For this purpose, it said, a national plan of action including allocation of adequate fund for its implementation should be in place. 

In a statement, ActionAid emphasised ensuring the allocation of food support for daily-wage earners, street children, construction workers, and other informal sector workers including socially excluded groups such as dalit, sex workers, person with disabilities, and transgender people, among others. 

It called for designing medium-term programmes to support small-holder farmers and micro and small entrepreneurs to recover the losses incurred due to outbreak of COVID-19.   

ActionAid said the private sector should play proactive role in terms of resource mobilisation and innovation of local technology to combat COVID-19.

It said it is mobilising itself to ensure the security and rights of the disadvantaged and marginalised demographics who are already suffering the most out due to the pandemic.

"ActionAid Bangladesh stands in solidarity in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic," it said in a statement highlighting its work as per its Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA).

It has prepared to build effective awareness and taken preventive measures to combat the pandemic in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the government of Bangladesh, and Inter Sector Coordination Group (ISCG) guidelines. 

A comprehensive strategy has been developed to promote hygiene among its staff, programme participants in offices in Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar, and all its programme areas across the country, it said. 

As per the guidelines from Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission (RRRC) and following the law enforcing agencies’ last week statement, ActionAid has suspended its staff movement to the Rohingya camps and continuing essential services through Rohingya Volunteers since April 1.

Apart from Rohingya community, it also plans to work with the host community in Ukhiya and Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar in partnership with local administration and Upazila Disaster Management Committees. 

Amidst this global pandemic, ActionAid said it is planning to revisit its ongoing activities, as well as communicating with donors in the context of urgency of COVD-19 response. 

While keeping the donors updated, the organisation is making efforts towards mobilisation of internal resources. Funds are being sought from donors to meet this end. 

In addressing the situation as such, it places the humanitarian needs of women and girls at the centre of all interventions structured around preparedness and implementation of preventive measures to combat COVID-19. 

ActionAid said it is working with its networks and platforms to assess the needs of women and girls by monitoring their situations. 

In Happy Home, where almost 100 girls are living, the girls are not only maintaining safety measures for their own sake, but are also contributing to build social awareness by developing pictorial messages for ActionAid Facebook page.

Following the outbreak of coronavirus, ActionAid said it has taken several initiatives broadly around Social and Behaviour Change Communication at different levels of its operation. 

All of its offices are closed as per government’s instruction and the staff have been instructed to stay home and work from there.

ActionAid has started working in collaboration with Sajida Foundation to provide virtual health services to its staff, their family and programme participants through a hotline number. 

Line Managers and senior management are encouraging staff members and are guiding them toward proper psychosocial counselling channels. A set of guidelines has also been developed to support ActionAid staff in any emergency health crisis.