Rohingyas
18 Rohingyas fleeing from Bhasanchar arrested in Mirsarai
Police arrested 18 Rohingyas from Mirsarai Economic Zone on Friday after they fled from Noakhali’s Bhasanchar refugee camp.
The arrestees include 8 women and 6 children.
Md Habib, an in-charge of Mirsarai industrial area police camp, said they arrested the Rohingyas from the economic zone’s Super Dike area on Friday afternoon when they were heading towards Ukhiya’s Kutupalong refugee camp from the Bhasanchar.
He said the Rohingyas fled from Bhasanchar in collaboration with brokers and came to Mirsarai by boat.
The arrestees were handed over to Jorarganj police station, he added.
ADB gives $41.4 mln in grant to help improve infrastructure, manage the basic needs of Rohingyas
Bangladesh and Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Wednesday signed an agreement for $41.4 million in grant to help improve infrastructure and manage the basic needs of displaced persons from Myanmar sheltered in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh.
The additional assistance forms the second phase of the ADB’s ongoing Emergency Assistance Project worth $100 million in grant approved in 2018, according to a release from the ADB.
Economic Relations Division Secretary Fatima Yasmin and ADB Country Director Edimon Ginting signed the agreement on behalf of Bangladesh and ADB, respectively.
Also read:ADB provides $143 million to improve trade facilitation in Bangladesh
“The assistance will scale up the ongoing project by addressing the unmet basic and urgent needs identified for ADB assistance in 2018 but which remained unfunded due to grant funding constraints,” ADB Country Director Edimon Ginting said.
He said that Disaster shelter centers, health facilities, improved water supply and sanitation, and better waste management that will be provided with ADB assistance, will reduce disaster risks, strengthen the resilience against COVID-19, and serve basic human needs of the camp population until their repatriation.
The new assistance will build 200 water and sanitation facilities, three solid waste management facilities, and establish a piped water supply system at Ukhiya.
It will, among others, upgrade four health care facilities for severe acute respiratory infection, expand six primary health care and diagnostic centers in Teknaf, improve skills of health care workers in Cox’s Bazar district, and construct a multipurpose disaster-resilient isolation center to help with the COVID-19 response.
To strengthen disaster resilience and help protect displaced persons, six school-cum-cyclone shelters in local primary schools, and one multipurpose cyclone shelter, which will also function as a COVID-19 isolation center, will be constructed. About 13 kilometers (km) of rural access roads leading to the camp facilities will be upgraded.
In addition to the new grant assistance, an agreement was also signed today for a $30 million concessional loan to rehabilitate a 30.76 km section of National Highway-1 to improve the transportation of relief and essential goods between Teknaf and Cox’s Bazar.
Rohingyas create social problems in Bangladesh, PM tells new Canadian envoy
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said the Rohingyas are creating social problems in Bangladesh as many of them are engaged in drug and women trafficking.
The prime minister said this when newly appointed Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Lilly Nicholls called on her at her Sangsad Bhaban office.
Also read: PM: Padma Bridge comes as divine blessings for southern Bangladesh
PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the call on.
The PM told the envoy that over 1.1 million Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh is causing a long term problem
“How long Bangladesh could bear such a huge burden,” she said. She said Bangladesh is providing temporary shelter to one lakh Rohingyas on Bhasan Char Island where they get better facilities.
The high commissioner said that Canada will always support Bangladesh in this regard.
She also mentioned that her country is creating an additional fund through charity for Rohingyas.
The envoy said Canada is highly pleased to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Bangladesh.
She also congratulated Bangladesh on celebration of the golden jubilee of its Independence and the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Both discussed about the Russia-Ukraine War and agreed that war always causes sufferings to the people.
The envoy appreciated PM Hasina for her government's success in reducing rate of poverty in Bangladesh.
Both said that trade and business can grow further between the two countries.
In this regard, Hasina said that she looks forward to boosting trade and investment with Canada.
In this connection she said that Large Bangladeshi diaspora in Canada is positively contributing in enhancing people- to-people contact between the two nations.
Also read: Southern region won’t remain neglected anymore: PM
Congratulating the new envoy the PM said that she expected that the high commissioner would play her role to strengthen existing excellent relations between the two countries.
She assured all possible support to the HC for discharging her duties in Bangladesh.
The premier said that since Bangladesh's Liberation War Canada is supporting Bangladesh.
She also mentioned that During COVID-19 Canada had been always supportive and work closely with Bangladesh since the beginning of the pandemic.
“We have special relation with Canada,” she said.
She thanked Canada for donating COVID-19 vaccines and equipment.
The prime minister appreciated Canada saying that the number of Bangladeshi students is increasing in Canadian Universities and requested the Canadian government to include Bangladesh in the Student Direct Stream programme.
Ambassador-at-large M Ziauddin and Principal Secretary Ahmad Kaikaus were present.
UN envoy on Myanmar urged to work towards early repatriation of Rohingyas
Bangladesh has called upon the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General to Myanmar to work towards an early implementation of the bilateral return arrangements for the Rohingyas
"The most durable solution to the Rohingya crisis lies in their safe, sustainable and dignified return to Myanmar," said Ambassador Rabab Fatima.
She urged the UN to scale up its programmes in Rakhine State to support the Rohingyas on their return.
Ambassador Fatima was addressing the General Assembly on Monday following the briefing by Dr. NoeleenHeyzer, the Special Envoy of the Secretary General on Myanmar.
“Five years have passed since the Rohingyas fled home in one of the largest exoduses in recent history. The promise of safe return remains unfulfilled. Not a single Rohingya has been able to return home. 1.2 million of them remain in a state of uncertainty in Bangladesh. Those remaining in Myanmar are either languishing in IDP camps or under constant threat of forced displacement and insecurity,” said Ambassador Fatima.
Read: Aspiration of Rohingyas will never be forgotten: UN special envoy
The Ambassador called upon the UN, especially the Security Council, to respond with urgency to the recurrent and protracted Rohingya crisis including by addressing the root causes of the crisis.
Referring to the efforts of Bangladesh in providing food, shelter, education, health care and protection to the Rohingyas, she called upon the international community to focus on creating the right conditions in Myanmar.
“Efforts on our side alone will not bring about any lasting solution to the problem. What is needed are actions and programmes in Myanmar, to create the conditions conducive for the return of this population, in dignity, to their homes. And that is the most desired durable solution and the aspiration of the Rohingyas themselves,” she added.
In this regard, she also stressed the importance of ensuring accountability for all violations and abuses in Myanmar and called upon the Security Council to monitor compliance of the Provisional Measures issued by the International Court of Justice in the case initiated by the Gambia on behalf of the OIC.
“My government is doing everything in its power to ensure justice to the Rohingya victims. We are providing full support to the International Criminal Court (ICC), and to the Independent Investigative Mechanism on Myanmar (IIMM) in their efforts.”
Ambassador Fatima urged all countries, especially the regional countries, to provide access and cooperation to all the ongoing accountability mechanisms to ensure justice to the Rohingya Muslims; and prevent future recurrence.
Read: Rohingya crisis: International community must enhance support to Bangladesh – India at UN
The Ambassador expressed appreciation to ASEAN for its efforts to find a resolution to the crisis in Myanmar including by early and full implementation of the five-point consensus concluded between the ASEAN and the Myanmar authorities. She called upon the Special Envoy to continue her engagement with the ASEAN member states, and other countries in the region, in securing a sustained political solution to the protracted Rohingya crisis.
The Special Envoy in her briefing expressed concerns at the current situation in Myanmar, which continues to remain volatile with grave impacts on the civilians including the Rohingya Muslims.
While acknowledging the generosity of the Government of Bangladesh, she reminded the international community of its responsibility towards the Rohingyas.
She shared her future work plan in Myanmar which represents a multipronged approach involving the peace, development and humanitarian actors and engagements at both vertical and horizontal level.
Following the briefing, the member States delivered remarks, in which they expressed their full support to the efforts of the Special Envoy as well as the complementary role of the ASEAN.
The member States commended the exemplary humanitarian leadership of the Government of Bangladesh and expressed their commitment to support Bangladesh in its efforts to forge a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis.
Aspiration of Rohingyas will never be forgotten: UN special envoy
Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General on Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer has said despite emerging crises in the world, the General Assembly will send a strong message that the aspirations of the people of Myanmar, including the Rohingya, will never be forgotten.
During an informal meeting of the plenary Monday, she said sustainable solutions for the Rohingya people must be built into the design of a peaceful, inclusive and democratic Myanmar.
The envoy discussed last week with permanent representatives of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) Contact Group on the Rohingya Crisis, saying they need swift measures to prevent a lost generation, by providing Rohingyas and others education opportunities, including abroad.
"I hope that these issues will be discussed during the upcoming Summit on Education," she said.
From the tragedy of this conflict, new dynamics have emerged – unprecedented solidarity among youth across all communities to reimagine Myanmar's future democracy, human rights and governance.
READ: WB to provide Tk 255 cr as food aid to Rohingyas: State Minister
"Inclusion of the Rohingya is a part of this new dynamic in ways we have not seen before. The wider political crisis has united people beyond ethnic and religious divides," she said.
The envoy asked for continued commitment, as the people in Myanmar are looking to the international community for support of their aspirations of a new Federal Democratic Union that resets Myanmar's democracy, human rights and governance deficit, and realises the strength in its diversity.
Chinese ambassador Li visits Bhasan Char
Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming has recently visited Bhasan Char to meet the Rohingyas staying there temporarily and see the facilities there for them.
Ambassador Li also inspected two projects on the island undertaken by Chinese companies, said the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka on Monday.
Also read:Chinese ambassador greets Bangladeshis, wishes for global peace
WB to provide Tk 255 cr as food aid to Rohingyas: State Minister
The World Bank will provide a grant of Tk 255 crore for food aid to the forcibly displaced Rohingya community from Myanmar staying at Teknaf and Ukhia in Cox's Bazar, said State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Enamur Rahman on Sunday.
The state minister told reporters after the signing ceremony of an agreement between the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief and the World Food Program (WFP) at the ministry.
Also read: Rohingya repatriation should be UNHCR's priority: Momen
Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief Md Kamrul Hasan on behalf of the ministry and Country Director Jane Pearce on behalf of the WFP signed the agreement in presence of other senior officials from the ministry and the WFP.
Under the agreement, WFP will provide food aid to Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar through the Safety Net System for the Poorest project, funded by the World Bank, said the state minister.
Also read: Take care of Rohingyas like Bangladesh: UNHCR to regional countries
The project will provide nutrition education to women, assistance to children under the five in health centers, materials and training in vegetable gardening, plantation and preservation of trees, and mountain slopes, cleaning roads and sewers and carrying out various awareness activities to prevent anti-social activities in the Rohingya camps, he added.
7 Rohingyas illegally entered from India held in Cox’s Bazar
Members of the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) on Sunday detained seven members of two families who took shelter in Lambashia refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar's Ukhiya who illegally entered from India.
The detainees were identified as Shajan,22, his wife Hamida Begum, 20, their son Ibrahim,3, Mohammad Tahir,33, his daughters Saima,5, and Ramina, 2, and Anwar Kalim,25.
Also Read: Rohingya girl held for faking identity at Ctg passport office
They were held from block F-14 of Lambashia Rohingya Camp-1 East on Saturday evening, said Naimul Haque, commander of APBn-14.
He said in primary questioning the detainees have accepted entering from India.
All the seven detainees have been transferred to the transit camp with the help of the Camp-In-Charge(CIC), said APBn commander Mainul Haque.
Take care of Rohingyas like Bangladesh: UNHCR to regional countries
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has appealed to the regional countries including India to take care of the refugees they already host and relieve Bangladesh from any additional burden.
"They should try to take care of these people like Bangladesh does......," he told reporters at a media briefing while wrapping up his fifth visit to Bangladesh on Wednesday.
Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and India also host the Rohingyas but nothing compares to the number here in Bangladesh which hosts the largest number of Rohingyas.
Grandi also appealed to the Asean countries to help find resolve the Rohingya crisis using their leverage.
Responding to a question, he said it would be "more difficult than before" in terms of fund flow due to crises in other parts of the world including the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
He appealed for sustained and predictable support for Rohingya refugees and their local host communities in Bangladesh, while emphasizing the need to maintain refugees’ hopes for voluntary return to Myanmar once the situation allows.
Grandi, during his five-day trip to Bangladesh, he met Rohingya refugees, the country’s top leadership, UNHCR donors and humanitarian actors.
READ: FM urges UNHCR to expedite efforts at Rohingya repatriation to Myanmar
“The world must remember the crisis that Rohingya refugees and their hosts have been facing for the last five years. The refugees’ lives depend on how the international community responds in caring for them,” he said.
Prolonged repatriation may push Rohingyas to crimes, Hasina tells UNHCR
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said that Rohingyas refugees in Bangladesh are getting frustrated due to prolonged uncertainty over repatriation to their homeland, Myanmar.
“Such uncertainty has a great potential risk as it entices many to get involved in criminal activities,” she told the visiting United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Fillippo Grandi who called on her at her official residence Ganobhaban.
PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed the reporters after the meeting.
The premier said that her government is facilitating informal education following Myanmar’s curriculum and language as well as skill development activities similar to options available in Rakhine state, the home of the Rohingyas.
She said a deep forest in Ukhia, where most of over 1.1 million forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals live, has been destroyed in a big blow to the environment in this southern part of the country.
Read: Bangladesh, Switzerland discuss celebration of 50 years of ties in Davos
“They are reducing the forest by cutting trees and thus creating great environmental hazards in the area,” she said.
Hasina said that her government has arranged temporary shelter for the Rohingyas in Bhashan Char Island ensuring all sorts of facilities.
“Our government has developed Bhashan Char with all amenities to temporary shelter 100,000 Rohingyas,” she said.
She said so far 30,000 Rohingyas have been shifted in there.
She also mentioned that each year some 45,000 babies are born in Rohingya camps in Bangladesh.
She appreciated UNHCR’s role in supporting refugees, stateless and displaced people worldwide.
Grandi echoed the prime minister’s apprehension about the Rohingyas’ getting involved in criminal activities because of uncertainty over their repatriation.
Read: Possible security threats likely to complicate Rohingya crisis: Experts
He appreciated Bangladesh government’s move to host Rohingyas here.
He also said that the world is witnessing growing influx of refugees besides the Rohingyas due to Ukraine war and the Afghanistan situation.
Grandi said that he visited Myanmar and requested the regime to start the repatriation.
“The present regime in Myanmar agreed to start the reparation,” he said adding that “The UNHCR will help in the repatriation process.”
He expressed his gratitude towards the Bangladesh prime minister for hosting such a huge number of forcibly displaced people.
Ambassador-at-large M Ziauddin, PMO Senior Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah, UNHCR Representative in Bangladesh Johannes van der Klaauw were present during the meeting.