SERVICES: National Platforms
Bangladesh “Shongjog”
Context: Work towards a systematic approach began in 2013 with the establishment of a Working Group for Communication with Communities in Emergencies (CwCiE). The CwCiE evolved to the Shongjog (‘linking’), a wider national, multi-stakeholder preparedness and response platform led by the Department of Disaster Management - with a mission to improve the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance to disaster affected communities in Bangladesh through predictable, coordinated and resourced two-way communication. See its dedicated website at: www.shongjog.org.bd/.
Government links: Department of Disaster Management endorsement of the ToR
Leads/Chairs/Co-Chairs: Chaired by the Bangladesh government’s Department of Disaster Management (DDM) and convened by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and BBC Media Action.
National and international actors involved: The Core Group of nine members includes the Department of Disaster Management (DDM) and one other government agency, two UN agencies, two iNGOs, two National NGOs/CSO working in Bangladesh and Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS). Secretariat support from BBC Media Action.
Donors: In 2014-2018, the Shongjog was funded through the CDAC Network component of DFID’s Disasters and Emergencies Preparedness Programme (2013 - 2018) with a local Flexible Funding Mechanism in place. Individual agency funding.
Opportunities and challenges: As a result of the Shongjog, CCE was a key part of the Cox’s Bazar response from the start. In February 2017 in Cox’s Bazar a CwC coordination group, led by IOM, was proposed for the response to the earlier Rohingya refugee caseload in registered camps (see section below on Cox’s Bazar WG). The CwC coordination structure was established in early September. It has one sub-group: for Radio. Between 25 and 30 agencies participated in CwC Working Group meetings. While good engagement by international agencies, involvement of Bangladeshi civil society organisations and local authorities was weak with language and culturally different communication styles constraining issues (CwC RTE 2018).
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