UNHCR
MoU on UN's operational engagement in Bhasan Char Saturday
Bangladesh and the United Nations (UN) will sign a formal document Saturday, ending a long wait for a much-sought UN engagement at Bhasan Char on the humanitarian front to support the Rohingyas there.
Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief Md Mohsin and UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, will sign the memorandum of understanding (MoU).
The signing ceremony will be held at the secretariat at 12pm.
State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr M Enamur Rahman will witness the signing ceremony.
The signing of the MoU demonstrates the UN's support to the government's massive investment there to ensure better living for the Rohingyas, officials said.
The numerous challenges associated with the temporary hosting of persecuted Rohingyas from Myanmar have compelled the Bangladesh government to plan the relocation of 1 lakh Rohingyas to Bhashan Char, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).
Also read: Relocation of Rohingyas to Bhashan Char not forceful: Dhaka
Nearly 20,000 Rohingyas moved to Bhasan Char since December last year in several groups.
Around 1,642 Rohingyas were relocated to Bhashan Char on December 4 last year while the second batch, comprising 1,804 Rohingyas, had been transferred from Cox's Bazar to the island on December 29 last year.
Recognising Bangladesh's massive investment in Bhasan Char, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Mia Seppo said there has been, rather, a lot of negative coverage about the island and it is important that they have somehow managed to move away from that.
She said they want to be partners in trying to create something so that everybody can live and the conversation that they are having now is important.
Regarding the proposed MoU to engage in Bhasan Char, Mia said there are protections and humanitarian imperatives and they are looking to support the massive efforts of the government in Bhasan Char.
Bhasan Char, a temporary shelter for Rohingyas until repatriation, remained unhurt with no casualty to personnel and livestock during recent cyclones, officials said.
During his recent visit, former United Nations General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir highly appreciated Bangladesh's efforts for Rohingyas in Bhashan Char, saying it will be another example to the world on how to deal with the refugee issues. "I applaud the work done there – the quality of buildings and all the precautions."
Also read: UN for Rohingyas' free, informed decision on Bhashan Char relocation
Bozkir hoped that this would work well for the Rohingya people, giving them a better condition in Bhashan Char.
The government re-emphasised that Bhashan Char is completely safe and suitable for human habitation.
The 30-year-old island has all the amenities, including healthcare, drinking water, options for economic activities, and cyclone shelters, it said.
The island offers enough space for the free movement of the Rohingyas.
Officials at the MoFA said it should be remembered that Rohingyas are Myanmar nationals and Bhasan Char and Cox's Bazar camps are temporary arrangements. "Bangladesh has been hosting them temporarily purely out of humanitarian gesture."
"Rohingyas want to return to their homeland, Myanmar, and all need to work constructively to that end," a MoFA official said.
15,000 people in Cox’s Bazar receive UNHCR’s aid1
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has distributed financial aid among 15,000 people in Cox’s Bazar.
UNHCR sent Tk 2500 each through bKash to the pandemic-hit most vulnerable individuals and people living in extreme poverty in Cox’s Bazar, said a media release on Thursday.
Especially, people who have lost their jobs during the pandemic, people with disability, the elderly, widows, hawkers, transgender, hotel staff received the financial aid.
READ: UNHCR issues non-return advisory for Afghanistan
Bangladesh Red Crescent Society carried out the project as local implementation partner of UNHCR.
Md. Kamrul Hasan, Divisional Commissioner of Chattogram formally inaugurated the financial aid disbursement through bKash at Cox’s Bazar DC Office recently.
Among others, Md Mamunur Rashid, Deputy Commissioner of Cox’s Bazar, Ita Schuette, Head of Office for UNHCR in Cox’s Bazar, Imam Zafar Sikder, Disaster Response Director of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society and Mehmud Ashique Iqbal, Vice President and Md. Somel Reza Khan, Deputy General Manager from Commercial division of bKash, were present.
READ: UNHCR ready to support rescue work after Rohingya boat capsize
Vaccine should be a public good without any conditions: FM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has reiterated Bangladesh's call for making COVID-19 vaccine a public good noting that there are incidents of date expiry of vaccine doses for not sharing those timely with other countries.
"Vaccine should be a public good," he said adding that some are tagging some conditions while sharing vaccine doses which he sees as an "indirect pressure" on countries like Bangladesh.
Read:Bangladesh to take its policy towards Afghanistan independently: FM
The Foreign Minister was briefing journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on his recent visit to Switzerland, Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
"We had a very busy schedule with some positive outcomes," Dr Momen said.
Referring to his meeting with UNHCR, the Foreign Minister said the UN will soon get engaged in Bhasan Char.
He said they also discussed the climate issues as Bangladesh remains very vocal on the issues.
The Foreign Minister said they want actions and delivery with fulfillment of commitments on climate front.
Earlier, Dr Momen said a successful pandemic recovery must involve universal vaccination ending vaccine inequality.
Read: Pay compensation to climate vulnerable nations: FM to developed countries
In this regard, he referred to the unfortunate manifestation of vaccine nationalism and called the world to stand united against such vaccine inequity.
“It is time for the development partners to be more humane and help the deserving without discrimination. Vaccine should be a public good,” said the Foreign Minister while speaking at the United Nations high-level Forum on the Culture of Peace held at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.
Int'l support architecture for Asia-Pacific LDCs need of the hour: Momen
Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has called for stronger policies and support measures for the least developed countries (LDCs).
Addressing the opening session of the four-day Asia-Pacific Regional Review Meeting in Geneva on Monday, the Minister, in fact, urged the global community to chalk out a new international support architecture for the LDCs as well as the graduating LDCs.
Read: FM to attend series of programs in Switzerland, Netherlands
The Asia-Pacific meeting, jointly convened by the Bangladesh government, UN-OHRLLS and UN-ESCAP, was held in preparations for the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (UNLDC-5) slated for January in Qatar.
Speaking at the event, Dr Momen lauded the remarkable progress made by the majority of the LDCs in the Asia-Pacific, particularly in reducing poverty and investing in human resources and infrastructure.
He shared the graduation story of Bangladesh under the dynamic, bold and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, which has witnessed the per capita income reaching $2,227 and reduction of poverty to 20.5 percent. Rabab Fatima, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN in New York, chaired the opening session, while several top leaders, including Volkan Bozkir, President of the UN General Assembly, Collen Vixen Kelapile, President of the ECOSOC, Eisenhower Mkaka, Foreign Minister of Malawi and Chair of the LDCs, and Faruk Kaymakci, Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkey, spoke at the event.
UNHCR issues non-return advisory for Afghanistan
The UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, recently released a non-return advisory for Afghanistan, calling for a bar on forced returns of Afghan nationals, including asylum seekers who have had their claims rejected.
In the wake of the rapid deterioration in the security and human rights situation in large parts of the country and the unfolding humanitarian emergency, the UNHCR called on states to halt forcible returns of Afghan nationals who have previously been determined not to require international protection.
The UN agency said it was concerned about the risk of human rights violations against civilians in this evolving context, including women and girls, those perceived to have a current or past association with the Afghan government, international organisations or with the international military forces.
Also read: Afghans protest Taliban in emerging challenge to their rule
Since the beginning of the year, more than 550,000 Afghans have been internally displaced as a result of conflict and insecurity. While civilians have so far only fled sporadically in fewer numbers to countries neighbouring Afghanistan, the situation continues to evolve rapidly.
As the situation remains fluid and uncertain, the UNHCR called for access to the territory to allow civilians fleeing Afghanistan and to ensure respect for the principle of non-refoulement at all times – the prohibition on returning people to situations of danger.
States have a legal and moral responsibility to allow those fleeing Afghanistan to seek safety and not forcibly return refugees, the UNHCR said.
It has welcomed the recent actions taken by several states to temporarily halt deportations of failed asylum-seekers.
Also read: Afghans plead for faster US evacuation from Taliban rule
The UNHCR's advisory against forced returns to Afghanistan remains in effect until security, rule of law and human rights conditions improve enough in the country to allow for safe and dignified returns.
UNHCR ready to support rescue work after Rohingya boat capsize
The UN refugee agency has said it remains in contact with the Rohingya communities both on Bhasan Char and in Cox's Bazar in an attempt to support the authorities in further rescue efforts following Saturday’s boat capsize in the Bay of Bengal.
On the morning of 14 August, UNHCR was alerted that a boat carrying dozens of Rohingyas had capsized close to Bhasan Char island overnight.
"We are devastated that reportedly many passengers, including women and children, have tragically drowned. The confirmed number is not yet known," said the UN agency.
Also read: Vaccination: UNHCR lauds Bangladesh for inclusion of Rohingyas
UNHCR said they are grateful to local Bangladeshi fishermen who were first on the scene and alerted Bangladeshi authorities.
The search and rescue operation is being led by the authorities, notably the Bangladesh Navy and the Coast Guard.
"We are seeking further information from the Government of Bangladesh at this time," said the UNHCR.
Also read: Refugee Policy Review done by UNHCR following its framework
Bangladesh seeks Covid jabs from Canada
Dhaka has urged Canada to consider providing Covid-19 jabs to Bangladesh directly as well as through the COVAX initiative to help the country inoculate the Rohingya refugees and host communities.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen held a virtual meeting with Canadian Minister of International Development Karina Gould on Wednesday and made the request.
Canada has so far contributed 545 million dollars and 30 million surplus Covid vaccine doses to COVAX. The Canadian Minister is a co-chair in the COVAX Humanitarian Buffer.
Read:Canadian Minister to begin virtual visit to Bangladesh this evening
Gould assured Momen that Canada would give due consideration to Bangladesh’s request to provide jabs, including for the displaced Rohingya Muslims and the host communities.
She also recalled that Canada has already provided medicine and oxygen concentrator support to Bangladesh through UNICEF and some NGOs, and said that such assistance, including vaccine support, may come again.
Informing that the government has already commenced vaccinating the refugees over 55 years numbering around 48,000, the Foreign Minister highlighted the fact that not a single Rohingya person in Bangladesh has so far died due to Covid.
Underscorimg the natural hazards that Kutupalong camps have been facing, Momen said the UN and the international community need to come forward to support the humanitarian operations in Bhashan Char as soon as possible.
The Bangladeshi Foreign Minister also thanked Canada for its consistent political and humanitarian support for the displaced and persecuted Rohingyas, including for the ongoing genocide case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Vaccination: UNHCR lauds Bangladesh for inclusion of Rohingyas
UNHCR has welcomed the commencement of the vaccination of Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar in line with national authorities’ broader public health efforts.
"We are grateful to the Government of Bangladesh for having included Rohingya refugees in the vaccination campaign," said Johannes Van Der Klaauw, UNHCR’s Representative in Bangladesh, on Wednesday.
The UN refugee agency said equitable inclusion of Rohingyas in allocation of vaccines is critical to curbing the spread of the ongoing pandemic.
"The Rohingya refugee and host community volunteers have an essential frontline role in containing the spread of COVID-19 in the camps. The first step in fully protecting communities; however, is through the rollout of vaccination," UNHCR’s Representative in Bangladesh emphasized.
On Tuesday, over 4,000 Rohingyas received their first COVID-19 vaccine, as part of a national vaccination drive to curb the spread of the deadly virus.
Read: Covid kills 237 more in Bangladesh as Delta strain takes hold
Rohingyas eligible for vaccination in the first cohort include some 48,000 individuals over 55 years of age. The drive will continue until August 17.
The vaccination drive for Rohingyas is being led by the Bangladesh authorities with technical support from the UN Refugee Agency, the World Health Organization and other humanitarian partners.
The fight against the pandemic has been led by thousands of refugee and host community volunteers, who have worked since 2020 on informing refugees about health and hygiene, monitoring any signs of illness, and connecting the refugee community with critical health services.
While the threat of COVID-19 remains critical, their efforts have helped to prevent and curb outbreaks and have saved lives, said the UN agency.
The vaccinations follow the devastating monsoon rains that hit Cox’s Bazar District over the past weeks, causing flash floods and landslides which killed eight Rohingya refugees and 15 Bangladeshis in the host communities.
Read: Vaccination drive in Bangladesh: Procurement of 60 mln Sinopharm doses gets nod
Almost 25,000 refugees were displaced due to landslides, flooding, wind and storms.
Thousands of facilities have been damaged including primary health clinics, distribution points and latrines.
Access was hindered due to damage to roads, pathways and bridges.
UNHCR’s Emergency Response Teams, and partners, refugee and host community volunteers were deployed to assess the damage, to provide support to families forced to relocate, to begin immediate repairs of shelters and other site improvements and to ensure access to essential services for all.
While the weather has improved over the last few days, the monsoon season will continue for another couple of months followed by the cyclone season.
Refugee Policy Review done by UNHCR following its framework
The World Bank on Tuesday said the Refugee Policy Review was done by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) following the Refugee Policy Review Framework.
UNHCR collected baseline information on the existing policies, practices, and programmes, said the global lending agency in a statement posted on its website.
The WB said the review does not make any country-specific recommendations.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen also said the it was for the countries which are hosting refugees.
On Monday, he reiterated the government position against any long term programme by the World Bank for integration of Rohingyas into Bangladesh but indicated some adjustments on the proposal.
Read: Bangladesh receives $590 million World Bank financing to tackle Rohingya situation
"We have dropped all ideas (from WB proposal) that doesn't match with our own philosophy that's repatriation," Dr Momen, adding that Bangladesh's priority remains repatriation of the Rohingyas.
The World Bank is helping Bangladesh address the needs of the displaced Rohingya population until their safe and voluntarily return to Myanmar, said the statement.
The World Bank is also supporting Bangladesh to minimize the impact of the influx on the host communities, it said.
The World Bank has committed $590 million for Bangladesh to address the health, informal education, safety net, water and sanitation, and basic infrastructure, including climate resilient roads, solar street lights, and disaster preparedness needs of both the displaced Rohingya and host communities in Cox’s Bazar.
The World Bank’s research and analysis are also providing insights for understanding the challenges and development priorities in Cox’s Bazar.
Read: Repatriation is the only solution, not integration: FM about Rohingya crisis
"The entire $590 million financing is on grant terms. This is not a credit," reads the statement.
The Refugee Policy Review aims to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the World Bank financing for the refugee and host communities, said the WB.
This review has been done in each of the 14 World Bank member countries that are currently hosting displaced population.
Repatriation is the only solution, not integration: FM about Rohingya crisis
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Monday reiterated the government position against any long-term programme by the World Bank for the integration of Rohingyas into Bangladesh but indicated some adjustments on the proposal.
He said there might be some adjustments with the World Bank proposal with Bangladesh giving its priority to repatriation of the Rohingyas.
Read:Bangladesh against any idea leading to Rohingya integration: FM
"We’ve dropped all ideas (from WB proposal) that don't match with our own philosophy that's repatriation," Dr Momen told reporters, adding that there will be an MoU if the WB agrees with the Bangladesh proposal.
The Foreign Minister said the WB has taken a long-term programme for 16 countries which are hosting refugees and they will provide money from a Tk-2000 crore fund.
"Rohingyas are not refugees here. They’re persecuted and displaced people …they’re taking shelter here on a temporary basis," Dr Momen said.
Earlier, the Foreign Minister told UNB that the government has taken a very strong stance against the idea floated by the World Bank that apparently suggests integration of Rohingyas into Bangladesh giving them all the rights like Bangladesh citizens.
“We took a very strong stance. We didn’t like it and we opposed it strongly. We conveyed it,” said Dr Momen.
The World Bank came up with a programme as part of its Refugee Policy Review Framework globally for refugee host countries through the Economic Relations Division (ERD).