European Union brings relief to heatwave victims in Bangladesh

As Bangladesh is facing record high temperatures, reaching over 42°C in some parts of the country in the past weeks, the European Union is providing € EUR 175,000 (Tk. 2 crore 22 lakh plus) in humanitarian funding to support the most vulnerable people exposed to the extreme temperatures.

This EU funding supports the Bangladesh Red Crescent’s ongoing efforts to deliver relief assistance to 500,000 people in need affected by the heatwave. Teams of volunteers disseminate awareness messages on heat-related illnesses and how to prevent them; run cooling stations; provide ambulance and first aid services, and distribute drinking water, umbrellas, and caps.

The support will continue in 20 districts where the temperature has exceeded 38°C in the divisions of Khulna, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Barisal and Dhaka.

The funding is part of the EU's overall contribution of €8 million to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to respond to disasters around the world.