Over 1,000 icddr,b staffers laid off over USAID fund cut

The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) has terminated over 1,000 employees following the US administration's announcement to suspend funding for foreign programmes, including those in Bangladesh.

"We have suspended our US government-funded projects and research until further notice. We apologise for the inconvenience to our clients, partners, and colleagues. We look forward to resuming our operations as soon as possible," AKM Tariful Islam Khan, senior manager (communications) at icddr,b, told The Financial Express in a written comment.

A high official of an international health research organisation, who used to receive USAID funds, called the US administration's decision unprecedented.

This will largely impact the research activities of the organisation that are crucial for Bangladesh and the health sector globally, the official said.

Earlier, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) suspended all funding and activities, except for the Rohingya crisis, through an official announcement in line with the US administration's fund cut decision.

The announcement was made in a letter, referring to US President Donald Trump's executive order to "stop, cease, and/or suspend any work".

"Partners shall take all reasonable steps to minimise the incurrence of costs allocable to their awards," said the letter.

Bangladesh received $550 million in US assistance in 2023.

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