Humanitarian Comms

Operators support emergency comms in Malaysia and Bangladesh

Emergency communications are in the news again, with operator CelcomDigi in Malysia highlighting its support for flood relief efforts in the country and another service provider, Edotco Bangladesh, announcing a partnership to enhance disaster preparedness.

Following the company’s flood preparedness announcement in October, CelcomDigi has activated its nationwide flood relief efforts. In collaboration with the Malaysian Relief Agency (MRA) and Malaysian Red Crescent (MRC), the company has commenced the delivery of essential aid and connectivity solutions to several temporary relief centres nationwide helping more than 50,000 affected people.

Teams have deployed 60 charging stations and 80 Wi-Fi units across relief centres in eight states to keep families connected with loved ones and able to access essential communication services. The company’s 24/7 operations teams are also on standby to swiftly deploy power generators to base stations in flood-hit areas, ensuring minimal disruption to network services.

CelcomDigi has also supported MRA with the provision of four-wheel drive vehicles, rescue boats and volunteers to help residents stranded in severely flooded areas.

In addition, it has activated its flash-SMS broadcast, enhanced with AI-powered postcode targeting, to ensure timely alerts reach customers in flood-risk areas. To date, says Digi, over 5.1 million flash-SMSs have been broadcast to alert families.

Essential household and personal supplies are being distributed to support families during their stays at relief centres. Alongside company-led aid, employees have also contributed cooking essentials and food packs as a gesture of their personal support.

In tandem with these efforts, a refreshed flood preparedness kit that includes updated safety guidelines and a practical checklist is being made available in English and Bahasa Malaysia via CelcomDigi’s social media platforms and on a CelcomDigi app.

CelcomDigi says it is working with the government and relevant agencies for more coordinated relief efforts.

Edotco Bangladesh is also working with an agency. In fact it recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) to enhance disaster preparedness and bolster emergency response capabilities across climate-vulnerable communities.

Under this partnership, Edotco Bangladesh and the BDRCS will collaborate to strengthen early warning dissemination, ensure site readiness, and accelerate the restoration of critical communication services during emergencies. The joint effort aims to enable faster, safer and more coordinated responses during disasters.

Both organisations will support climate-vulnerable communities by enhancing local resilience through solar-powered communication systems, safe-shelter support, and targeted community development initiatives. During emergencies, BDRCS will lead humanitarian outreach and community mobilisation, while Edotco will ensure network continuity and power stability at key operational points.

To further reinforce national preparedness, both teams say they will conduct joint simulation drills, volunteer preparedness training, and field exercises, building a more unified and crisis-ready response network.



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