WFP provides emergency food aid fire-hit families in Korail slum

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) on Friday provided emergency food assistance to families affected by the devastating fire that swept through the Karail slum on Tuesday.

The WFP, in collaboration with the Department of Disaster Management (DDM), Dhaka North City Corporation, and partner organisation Eco Social Development Organisation (ESDO), distributed High Energy Biscuits (HEBs) to 1,900 affected families.

They organised the programme at BTCL Girls’ High School, near the affected area, where hundreds of families have taken temporary shelter after losing nearly all their belongings, says a media release.

Each family received a 5-kg carton of HEBs, a ready-to-eat food fortified with essential vitamins, minerals, protein, and carbohydrates. The biscuits require no cooking or water and are lightweight and compact, making them suitable for emergency situations. The assistance is expected to help families meet roughly three days of nutritional needs.

Today’s distribution will help families meet approximately three days of nutritional needs, said the release.

WFP has been operating in Bangladesh since 1974, supporting millions through emergency response and resilience-building programmes. The biscuits are also widely used in the country’s school feeding programmes, which WFP has been supporting since 2001.

In 2024 alone, WFP responded to Cyclone Remal and several floods, reaching 2.8 million people with emergency food, cash, and recovery assistance.

“Following today’s distribution, WFP will continue to coordinate with local authorities and humanitarian partners to monitor the situation and stands ready to provide additional assistance if needed,” said Simone Parchment, WFP Country Director.