Red Cross says ready to expand cooperation on humanitarian law

The Red Cross is ready to expand cooperation with Bangladesh for the dissemination of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), capacity building, humanitarian response and other areas of mutual interest, said Régis Savioz, Asia Pacific regional director at the organisation.

Régis Savioz expressed the willingness of Red Cross to this end during a meeting with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Tuesday.

During the meeting, the State Minister appreciated the ICRC’s longstanding humanitarian engagement in Bangladesh. She briefed him on the Government’s people-centric and humanitarian approach to social protection, highlighting the potential impact of the Family Card and Farmer Card initiatives.

The State Minister drew attention to the growing incidence of digital harassment, particularly against women, and sought the ICRC’s cooperation in addressing emerging digital threats and their humanitarian consequences. She also proposed exploring the possibility of hosting an ICRC regional meeting on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in Dhaka.

State Minister Shama Obaed recalled the atrocities committed against the Rohingyas and their mass exodus from Rakhine State, noting that today marks the 9th anniversary of those tragic events. She appreciated the ICRC’s continued support for the Rohingyas and sought its sustained humanitarian engagement. She urged the ICRC to strengthen its advocacy for the early repatriation of the Rohingyas to Myanmar.

Regional Director Savioz commended Bangladesh’s continued cooperation with the ICRC and acknowledged its constructive contribution to the global IHL agenda, including as a Co-Chair of the “IHL and Peace” Workstream.