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Case study
Date of publication
9 October 2024

Support to the Bangladesh Cyclone Preparedness Programme, Cox’s Bazar

BBC Media Action
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CountryBangladesh
DurationTBC
BudgetTBC
Context

Although national efforts to help people understand the new three-flag system were underway, this approach wasn't well suited to all groups in the country. Namely, with nearly 700,000 Rohingya refugees in the Cox Bazar area, communicating that early warning system to them was complicated due to multiple factors:

  • Refugees were unfamiliar with the flag system so communication has to start from scratch. In fact, refugees were unfamiliar with any form of early warning system since they didn't have any in the rural areas of Myanmar where they lived previously.
  • The advised actions for the flags couldn't apply in the same way: If three flags were raised signalling evacuation, there was nowhere for refugees to evacuate.
  • In the event of a severe storm, none of the humanitarian agencies operating in the area would remain so there would be no support services available.

There was a decision to use the three-flag system to alert a set of community volunteers about the severity of the alert, rather than the general public. The volunteers, from the Cyclone Protection Programme, would then disseminate alert messages among the community.

Aims

Intended Outcomes

To increase understanding amongst community volunteers of what the three-flag system meant, and how to communicate these warnings effectively to residents of Cox's Bazar, including Rohingya refugees. We expect refugees to trust the information because it will be in their language; and because the primary dissemination will be via trained volunteers (who are also Rohinghya people, wearing identifying orange clothing and who communities have been introduced to in advance in their local areas).
Activities

Targeting: Community volunteers from the Cyclone Protection Programme in Cox's Bazar

  • Media: Animated videos - These short videos explained the flag system and how community volunteers could relay warnings to residents in Cox's Bazar, including Rohingya Refugees.
  • Capacity strengthening - Face-to-face workshops helped community volunteers learn how to effectively relay the early warnings through megaphones and loudspeakers.
ImpactTBC

Watch

and

Listen

  • about stages of the early warning system and how communities in Cox's Bazar can prepare at each stage.
  • - The video mentioned above and other resources are posted on this multi-stakeholder online portal to coordinate communication for DRR and emergency response.

Explore further

Country and region Bangladesh
Hazards Cyclone, Hurricane and Typhoon
Themes Advocacy and media Early warning

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