Over 1,000 icddr,b staffs laid off due to US funding cuts
Staff Reporter :
The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) has laid off over 1,000 employees after the United States government decided to halt funding for foreign programmes.
This is the latest incident of employees being sacked from programmes funded by the USAID after President Donald Trump on 20 January issued an executive order suspending funding to all countries for 90 days to allow a review of the assistance programs.
The employees worked on various research projects funded by various government agencies, including the United States Agency for International Development, or USAID.
AKM Tariful Islam Khan, senior manager (communications) at icddr,b, yesterday told the local media that these employees were involved in various research projects funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
“We express our sympathy and regret for the inconvenience caused to our service recipients, partners and colleagues. We are hopeful that we will be able to restart our activities again, “he added.
These Staff members have been receiving letters in phases since Wednesday.
The sudden funding suspension has left the future of several critical health research projects uncertain. It remains to be seen whether alternative funding sources can be secured to ensure the continuation of icddr,b’s work in Bangladesh.
On 25 January, USAID in a letter to project implementing partners in Bangladesh stated that along with other countries around the world, the USAID has announced an immediate cessation or suspension of any work in Bangladesh under contracts, work orders, grants, cooperative agreements, or other assistance or procurement instruments.
The US is the leading contributor of humanitarian assistance in response to the Rohingya crisis, having provided nearly $2.4 billion since the outbreak of violence in August 2017, including nearly $2 billion to assist Rohingya refugees and host communities in Bangladesh, according to the USAID website.
The country has assisted Bangladesh with $550 million as disbursement in 2023 alone via all its agencies.