As part of the first stage of Ramadan programs organized by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) in Bangladesh, 1,250 food parcels containing basic needs were distributed across the country.
The first stage of aid provided to low-income families, students in orphanages, disabled people and Rohingya Muslims within the scope of this year’s Ramadan programs in Bangladesh, has been concluded in Dhaka, Narsingdi, Lalmonirhat, Saidpur, Kushtia, Gazipur and Meherpur. 1,250 food parcels were distributed, with priority given to disabled people and orphans.
Deputies from the regions, municipal officials and representatives from NGOs attended the distribution ceremonies.
TİKA has also been serving hot iftar dinners to 1,000 families living in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh during Ramadan. TİKA’s Ramadan aid is also planned to be delivered to the southern regions of Bangladesh over the coming days.
1,250 food packages containing basic food and prepared by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) were delivered to families in need.
Within the scope of the “Ramadan Programs” held in Georgia, TİKA has collaborated with the “Administration of All Muslims of Georgia” and distributed a total of 1,250 food packages to our compatriots and families in need residing in Batumi, Khulo, Shuakhevi, Keda, Samtredia, Ozurgeti, Mingrelia, Marneuli, Gardabani, Dmanisi, Bolnisi, Adigeni, Pankisi, Kvareli, Tsalka, Akhaltsikhe, Aspindza and Tbilisi.
The Mufti of Eastern Georgia, Etibar Eminov, who attended the aid distribution event in Marneuli, emphasized that Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims, and underscored the importance of friendship and solidarity.
Stating that this solidarity between Türkiye and Georgia creates a strong foundation for the relations of the two countries, Eminov expressed that these special times reinforce feelings of regional peace and brotherhood.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) shares the abundance and spiritual atmosphere of Ramadan with those in need in Moldova.
The distribution of food packages, prepared by TİKA and commenced in the capital Chișinău to embody the spirit of sharing and solidarity of Ramadan, will be delivered to a total of 4,000 families across the country.
During Ramadan, food packages will be distributed to a total of 2,500 families in need, especially in the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia in the south and in Bălți in the north, which stands as the second largest city of Moldova.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) prepared a total of 30 tons of food aid packages to be distributed to people in need in Bosnia and Herzegovina during Ramadan.
The distribution of food aid to families in need residing in Bosnia and Herzegovina will be completed in the second week of Ramadan, and will be realized in cooperation with local partners in Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly the Merhamet Muslim Charitable Society, the International Forum of Solidarity EMMAUS and the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Within the scope of TİKA’s “Bosnia and Herzegovina Food Package Aid for Ramadan 2024 Project,” food packages will be delivered to 1,600 families in need residing in Srebrenica, Bratunac, Zvornik, Banja Luka, Bosanska Dubica, Bosanska Gradiška, Bosanska Kostajnica, Bosanski Novi, Doboj, Kotor Varoš, Teslić, Bihać, Tuzla, Vitez, Trebinje, Gacko, Nevesinje, Bileća, Foča, Višegrad, Rudo, Vlasenica, Bijeljina, Glamoč, Livno, Jezero, Šipovo, Jajce, Čapljina, Stolac, Zenica, Vareš, Žepče, Maglaj, Doboj East, Gračanica, Velika Kladuša, Mostar and Sarajevo.
As part of the project, food aid will also be delivered to families returning to their homeland, the Romani people, women who are victims of domestic violence, Palestinians evacuated from Gaza and taking refuge in Bosnia and Herzegovina and other disadvantaged groups.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has been serving hot meals during Ramadan in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, where Rohingya refugees reside in Bangladesh.
TİKA has been delivering Türkiye’s aid to Rohingya Muslims who were forced to leave their homeland and take refuge in Bangladesh after violence erupted in the Arakan state of Myanmar in August 2017.
As part of the Ramadan programs organized by TİKA, hot meals will be served to 1,000 families during Ramadan at the distribution point previously established by TİKA for Rohingya families living in Cox’s Bazar Refugee Camp. This year, more than 20,000 Rohingya Muslims in 16 camps are expected to benefit from the project, which has been ongoing since 2017.
In 2017, TİKA quickly established a kitchen for those placed in the camps and served hot meals to 25,000 people daily.
More than one million Rohingya Muslim refugees have been striving to hold on to life under harsh conditions in the camps located in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. With no engagement in any economic activity, the refugees are in need of all kinds of consumable products, especially food.
TİKA’s various projects for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh involve playgrounds, learning centers and multi-purpose centers.
On the occasion of Ramadan, food packages were delivered to families in need through a cooperation between Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Afghanistan Association for the Protection of Disabled People and Martyrs’ Families.
During Ramadan, TİKA provided food package support to 400 families residing in Balkh, Jowzjan, Faryab and Sar-e Pol cities of Afghanistan. These families, encompassing individuals with disabilities, heirs of martyrs, and those in need, received assistance. The packages totaling up to 35 tons in weight, were delivered to the families at the campus of Jowzjan Technical Institute, which was established by TİKA in 2017 in Sheberghan.
The Governor of Jowzjan Province, Qari Gul Haider Shafaq; the Director ofJowzjan Vocational Education and Training, Mevelevi Nusratullah Nusrat; TİKA’s Coordinator in Mazar-i-Sharif, Mikail Taşdemir; representatives of NGOs and other local officials attended the delivery ceremony.
Speaking at the ceremony, Governor Shafaq underlined that Ramadan is a month of abundance and sharing, and expressed his satisfaction with the contributions provided by TİKA. Shafaq also expressed his gratitude to the Turkish nation and state, as well as to TİKA.
TİKA’s Coordinator in Mazar-i-Sharif, Taşdemir stated that the Turkish nation always stands by its Afghan brothers.
Food packages prepared by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) were distributed in refugee camps across various cities of Palestine.
The socioeconomic challenges experienced in the West Bank due to the long-standing occupation policies have escalated since the war started in Gaza in October 2023.
Following the war, unemployment and poverty rates have peaked due to the cancellation of work permits for nearly 200,000 Palestinians, while oppression, restrictions and attacks have been intensifying in Jenin, Tulkarm, Qalqilya, Tubas, Nablus, Ramallah, and especially in refugee camps.
Food packages prepared by TİKA during Ramadan were delivered to the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs to be distributed to 1,000 Palestinian families living in refugee camps across various cities.
These packages contain basic food items such as oil, tomato paste, rice, flour, beans, lentils and şehriye (a kind of pasta).
Attending the delivery ceremony, the Representative of the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, Wafik Allawi stated that TİKA has been recognized in Palestine for years through its activities, and that the Turkish people stand by the Palestinian people.
Additionally, the Al-Am’ari refugee camp, recently subjected to invasion attacks, was visited and food packages were distributed to families in need.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided food support to the families of orphan children in Albania.
Türkiye’s Ambassador to Tirana, Tayyar Kağan Atay; TİKA’s Coordinator in Tirana, Mustafa Ata; the President of the Alternative of the Future Foundation (ALSAR), Mehdi Gurra and families attended the distribution ceremony held at Farie Hoti Sports Palace in the capital Tirana.
Speaking at the ceremony, Atay expressed that Ramadan is a special month bringing brothers and sisters together, and added that they have come together as two brotherly nations on this occasion.
Informing that the packages will be distributed to 900 families at present, Atay said, “We will have a total of 3,500 packages. We will deliver these gifts to our brothers in Albania, from Kukës in the north to Korçë in the south and from Berat to Vlorë and Fier, as well as Tirana, as a sign of the love and respect of the Turkish people for you”.
Reminding that they been helping families in need in cooperation with TİKA this year as well, Gurra stated, “On behalf of you and the institution I manage, I would like to express my gratitude, firstly to the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Tirana and then to TİKA for their contributions to improve the welfare of your families every year.”
Through the distribution of food packages, which is also an essential part of social aid and solidarity, particularly during Ramadan, families in need residing in Tirana, Kukës, Pogradec, Vlorë, Fier, Korçë, Peshkopi, Bulqizë and Berat had easy access to basic food, thus contributing to the reinforcement of unity, brotherhood and solidarity between the two countries.
As part of its Ramadan Program, Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) distributed 1,000 food packages to families in need in Pakistan.
The first phase of Ramadan aid programs for low-income families was completed in the cities of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Muzaffarabad and Kotli in Pakistan. The Republic of Türkiye’s Ambassador to Islamabad, Mehmet Paçacı; the Deputy President of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, Muhammad Hussain; TİKA’s Coordinator in Islamabad, Muhsin Balcı, representatives from NGOs and families in need attended the distribution ceremony.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Paçacı stated that Ramadan is a month of brotherhood and abundance, and expressed gratitude to TİKA for their contributions.
As part of the Ramadan aid program carried out in cooperation with Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal for low-income families, families with disabled family members and those affected by terrorism, food packages were delivered to a total of 1,000 families. 500 families were reached in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, whereas the remaining 500 families were received aid in the cities of Muzaffarabad and Kotli in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir region.
A total of 400 food parcels were delivered to people in need in As-Salam Mosque, renovated by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA).
A total of 400 food parcels were prepared and delivered to people in need. Half of the food parcels were distributed at the Rabbani Spirituality and Culture Center, while the other half were distributed at the As-Salam Mosque, located in Santiago, the capital of Chile.The mosque is the largest place of worship for the Muslim minority in the country.
In cooperation between TİKA and the Embassy of Türkiye in Santiago, food parcels were distributed to Muslims hailing from Chile, Palestine, Pakistan, Lebanon and Afghanistan.
Officials from the Chile Islamic Center and Chile Rabbani Center, who received the food packages, expressed their gratitude to the Turkish people and institutions.
The 1st Arakan Football League, which is organized by the Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner of Bangladesh (RRRC) and the Arakan Rohingya Football Federation (ARFF) with the support of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), the Turkish Red Crescent and the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, ended with a cup ceremony organized after the final match.
During the month-long sports festival, which started on January 3, 2024, within the camps housing Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, twelve teams competed for the championship. Almost 20,000 spectators watched the final match, played on the 7th of March. The Rathe Daung football team won the final match, ending in a 2-2 draw, against Nakkura after penalties, and became the champion.
Representatives from organizations such as UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), FIFA (International Association Football Federation), UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund), WFP (World Food Programme), ISCG (Inter Sector Coordination Group) and also officials from Bangladeshi authorities watched the final match live.
Following the match, the championship cup, second place cup, golden shoe, golden gloves, player of the match award, fair play award and second place medals were presented to the players amid applause and celebration.
During his closing speech, TİKA’s Coordinator in Bangladesh, Şevki Mert Barış, congratulated the champion team, and expressed his gratitude to all Rohingya people for the patience, support and love they have shown.
Bangladesh Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner, Mohammed Mizanur Rahman also expressed his gratitude to TİKA for their support.
Stating the importance of unity in reestablishing the Rohingya people’s image, traditions and heritage, Rahman emphasized that the tournament aimed to enhance the feeling of unity and ultimately facilitate the return of these people to their homeland. Inviting young people to steer clear of bad habits such as conflicts and drugs, Rahman expressed his hope that the event would make a positive contribution to society.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), organized a training program on smart farming techniques for farmers in Koyra, located in the Khulna District of Bangladesh.
As part of the project “Creating A Climate Resilient Society Through Skills Development” implemented in cooperation between TİKA and the Amal Foundation, which has been supporting people in need in Bangladesh in many fields, especially in education, healthcare, agriculture for about 10 years, seed and fertilizer support was provided to participants of the training program.
A total of 20 people, including women and young people, were trained on smart farming techniques for 4 months.
During the training, participants learnt smart farming techniques such as sack gardening and vertical farming techniques, and also had the opportunity to develop leadership and decision-making skills.
Certificates were presented to the participants at the end of the program.
About Bangladesh
A South Asian country, Bangladesh, has been fighting against the effects of climate change. Natural hazards such as sea level rise, tropical cyclones and saltwater flooding particularly endanger coastal areas.
Although the agricultural sector, which once constituted one-quarter of the national income in the early 2000s, has decreased to 12% due to increased industrialization and the share of service sector in recent years, remains an important source of income for Bangladesh.
About 40% of the population has been engaged in agriculture and this sector has been a source of income for millions of people.
However, the fact that the average annual income per capita in Bangladesh is around 2,000 dollars and that poverty hits a large portion of the society remains one of the country’s most significant and chronic problems.
Bangladesh attaches importance to various national and international projects and programs aimed at fighting against these challenges and increasing social welfare.
The significance of sustainable agriculture in the fight against climate change stands out as a determining factor for the country’s future.
