Response and Preparedness

The society’s disaster management portfolio includes pre-positioning relief items for cyclones similar to Cyclone Fani scenarios, community-based early warning linked to meteorological agencies like the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, and evacuation planning with local administrations and the Department of Disaster Management (Bangladesh). It conducts simulation exercises with partners such as Save the Children and Oxfam and deploys trained volunteers to support search and rescue after riverbank collapses on the Jamuna River. Its preparedness programming aligns with frameworks from the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center and regional flood forecasting initiatives with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development.

Health and Community Programs

The society delivers community health services including immunization outreach in collaboration with the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) and public health campaigns supported by the World Health Organization and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. It operates first aid training accredited by international partners and mental health support linked to programs by Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee and BRAC. Maternal and child health initiatives coordinate with the Directorate General of Health Services (Bangladesh) and non-governmental networks like the International Rescue Committee to address needs in flood-affected and remote upazilas.

International Partnerships and Affiliations

As part of the broader International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the society maintains relationships with the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and national societies including the Swedish Red Cross, German Red Cross, and Canadian Red Cross. It receives technical assistance and funding from multilaterals and bilateral agencies such as the European Union, the United States Agency for International Development, and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for disaster risk reduction and health programs. The society also engages with UN agencies including United Nations Development Programme and UNHCR on refugee, statelessness, and displacement issues.

Funding and Resource Mobilization

Funding streams include governmental grants from agencies like the Ministry of Finance (Bangladesh), donor allocations from entities such as the World Bank, and contributions from national societies including the Norwegian Red Cross. Private sector partnerships involve corporations headquartered in Dhaka and philanthropic foundations. Resource mobilization combines cash appeals coordinated through the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs humanitarian response plans, in-kind donations pre-positioned in regional warehouses, and volunteer-driven fundraising campaigns linked to international observances such as World Humanitarian Day.

Category:Humanitarian aid organizations Category:Organizations established in 1973 Category:Red Cross and Red Crescent national societies