HCI, IOM launch US$1m partnership to fight trafficking among Rohingya

As international aid to Bangladesh faces unprecedented reductions, Human Concern International (HCI) and Human Concern USA are deepening their engagement in the country by expanding humanitarian programming and strengthening partnerships to support Rohingya refugees and vulnerable Bangladeshi communities.

HCI, Canada's oldest Muslim-led international relief organisation, has delivered humanitarian and development projects for more than 40 years in over 60 countries. Its work in Bangladesh spans several decades, long before the Rohingya influx of 2017. Since then, it has become one of the few Canadian NGOs with a sustained presence in Cox's Bazar, supporting refugees and host communities through programmes in education, health, WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene), child sponsorship, women's empowerment, and climate resilience.

This month, HCI further reinforced its role as a key Canadian partner in Bangladesh by organising a parliamentary delegation from Canada to visit humanitarian sites and meet local partners. The high-level delegation included Senator Salma Ataullahjan and Members of Parliament Salma Zahid and Sameer Zuberi, alongside senior leaders from HCI.

The delegation travelled from Dhaka to Cox's Bazar, where they met Rohingya families, women's groups and youth. They visited schools, maternal health clinics and mobile medical units serving both refugees and host communities. Delegates also heard first-hand accounts of rising human trafficking risks, particularly the exploitation of Rohingya women and girls.

During the visit, HCI and the International Organization for Migration announced a landmark US$1 million partnership, with US$250,000 allocated specifically for anti-trafficking initiatives targeting Rohingya refugees. The project will strengthen awareness, prevention and survivor-support mechanisms in the camps — an urgent need underscored by what the delegation witnessed.

"Human trafficking is one of the most devastating consequences of protracted displacement," said Masum Mahbub, CEO of Human Concern USA. "Families who have already lost everything are forced to make impossible choices to protect their daughters. Through this partnership, we are responding to their immediate needs while investing in long-term protection and resilience."

HCI's expanding portfolio in Bangladesh also includes an upcoming maternal health and midwifery training programme supported by the Gates Foundation, aimed at equipping local women with professional skills to serve as community health workers.

For the Canadian parliamentarians, the visit underscored both the depth of need and the importance of continued international engagement. Senator Salma Ataullahjan said, "This visit opened our eyes to the resilience and the challenges faced by the Rohingya and their Bangladeshi hosts. It is vital that Canada continues to support organisations responding to their needs."

MP Salma Zahid added, "We have heard directly from families and community leaders about the urgent need for education and protection. The work that HCI and its partners are doing is life-changing and deserves continued support."

MP Sameer Zuberi noted that Canadian charities were stepping up amid global funding cuts. "As international donors scale back, organisations like HCI are stepping in. They bring resources, expertise and advocacy to ensure the world does not look away," he said.

With major funding reductions from agencies such as USAID affecting many international NGOs, HCI's expanded engagement provides a renewed lifeline for vulnerable communities. As global attention shifts elsewhere, its commitment to Bangladesh stands as a model of sustained partnership and accountability.

"Canada and the international community's role is not just to give, but to stand with those who have been forgotten," said Mahmuda Khan, global CEO of Human Concern International. "We are proud that Canadian generosity continues to make a tangible difference in the lives of the Rohingya and the Bangladeshi people."