WFP mobilises largest preparedness response to critical rise in Jamuna River (EN/BN) – Bangladesh

DHAKA- The World Food Programme (WFP) has taken preventive measures as the water level of the Jamuna River reaches critical levels. This proactive response aims to mitigate the impact of the impending floods on vulnerable communities. This is the largest anticipatory action support provided by WFP to date.

Given the current significant rise in water levels at key locations along the river, which already pose a serious threat to surrounding communities, forecasts from the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) indicate that water levels will continue to rise, potentially evolving into a severe crisis.

In response to the floods in the Jamuna Basin, WFP and its partners were able to deliver the largest ever pre-funded humanitarian assistance with the support of numerous donors, including the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Anticipatory Action (AA) Trust Fund supported by Germany and Ireland, the Bangladesh Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and the Ministry of Disaster Management and Response. This assistance includes:

• Providing proactive assistance: Four days before the floods reached their peak, over 81,000 households were assisted with BDT 5,000.
• Providing social protection that responds to anticipatory shocks: By leveraging two national social protection schemes (MCBP and EGPP), more than 8,100 government social assistance beneficiaries living in flood-affected areas received assistance before the floods reached their peak, effectively protecting the economic and nutritional benefits of national investments in social protection. In addition, 1,000 households will receive emergency assistance through the aforementioned social protection mechanism in the coming week.

In addition, over 20,000 of the above-mentioned households are covered by flood insurance.

“We are deeply grateful to our donors for their support. Your contributions are critical to our ability to respond quickly and effectively in coordination with the Government of Bangladesh in the face of this looming disaster,” said Dom Scalpelli, WFP Country Director in Bangladesh. “Our teams are working tirelessly to ensure that the most vulnerable families receive the support they need to get through this crisis.”

Activating anticipatory response protocols is an important part of WFP’s strategy to reduce the impact of natural disasters. By intervening before floods reach their peak, WFP aims to protect lives and livelihoods, prevent loss of property and reduce the need for long-term humanitarian assistance.

WFP’s efforts are focused on several districts along the Jamuna River, including Kurigram, Sirajganj, Gaibandha, Bogura and Jamalpur. These areas have already experienced severe flooding, affecting more than 5 million people and leading to widespread displacement and food and drinking water shortages.

Dom Scalpelli stressed the importance of community resilience and preparedness in his statement: “Our proactive actions are not only intended to provide immediate relief, but also to build communities’ resilience to future floods. We are committed to working with local partners and authorities to ensure that these efforts are sustainable and impactful.”

As part of its forward-looking action plan, WFP is coordinating its work with other UN agencies and local organizations to ensure a comprehensive and efficient response. The coming days will be crucial as the organization continues to monitor the situation and adapt its actions accordingly.

To sustain its response, WFP faces a funding gap of US$13.2 million and is urging donor communities to step in to assist vulnerable communities.

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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and providing food assistance as a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impacts of climate change.

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For more information, please contact:

Tareq SalahuddinCommunications Officer, WFP Bangladesh

Mobile: +8801730095592 Email: [email protected]

Md Siddiqul Islam KhanProgramme Policy Officer for Resilience Innovation, WFP Bangladesh

Mobile: +8801714015563 Email: [email protected]