Bangladesh Tour 2021 10th to 20th Sept - Muslim Charity
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Bangladesh Tour 2021
10th to 20th Sept
YOUR BANGLADESH
ADVENTURE BEGINS HERE
Join Muslim Charity’s volunteer family, TEAMMC, on its 6th annual volunteer
deployment trip to Bangladesh. Soak up the cultural delights while you participate
and immerse yourself in all the Children of the World projects in Bangladesh.
To join the tour, we simply ask that you book your own flights and pay £450
The trip is in no way a holiday rather it is an emotional roller-coaster that will towards your hotels, food, PCR test in Bangladesh (if required) transport and
challenge your purpose and feed your soul. internal flights.
The trip has been very carefully organised with experienced staff from the UK and We also humbly ask each participant to raise a minimum of £2,000 excluding any
Bangladesh and fully inclusive which means you don’t have to worry about anything. gift aid towards the projects that we will interact with during the tour.
HIGHLIGHTS OF
THE TOUR
‘Slum' Schools
Sylhet town hosts some of the most expensive real estate in
Bangladesh. However, it’s also home to some of the most
deprived communities. This community is primarily the hidden
work force of Sylhet and made up of low-income families.
Most of the families in the slum are disengaged from the
mainstream and therefore find it extremely difficult to admit their
children to mainstream schooling. The expectation is that once
the children are 8-10, they will also contribute financially to the
family.
Muslim Charity, with your help has started a new school to
support these children. It gives access to pre-primary education
and prepares them for mainstream schooling. We use informal
play techniques to give young people the confidence and social
skills they need to benefit from an education.
Sylhet You will spend time volunteering at the school shadowing and
playing games under the supervision of our champion teachers.
Your Bangladeshi adventure with
TEAMMC starts in Sylhet. It is
one of the most scenic places in
all of Bangladesh. Home to lush
green paddy fields, beautiful tea
estates, crystal clear rivers, and
the ancestral home of most British
Bangladeshis.
The city is located on the right bank
of the Surma River in northeastern
Bengal. It has a subtropical climate
and lush highland terrain.
House Building and
Livelihood Project
Our latest project in Sylhet division is livelihood support
to needy families also supporting some families with
decent home building.
You will have opportunity to visit some of the families
in different villages of Sylhet and get to understand first
hand the impact your donations can make to the lives of
needy people in countries like Bangladesh.
Cox’s Bazar
Cox’s Bazar is a city, fishing port, tourism centre and district
headquarters in southeastern Bangladesh. It is famous mostly
for its long natural sandy beach. It is located south of the
city of Chittagong. Cox’s Bazar is also known by the name
Panowa, which translates literally as “yellow flower”.
The beach in Cox’s Bazar is the main attraction of the town
with an unbroken length of 150 km (93 mi) also termed the
“longest natural unbroken sea beach” in the world.
Rohingya Camps Children Homes
Cox Bazar is home to over 1 million Rohingya It’s here that we have initiated building the first
refugees, you will spend time at our child-friendly permanent children homes. These are homes
for former street children who have no family,
space providing vital informal education and
no home otherwise.
support to the children.
This oasis is where their healing process will
The total number of Rohingya refugees in Cox’s begin and where children can finally be children
again. Here you will volunteer for a day working
Bazar is around 869,000 individuals. The Rohingya
on the project site with our team on the ground
refugee population is concentrated in extremely and start understanding the rehabilitation
congested camps within Ukhyia and Teknaf process of street children.
Upazilas of Cox’s Bazar District, Bangladesh.
The refugees living in the camps are dependent
on the assistance provided by the humanitarian
community and government of Bangladesh.
Since the emergency began, with your help
Muslim Charity has been able to provide much-
needed humanitarian aid to those refugees
fleeing the crisis. We have been able to deliver
lifesaving food and medicine to thousands of
families; helping them get through the harsh
winter months.
Dhaka
Dhaka is one of the most densely populated
cities in the world, filled with history, culture,
and fantastic street food.
Dhaka is the ninth-largest and the sixth-most
densely populated city in the world. The city is full
of culture and amazing street food also known
for its cycle-rickshaws, art festivals and religious
diversity. The old city is home to around 2,000
buildings from the Mughal and British periods.
FAQs Street Children You will spend time with outreach workers on the ground shadowing them and learning more about detached work with street children. We will visit some of the sites where children congregate where you will learn more about their lives as well as their struggles. Muslim Charity has been working with street children in Bangladesh for almost 6 years. Along with local ground partners we have established a mechanism to rescue ‘street children’. We have several sites in Dhaka that act as informal schools to engage, track, and encourage children to come off the streets. These are manned by social mobilisers and experienced staff who will rescue children into our transitional shelter. The transitional shelter again based in Dhaka is where children will start their healing process. It’s a safe place where we will start to extract the journey and story of the child as well as develop leads to find their families. The children are kept for a maximum of 6 weeks and if within this time their families are found they are reunited with the support of government agencies. For the children that have no family they are referred onto partner or government orphanages.
Daulatdia We will leave central Dhaka for Dauladia which is on the outskirts of greater Dhaka. Dauliadia is home to the largest brothel in the Bangladesh and 4th biggest in the world. It’s often described as a village dedicated to prostitution with estimates of around 3,000 sex workers and 800 children. We will visit a school which caters for the local children and meet mothers from the Brothel. If we deem it safe we will also visit some parts of the Brothel.
Basic Itinerary • Morning flight to Dhaka
• Luggage transferred to Long Beach hotel
• Visit Sadarghat and School Under the Sky for
Please note that the itinerary can change with short notice. Please do not plan any other activities during the Thursday street children
tour rather build in any personal extensions/stay before or after the tour. Cox Bazar -
16th Sept • Shadow outreach workers in rescuing children
Dhaka
2021 • Lunch in Old Dhaka
• Back to hotel late afternoon / early evening and
Day Location Activity free time
• Overnight stay in Dhaka
Friday • Arrival at Sylhet airport and transfer to hotel
• Morning visit to Airport railway station –
10th Sept Sylhet • Dinner, briefing and introduction of participants
shadow outreach workers
2021 • Overnight stay in Sylhet hotel
• Visit to Thikana transitional shelter and lunch
Friday
17th Sept Dhaka with rescued children
2021 • Learn the process behind our “rescue a child”
• Early morning visit to ‘Slum’ school procedure
• Activities with young people • Overnight stay in Dhaka
Saturday • Lunch on route to Jaflong
11th Sept Sylhet • Visit local school for school bags distribution
2021 • Free time in Jaflong • Visit Dhaka slums and understand lives of slum-
• Evening optional visit to the Sylhet Bazars based families and children
Saturday
• Overnight stay in Sylhet • Case study of children rescued and reunited
18th Sept Dhaka
2021 with family
• Witness family reunification process
• Visit house building and livelihood project in • Overnight stay in Dhaka
villages
Sunday • Sightseeing and free time
12th Sept Sylhet • Overnight stay in Sylhet • Early morning travel to visit Day Care Centre
2021 and youth club for the children who are born in
All participants to have an early night rest for the Sunday
next day and fly to Cox’s Bazar. 19th Sept Dhaka the brothel - Daulatdia (the 4th biggest brothel
2021 in the world)
• Cultural activities and games with the children
• Overnight in Dhaka
• Travel (fly) to Cox’s Bazar via Dhaka
Monday Sylhet to Cox’s • Afternoon free time in Cox’s Bazar
13th Sept Bazar
• Evening Dinner near Beach
2021 Via Dhaka • Visit Peace Home – one of the permanent
• Overnight stay in Cox’s Bazar
homes for former street children
• Meet the children that were once on the street
Monday and now are attending school and live in a safe
Tuesday • Visit the Rohingya camp
20th Sept Dhaka home
14th Sept Cox’s Bazar • Spend time at our child-friendly space
2021 • Depart for hotel after lunch with children
2021 • Overnight stay in Cox’s Bazar
• Tour interviews
• Tour feedback and farewell dinner
• Overnight in Dhaka
• Travel to Ramu to visit children home site
Wednesday • Volunteer for the day
15th Sept Cox’s Bazar • Lunch on the hill
Tuesday
2021 • Planting trees Dhaka -
21st Sept • Return flights back to UK
• Overnight stay in Cox’s Bazar UK
2021
REGISTRATION How to Register
If you would like to register, please do so by clicking the link
below.
Tour Fee: £450
(£50 deposit at registration) What’s Not Included www.muslimcharity.org.uk/bdtour2021
Fundraising: £2,000 All you require to guarantee your place is to pay the non-
UK PCR test - Participants will need to arrange their PCR
(excluding international flight) test in the UK before departure and ensure the test is refundable £50 registration fee and a further £400 8 weeks
taken within 72 hrs of landing in Bangladesh (and also before you travel.
comply with any other Airline/Travel requirements).
When you have registered you will be redirected to your
The tour fee can be paid in 2 International Flights
JustGiving fundraising page where you can customise your
instalments but must be paid fully The fee does not include the UK to Bangladesh return
story for your donors and supporters.
8 weeks before travel. flights. The flight you will need to book is:
Please check your dates and To help with spreading the cost of the tour you can pay the
Outgoing: UK – Dhaka – Sylhet
availability carefully as we cannot remainder in 2 instalments. Please let us know if you would like
Incoming: Dhaka – UK
offer any refunds on the fees. to take advantage of this initiative when registering.
Muslim Charity staff are on hand should you need any
advice on booking your flight. We ask that all participants
arrive by Friday 10th September 2021 and be available Alternatively
for the evening introduction meeting at 7pm at the
hotel. Once we know your arrival time a representative
Call Moheen Uddin (Community Engagement Officer)
will be waiting at the airport to pick you up.
On 07999 471 176 or
email moheen@muslimcharity.org.uk
Visa
with any queries/questions you may have.
As foreign nationals you will need to apply for a visa
from the Bangladesh consulate. The Bangladesh visa
services are available in London and Manchester.
Please apply for a tourist visa:
www.bhclondon.org.uk/tourist-visa What’s Not
If you have Bangladeshi heritage you can apply for a
‘No Visa required’ visa stamp. This entitles you to visit
Included
Bangladesh without obtaining a visa. There is also a visa
on arrival service in Dhaka where you can obtain a visa
for your stay.
What’s Included Please bear in mind that we cannot guarantee your visa
or entry. Please seek advice from the embassy before
This amount will cover all transport, hotel, food,
you book your flights and pay your registration fee. If
PCR tests in Bangladesh and accommodation
you need any help Muslim Charity staff are on hand to
costs whilst in Bangladesh which is based on 2
advise and guide you through the process.
people sharing one room.
Muslim Charity will manage and arrange all of
Travel Vaccinations
the logistics in Bangladesh including pick-up
and drop-off to airports.
Please check with your GP what vaccinations you may
require.
What kind of hotel will be stay in?
FAQs We will stay in comfortable 3-star hotels. These have
been carefully selected for their service, comfort, and
safety. All hotels have been vetted by our staff and
Who can take part in the Children of the World evaluated by our volunteers on previous trips.
Bangladesh Tour?
We will let you know the exact hotels when we release
the final itinerary 4 weeks before travel.
Anyone interested in experiencing the impact of Muslim
Charity’s work in Bangladesh and wishing to explore the
beauty, sights and sounds of this wonderful country.
Participants must be 18 years or older before the date of Do I need travel insurance?
departure and be of good health to travel.
We highly recommend you take travel insurance for the
duration of your stay. In the event of any injury we will
How much will it cost? have no choice but to take you to a hospital where they
will charge you for any medical attention or advice.
The fee for travelling on the tour is £450 per person. This
amount will cover all transport, hotel, food, internal flights We suggest you check with your insurance provider to
and accommodation costs whilst in Bangladesh and it is see if your already covered if not you can always get a
based on 2 people sharing one room. quote online.
This fee does not include; What’s the situation with toilets?
• International Flights - UK to Bangladesh (Sylhet) return You will have access to clean toilet facilities in hotels.
...flights. However, when we travel these may not be very clean.
• Ground Transport in the UK You will need to be a little intrepid and adventurous and
may have to go ‘where no man has gone before’.
• Visa Fees
• Pre-Travel PCR Test Fees in the UK In any case we will make regular stops on long journeys
and prompt you to use the facilities where available.
At the time of publishing the tickets from UK to Bangladesh
are as follows.
What should I bring?
UK – Dhaka = £450
Dhaka – Sylhet = £50 The total duration of the tour is 11 days so please bring
with you enough clothing for that duration.
Total International Flights - £500 We recommend small luggage so it’s easy to transport
as you will be living ‘out your suitcase’ as the tour is fast
Please note that you need to book your flights from UK – paced.
Dhaka – Sylhet
Suggested Essentials:
And coming back Dhaka – UK.
• Mosquito repellent
The costs for the total tour;
• Basic medication such as pain killers
International Flights £500 • 2 Pin adapters
Tour Fees £450
• Mobile charging bank
Total £950
• Sunglasses
• Baseball cap
Remember you can pay your tour fees in 2 instalments of
£225. All final payments must be made 8 weeks before • Comfortable summer clothing
travel. • Hoodie/light jacket for evenings
• Closed comfortable footwear and flip flopsCan I extend my stay?
FAQs Muslim Charity has arrangements made only from 10th
to 20th Sept 2021. Please make your own additional
arrangements either before the tour or after.
Can we take cash? Who picks me up on arrival and how do I stay Due to the nature of the tour we cannot let you break
away from the itinerary.
in touch with my family?
Please do not carry large amounts of money with
you. We will be using your tour fee to cover the costs A Muslim Charity representative will pick you up from
of boarding, food and other travel expenses on your the airport and drive you to the hotel. Can I arrange my own accommodation?
behalf. We request you to carry not more than £1,000
or equal amount in Bangladeshi Taka. Most of the time participants will book themselves on No. Unfortunately due to a tight travel schedule,
the same flight and you will get to know each other participants will be asked to stay in Muslim Charity
If you wish to exchange money, please do so at the before-hand from all the conversations we will have provided accommodation/hotels. Muslim Charity will
airports. In general, they give best rates. on our WhatsApp group and meet ups before we ensure that selected accommodation/hotels are secure
travel. and safe and also comfortable for participants.
What will the weather be like and what You will also have mobile numbers for our team leads
belongings shall we pack? from the UK and Bangladesh should you need to Will single-sex accommodation and facilities be
contact someone in an emergency. available during the trip?
We will advise you to bring clothes appropriate for
temperatures between 20°C to 25°C. Yes. Single-sex accommodation will be provided and
What is the position on mobile phones and each hotel room will be shared by two participants.
Please bring clothing that is comfortable and communication? Unfortunately, we cannot offer single rooms.
appropriate for the country. We ask all participants to
respect local cultures and customs while in Bangladesh You can purchase a SIM from Dhaka airport using your
as we are guests in their country. British passport as ID. Please refer to their packages for Single Rooms
calls and internet.
While the cities are very cosmopolitan and no one will
care what you may be wearing the rural and remote Unfortunately, we cannot offer single rooms.
Please bear in mind that it can take up to 20-25
places are very conservative. We ask all participants minutes to get a SIM card.
to be aware of this situation and where possible wear
clothing that is comfortable and appropriate for our In any case we will make all the efforts to facilitate Any additional questions?
destination. communication by staying in hotels with WIFI facilities.
The quality of the WIFI services may vary according to We are on hand to offer advice and guidance on all
Layers areas and is subject to availability of electricity. aspects of the tour and your kind fundraising activities.
Please think of layers when travelling so you can
For any assistance relating to this tour please contact:
add and subtract easily as the weather changes.
Also, we will be close to the sea in Cox’s Bazaar and How do we interact with locals and Moheen Uddin (Community Engagement Officer)
the hills of Bandarban where the temperature can communities and do you have any advice T: 0207 100 4930 | M: 07999 471 176
drop dramatically so please bring a warm fleece or for this? E: moheen@muslimcharity.org.uk
comfortable jacket.
We request all our participant to be friendly but aware
Footwear and respect local faiths and cultures by adopting
Comfortable closed toe shoes are a must. Please think appropriate clothing and behaviour.
of the various terrain such as the Rohingya camps,
beaches and possibly mud. So please bring shoes When interacting with children we ask that you seek
that are comfortable and not new. Similarly, some permission before holding and interacting with them.
comfortable sandals or flip flops are ideal for the We will fully brief you before each visit to make sure
evening and when we are travelling between places. that we follow the ground partner guidelines and
adhere to all Muslim Charity policies with regards to
Loss or Damage child protection.
Although we will make utmost efforts to ensure the
During your travel you will also meet vulnerable
safety of your belongings but will advise you not to
families and communities therefore, we request you
carry expensive and luxury articles with you as we
not to offer cash or any other gift to any person. If you
cannot take any responsibility for loss or damage while
wish to help someone please talk to a Muslim Charity
on tour.
representative who will advise further.www.muslimcharity.org.uk
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