Humanitarian leaders in Cox’s Bazar urged donors and agencies to increase direct funding, share risks fairly and strengthen local organizations responding first to humanitarian crises across Bangladesh and regional responses.
Humanitarian leaders, government representatives and aid agencies gathered in Cox’s Bazar on Thursday (March 12) to call for greater direct funding and fair risk sharing with local organizations responding to crises, during a regional seminar focused on strengthening localization in humanitarian response.
The seminar titled “From Commitment to Action: Advancing Quality Funding and Risk Sharing” was organized by local NGO PHALS at a hotel conference hall in Cox’s Bazar under the Together Project, with overall support from Malteser International.
Speakers stressed that local organizations are often the first to respond during humanitarian emergencies and remain active long after international agencies depart, yet they still receive only a limited share of direct funding.
The session opened with a welcome address by Abu Murshed Chowdhury, voluntary Executive Director of PHALS. In his remarks, he said humanitarian response has historically followed a risk transfer model in which financial, legal, compliance and security risks are shifted from international agencies to local and national NGOs.
He emphasized that the future of localization requires a more balanced and collaborative approach based on trust, mutual accountability and shared responsibility.
During the seminar, Mohammad Arif Dewan, coordinator of Malteser International Bangladesh, presented an overview of the Together Project, highlighting its ongoing activities in eight countries including Bangladesh.
The keynote paper was delivered by Rashedul Hasan, project coordinator at PHALS.
A plenary session on quality funding, risk sharing and localization in humanitarian response followed. The discussion was moderated by Abu Murshed Chowdhury, Executive Director of PHALS.
The panel discussion brought together representatives from a wide range of organizations including Md. Shariful Islam, Deputy Secretary representing the RRRC office; A K M Morshed, Senior Director at BRAC; Shishir Dutta, Executive Director of BETA; Kirti, Country Director of Malteser International; David Bugdan, Principal Coordinator at ISCG; Bimal Chandra De Sarkar, CEO of Mukti Cox’s Bazar; Astrid, UNHCR representative; Marko Miljevic, Coordinator of the NGO Platform; Shiuli Sharma, Executive Director of Jenas; Zobaida Akhter, Head of Field Office at Oxfam; and Md. Mujibur Rahman, Advisor at Sushilon.
The event was also attended by Mahbubur Rahman, President of the Cox’s Bazar Press Club; Advocate Romij Ahmed, Secretary of Cox’s Bazar Civil Society; Advocate Abdus Shukkur; along with members of civil society, media representatives and delegates from local, national and international organizations as well as UN agencies.
Participants noted that local organizations maintain close relationships and trust within affected communities, enabling them to provide rapid and practical support during emergencies.
However they pointed out that despite global commitments to localization, most humanitarian resources continue to flow through international agencies or intermediaries. This often delays funding from reaching local levels and increases administrative costs.
Participants recommended several measures to improve humanitarian response including increasing direct and flexible funding for local organizations, establishing multi-year funding mechanisms, covering administrative costs and creating special funding pools to strengthen local initiatives.
They also called for risk sharing policies among governments, donors and international organizations based on equality.
The seminar concluded with closing remarks from Shishir Dutta, Executive Director of BETA, who thanked participants for their engagement and contributions.
