NRC in Bangladesh

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) helps provide clean drinking water and sanitation, education programmes, emergency preparedness, as well as vital information and legal counselling for both refugees and Bangladeshi host communities. In total, our support reaches over 155,000 people each year. 

What’s happening in Bangladesh?

Cox’s Bazar is one of the largest and most densely populated refugee settlements in the world, hosting more than 1.2 million refugees, most of them Rohingya people who fled persecution in neighbouring Myanmar.

Infrastructure in these congested camps is ageing and overstretched, with flimsy bamboo shelters perched precariously on land prone to flooding, landslides and cyclones. Families have limited access to essential services, such as clean water, sanitation, healthcare and education. Despite repeated efforts, refugees lack formal legal status in Bangladesh, and statelessness limits their ability to move freely, support themselves and access essential services and long-term protection.

Security risks are also growing, including gender-based violence, exploitation, trafficking and forced recruitment. Tensions and insecurity in parts of the camps can restrict humanitarian access and make it harder for people to move safely or access support.

The Bangladeshi host community in Cox’s Bazar also face significant social, economic and environmental pressures, as strain on local resources, infrastructure and livelihood opportunities has deepened over time.