Complex Humanitarian Emergencies and Disaster Management in Bangladesh: The 2017 Rohingya Exodus

Abstract

This report examines disaster management and coordination policies, structures and mechanisms in Bangladesh. It interrogates the effectiveness and the challenges faced by these different actors today. The 2017 Rohingya Exodus occurred against the backdrop of recovery efforts for Cyclone Mora that hit Bangladesh in May 2017 and preparations for the monsoon season, which began in April 2018 makes it an appropriate example of the challenges faced by the disaster management sector in a complex humanitarian emergency. This report outlines Bangladesh’s disaster risk context and discusses the country’s exposure to natural hazards and human-induced disasters, as well as the socio-economic and political factors that make it vulnerable to disaster emergencies. It then examines government policies, structures and mechanisms available that support disaster management and coordination in the context of the Rohingya Exodus, the challenges facing key actors in responding to a human-induced disaster against the backdrop of a looming monsoon season. Finally, the report offers recommendations toward improving disaster governance in Bangladesh.