Zakat Foundation of America in

Bangladesh

Response to Humanitarian Crisis

Bangladesh, located in South Asia along the Bay of Bengal, is one of the world’s most densely populated countries, facing frequent floods, cyclones, and rising waters. These climate-related challenges have led to widespread food insecurity, displacement, waterborne diseases, and poverty, with 41.7 million people living in extreme poverty as of 2022, according to the UNDP. The 1 million stateless Rohingya refugees, living in crowded shelters, are among the most vulnerable, with 200,000 at high risk of flooding and landslides, and 21,000 families already devastated by the floods.

Zakat Foundation of America is dedicated to providing urgent relief and long-term support, focusing on emergency aid, healthcare, water projects, and community rebuilding for those most affected.

Support Emergency Efforts in Bangladesh

Since May 2024, we have been providing urgent relief to communities across southwest, southeastern, and northeastern Bangladesh, impacted by Cyclone Remal and devastating monsoon floods that have destroyed agricultural districts and left millions in need. As floodwaters receded, waterborne diseases surged, and over 500,000 displaced people, including vulnerable women, children, and the elderly, face increased risks of malnutrition, disease, and unsafe shelter conditions. The August floods caused an estimated $1.19 billion in damage, worsening Bangladesh's climate and political crises, with 23.6 million already facing food insecurity and nearly 1 in 4 living below the poverty line, many on less than $2.15 a day.

Key Features

18 million people affected—nearly 1 in 10 Bangladeshis.
6 million displaced, including 2 million children.
5.5 million people pushed into urgent food insecurity.
4.5 million acres of cropland inundated, damaging key rice crops.
1.7 million aquaculture rice-farming families affected.
391 health facilities (over a third) damaged, disrupting access to healthcare.
Widespread loss of infrastructure, leaving millions without food, clean water, sanitation, and medical care.

News from Bangladesh

11/26/24

Our Work for Bangladesh Flood Victims in 2024

Devastating floods ravaged southeastern Bangladesh. Families urgently need your support to survive this catastrophic disaster.

Stories

8/10/17

Spreading Health Education in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, Khadija was just one of millions working for scraps to make ends meet. Eventually, Khadija was informed about Zakat Foundation of America’s healthcare programs in Bangladesh.

Stories

3/25/24

Food items distributed among low-income families in Sirajganj

Zakat Foundation of America, Bangladesh distributed the food items on the premises of Belkuchi Degree College on Saturday afternoon.

Press Clippings

From 2013-2023

Our Impact in Bangladesh

953,366 Lives Impacted

156,453 Education beneficiaries

88,569 Emergency Relief recipients

468,278 Food Security beneficiaries

7,434,580 Meals distributed
38,096 Food baskets & Udhiyah meat packs distributed

211,875 Health & Wellbeing beneficiaries

7,857 Livelihoods beneficiaries

1,595 Orphan Care beneficiaries (indirect)

319 Orphan Sponsorship Program beneficiaries

18,739 Water beneficiaries

150 Water Well hand pumps completed
4 Water Filtration Systems established

Stories of Change

A Single Mother Fights for Survival

Amina Begum, a 38-year-old single mother of two young children, lived in Bangladesh’s low-lying Dagonbhuyan, Feni area recently struck by severe flooding. Torrential rains and fast-rising waters drove her, young ones in hand, to abandon her home for the teeming, temporary shelter of Kamal Ataturk College. She lost everything.

Now she and her little ones face daily food insecurity, scant hygiene resources, and growing exposure to waterborne illnesses.

From Business Owner to Blindness

Muhammad Yousuf lives In Old Town Dhaka’s Boubazar slum. At 43, he was a resilient grocer; then, the Covid pandemic devastated Bangladesh’s crammed poor areas and shuttered his business. It shut down more than his shop. It struck both his retinas, severely diminishing his vision.

Plunged into gray and shadows, a once hardy, self-supporting businessman lost his “two beloved ones,” as the Prophet, on him be peace, called the eyes. Now he finds himself unable to work at all. So, he casts an empty gaze for help unseen. Will he see you?

A Journey to Empowerment

Jhumur Begum, 35, lives in Dhaka’s Jhawchar ghetto, with her loving husband, a tireless but poor rickshaw puller. Determined to help him, Jhumur searched for a skill she could learn and earn from.

Her journey of love led her to something that seemed miraculous: a group visiting from the U.S. searching to train people just like her. She had happened upon our aid specialists. They enrolled her free into our six-month, intensive sewing & seamstress vocational training program. Then they gave her – rather, you did – an incredible gift: her own sewing machine … all, and only, for the sake of God.