United News of Bangladesh

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, on Friday said essential services for the whole Rohingya population are at risk of collapsing due to acute global funding crisis, noting that 150,000 Rohingyas entered Bangladesh over the last 18 months. With the acute global funding crisis, UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch said, the critical needs of both newly-arrived refugees and those already present will be unmet. This movement of Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh, spread over months, is the largest from Myanmar since 2017, when some 750,000 fled the deadly violence in their native Rakhine State. Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.3 million Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char. The UNHCR and humanitarian partners are mobilizing to respond to the needs of up to 150,000 Rohingya refugees who have arrived in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh over the last 18 months. UNHCR and humanitarian partners also called on the international community to stand in solidarity with Bangladesh and other countries in the region hosting Rohingya refugees. "Until there is peace and stability in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, conducive to safe and voluntary return, the international community must continue to support efforts to provide life-saving assistance to Rohingya forced to flee," said Baloch. Among the new arrivals, nearly 121,000 had been biometrically identified by the end of June, with more believed to be residing informally in the already overcrowded refugee camps. The overwhelming majority are women and children. More humanitarian support is urgently required as the new arrivals are largely dependent on the solidarity of those living in the camps, overstretching severely diminished resources, the UN agency said. Biometric identification has allowed humanitarian partners in Bangladesh to provide the new arrivals with basic services, including food, medical care, education and essential relief items. However, this will soon dry up without an immediate injection of funds. Access to shelter and other key necessities is also insufficient in the face of limited resources. Unless additional funds are secured, health services will be severely disrupted by September and essential cooking fuel (LPG) will run out. BSF pushes 31 people, including 14 Rohingyas into Sylhet "By December, food assistance will stop. Education for some 230,000 children – including 63,000 new arrivals – is at risk of being discontinued," UNHCR Spokesperson said. "Refugees in the camps have already felt the impact of these reductions. They fear more cuts are looming," Baloch mentioned during the media briefing in Geneva. This is fuelling a sense of desperation and anxiety, and driving some to embark on dangerous sea journeys to other countries in search of safety and a more dignified life for their families, the UNHCR thinks. The border between Bangladesh and Myanmar remains "officially closed" and under surveillance by Border Guard Bangladesh. UNHCR and humanitarian partners are "grateful" that the government of Bangladesh has authorized newly-arrived Rohingya refugees to access emergency assistance and key services in the camps in Cox’s Bazar. "As the conflict in Myanmar continues unabated, however, we are advocating with the Bangladeshi authorities to provide managed access to safety and asylum for civilians fleeing the conflict," Baloch said. Over the years, the Spokesperson said, the generous support from Bangladesh and the international community has been critical in meeting Rohingya refugees’ most basic needs and providing protection. Every aspect of the refugee response is affected by the funding scarcity, Baloch said. Targeted violence and persecution in Rakhine State and the ongoing conflict in Myanmar have continued to force thousands of Rohingya to seek protection in Bangladesh. Bangladesh has generously hosted Rohingya refugees for generations.

Around 82 Rohingya individuals spontaneously returned to Maungdaw, Myanmar from May 12 to 18, motivated by intentions to restart their businesses and resume farming their land, according to a document published by the UN Refugee Agency - UNHCR. This is the first case of voluntary return of Rohingyas to Myanmar since 2017, a senior official told UNB referring to the UNHCR document published on May 22. An additional 30-40 Rohingya are expected to return, expressing hope that the Arakan Army (AA) would provide them with some form of documentation, according to the UNHCR updates on the humanitarian cross-border situation in Rakhine and Cox's Bazar. In 2017, an influx of approximately 750,000 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, triggered by military crackdowns in Rakhine State, crossed the border into Bangladesh. This large-scale displacement added to the already existing Rohingya refugee population in Bangladesh, bringing the total number to over a million. Some are reportedly youth who fled forced recruitment in 2024, and now believe the situation in Maungdaw has since improved. The AA is reportedly accepting bribes to allow returns and are questioning returnees about conditions in Cox's Bazar camps and activities of organized groups. "While no coercion has been reported, it remains unclear what assurances, if any, AA has provided to the returnees," the official said quoting the UNHCR document. The AA reportedly detained five individuals (four Bangladeshis and one registered refugee) who entered Myanmar in the reporting week. While the four Bangladeshis were released, the AA are detaining the refugee in custody for suspected links with Rohingya organized groups RSO and ARSA, demonstrating AA's heightened suspicion toward cross-border movement from Bangladesh to Myanmar. Since January 2024, some 10,291 Myanmar individuals are reported to have faced refoulement-related incidents as they fled Rakhine State to seek safety in Bangladesh, UNHCR said.  Bangladesh in touch with India over push-ins, port-related restrictions: Foreign Adviser Some 2,613 of these refoulement-related incidents occurred in 2025, making up almost a quarter of all such incidents. During the reporting period, 10 individuals (all Rohingya) were reportedly denied access to Bangladesh, 88 per cent less than the previous week (87), including one registered refugee who moved back to Myanmar several years ago but was forced to flee again due to the conflict. UNHCR, together with IOM, DRC and IRC, continues to triangulate information received through border monitoring and community sources to provide an estimate of new arrivals in the camps and host community areas. The reduction may be due to increased restrictions imposed by the Arakan Army (AA) on movement to Bangladesh, according to UNHCR. AA members are reportedly detaining Rohingya attempting to seek safety in Bangladesh, imposing strict restrictions on movement for Rohingya living in Buthidaung. One registered refugee removed from India was released by the District Police in Kurigram and brought to the camps following advocacy by UNHCR and its legal partners. Meanwhile, the UNHCR called on the international community to stand in solidarity with the countries in the region that have been hosting Rohingya refugees. Until the situation in Myanmar’s Rakhine State is peaceful and conducive to safe and voluntary return, the international community must continue to support efforts to provide life-saving assistance to Rohingya refugees, said the UN agency.  UNHCR requires $383.1 mln in 2025 to stabilize lives of Rohingyas, host communities UNHCR requires $383.1 million in 2025 to stabilize the lives of refugees and their host communities across Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and those displaced inside Myanmar. So far, UNHCR said, only 30 percent of this amount has been received.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has called on the international community to stand in solidarity with the countries in the region including Bangladesh that have been hosting Rohingya refugees. Until the situation in Myanmar’s Rakhine State is peaceful and conducive to safe and voluntary return, the international community must continue to support efforts to provide life-saving assistance to Rohingya refugees, said the UN agency.  Meeting with UNHCR: Foreign Secy highlights negative impacts, reiterates Rohingya repatriation only solution UNHCR requires $383.1 million in 2025 to stabilize the lives of refugees and their host communities across Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and those displaced inside Myanmar. So far, only 30 per cent of this amount has been received. The UNHCR is gravely concerned about reports of two boat tragedies off the coast of Myanmar earlier this month, with estimates that 427 Rohingya perished at sea. This would be the deadliest tragedy at sea involving Rohingya refugees attempting to find safety this year. Nearly 1 out of 5 people attempting perilous sea movements in this region have been reported as dead or missing so far in 2025, making the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal waters amongst the deadliest in the world. Details are still being confirmed, but reports suggest that some 514 Rohingya were travelling on two separate boats. The first boat carried 267 people. Among them, over half reportedly left from refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh while the remainder departed from Rakhine State in Myanmar. The boat sank on 9 May, with only 66 survivors. The second boat carried 247 Rohingya – also refugees from Cox’s Bazar camps and those fleeing Rakhine State – and capsized on 10 May, with just 21 survivors. UNHCR is working to verify details concerning the survivors. There are reports of a third boat, carrying some 188 Rohingya, which was intercepted leaving Myanmar on 14 May.  UNHCR deplores funding cuts in humanitarian sector putting millions at risk “The dire humanitarian situation, exacerbated by funding cuts, is having a devastating impact on the lives of Rohingya, with more and more resorting to dangerous journeys to seek safety, protection and a dignified life for themselves and their families,” said Hai Kyung Jun, Director of UNHCR’s Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific. “The latest tragedy is a chilling reminder that access to meaningful protection, especially in countries of first asylum, as well as responsibility sharing and collective efforts along sea routes, are essential to saving lives." With the annual monsoon season having already arrived in the region, bringing strong winds, rainfall and rough seas, these boats were travelling at a particularly dangerous time, reflecting the desperation of those making such journeys. Saving lives and rescuing those in distress at sea is a humanitarian imperative and a longstanding duty under international maritime law. UNHCR calls on authorities in the region to take urgent action to prevent future tragedies.

The government of Japan and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, have recently signed a partnership agreement to improve living conditions, strengthen primary healthcare and empower Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. The contribution of USD 1.6 million [JPY 250 million] will support the construction of safer shelters in the Cox’s Bazar camps, the provision of essential medicines and medical supplies, and the engagement of refugees as community health workers. It will also support the self-reliance of refugees in Cox’s Bazar and on Bhasan Char through opportunities for self-reliance. “This agreement and contribution from Japan to UNHCR comes at a critical time, when fundraising for the Rohingya refugee response is essential. This project will help empowering and improving refugees’ well-being on Bhasan Char and in Cox’s Bazar, while alleviating the pressure on the Bangladeshi host community,” said Saida Shinichi, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh. “Japan will continue to work towards sustainable solutions for this humanitarian crisis and will keep cooperating with international organizations such as UNHCR,” he added. “UNHCR is most grateful to the Government and people of Japan for their consistent solidarity and active support to UNHCR and for our work for the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh,” said Sumbul Rizvi, UNHCR Representative in Bangladesh. UN chief writes to CA; hopes ‘wider solutions’ for Rohingya, other minorities “The Rohingya community is resilient and hardworking, and capable of managing their lives in asylum graciously granted by Bangladesh. All they need are opportunities,” she added. As per the agreement, UNHCR will be able to build, maintain and repair safer shelters that can better withstand extreme weather. In Cox’s Bazar camps and on Bhasan Char, access to primary healthcare will be strengthened, focusing on both communicable and non communicable diseases, as well as mental health and psychosocial support. Skills development and self-reliance will be enhanced to provide refugees, particularly women, with the capacity to support their communities and to help them prepare for a safe and sustainable return to Myanmar, once conditions are conducive. Eight years into the crisis, the support from Japan is most timely as UNHCR and its partners, along with the government of Bangladesh, prepare to launch the 2025 Joint Response Plan (JRP) for the Rohingya humanitarian crisis, to support Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi people in neighbouring communities, said the UNHCR. Dr Yunus, UN envoy discuss mobilising more donors for Rohingyas Since the beginning of the emergency in August 2017, Japan has remained a steadfast supporter of the Rohingya refugee response in Bangladesh, contributing over USD 243 million to UNHCR and other UN agencies and NGOs in Bangladesh.

The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, has called on States to prioritise life-saving actions as hundreds of Rohingya stateless refugees from Myanmar have sought safety in the region in the first five days of the new year. A total of 460 men, women and children have so far arrived by boat in countries in the region, including Malaysia (196 people on 3 January) and Indonesia (264 people on 5 January) after weeks at sea. Ten people have reportedly died during the journeys. Just three weeks before, another 115 Rohingya landed in Sri Lanka after losing six people at sea. “Saving lives must be the first priority,” said Hai Kyung Jun, Director of UNHCR’s Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific on Wednesday. “We appreciate the steps taken by governments in the region to receive these vulnerable people who fled fighting and persecution back home and survived long days at sea with little food and water. We stand ready to provide support to governments and local efforts to assist them.” The new arrivals come at the peak of the “sailing season” – when seas are calmer between the annual monsoon seasons – following an intensification of fighting in Myanmar. In 2024, more than 7,800 Rohingya attempted to flee the country by boat – an 80 per cent increase compared to 2023. Over 650 people died or were reported missing enroute, making this one of the world’s most perilous journeys. Read: 260 Rohingya refugees arrive in Indonesia's coast More children embarked on the voyage, accounting for 44 per cent of total passengers, up from 37 per cent in 2023. The proportion of women also increased to almost a third. Among last year’s new trends, thousands of people were so desperate to flee that they risked their lives trying to cross the Naf River to Bangladesh in severe weather during the rainy season, UNHCR said. In addition, it said, an increasing proportion of Rohingya have set sail directly from Myanmar whereas in the past, many left from Bangladesh’s camps. There are reports of boats being pushed back to sea. “While States have the legitimate right to control their borders and manage irregular movements, especially in the context of people smuggling and trafficking, such measures must guarantee the rights of people to reach safety,” said Jun. “We call on all States to continue search and rescue efforts and make sure that survivors receive the assistance and protection they need.” As the situation in Myanmar continues to deteriorate, more people are expected to flee in the coming months, UNHCR aaid. Read more: Bangladesh had to accept huge Rohingyas under certain circumstances: Touhid Hossain An important part of the solution lies in building on the solid cooperation and planning that has already been undertaken by ASEAN and the Bali Process to address irregular maritime movements. UNHCR encouraged States to focus on protection at sea, meeting humanitarian needs and addressing false narratives and hate speech against refugees and asylum-seekers arriving on their shores. Greater international and regional action is also required to end the fighting in Myanmar and address the root causes of displacement so that refugees can return home voluntarily, safely and with dignity.

Across a treacherous stretch of water, the Rohingya came by the thousands, then died by the hundreds. And though they know the dangers of fleeing by boat, many among this persecuted people say they will not stop — because the world has left them with no other choice. Last year, nearly 4,500 Rohingya — two-thirds of them women and children — fled their homeland of Myanmar and the refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh by boat, the United Nations’ refugee agency reported. Of those, 569 died or went missing while crossing the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, the highest death toll since 2014. The numbers mean one out of every eight Rohingya who attempted the crossing never made it, the UNHCR said last week. Yet despite the risks, there are no signs the stream of Rohingya is ebbing. On Thursday, Indonesian officials said another boat carrying Rohingya refugees landed in the country’s northern province of Aceh. Not a good time for Rohingya repatriation, UN Resident Coordinator says Fishermen provided food and water to 131 Rohingya, mostly women and children, who had been on board, said Marzuki, the leader of the local tribal fishing community, who like many Indonesians goes by one name. Some passengers told officials they had been at sea since last month and their boat's engine had broken down, leaving them adrift, said Lt. Col. Andi Susanto, commander of the navy base in Lhokseumawe. “Southeast Asian waters are one of the deadliest stretches in the world and a graveyard for many Rohingya who have lost their lives,” says Babar Baloch, UNHCR’s spokesman for Asia and the Pacific. “The rate of Rohingya who are dying at sea without being rescued — that’s really alarming and worrying.” Inside the squalid refugee camps in Bangladesh, where more than 750,000 ethnic Rohingya Muslims fled in 2017 following sweeping attacks by Myanmar’s military, the situation has grown increasingly desperate. Not even the threat of death at sea is enough to stop many from trying to traverse the region’s waters in a bid to reach Indonesia or Malaysia. “We need to choose the risky journey by boat because the international community has failed their responsibility,” says Mohammed Ayub, who is saving up money for a spot on one of the rickety wooden fishing boats traffickers use to ferry passengers 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) from Bangladesh to Indonesia. Global indifference toward the Rohingya crisis has left those languishing in the overcrowded camps with few alternatives to fleeing. Because Bangladesh bans the Rohingya from working, their survival is dependent upon food rations, which were slashed last year due to a drop in global donations. Returning safely to Myanmar is virtually impossible for the Rohingya, because the military that attacked them overthrew Myanmar’s democratically elected government in 2021. And no country is offering the Rohingya any large-scale resettlement opportunities. Meanwhile, a surge in killings, kidnappings and arson attacks by militant groups in the camps has left residents fearing for their lives. And so, starving, scared and out of options, they continue to board the boats. Ayub has lived in a sweltering, cramped shelter for more than six years in a camp where security and sanitation are scarce, and hope even scarcer. There is no formal schooling for his children, no way for him to earn money, no prospects for returning to his homeland and no refuge for his family amid spiraling gang violence. World must find an end to Rohingya crisis for their return to Myanmar: PM Hasina tells UK MPs “Of course I understand how dangerous the boat journey by sea is,” Ayub says. “We could die during the journey by boat. But it depends on our fate. ... It’s better to choose the dangerous way even if it’s risky, because we are afraid to stay in the camps.” Two hundred of the people who died or went missing at sea last year were aboard one boat that left Bangladesh in November. Eyewitnesses on a nearby boat told The Associated Press that the missing vessel, which was crowded with babies, children and mothers, broke down and was taking on water before it drifted off during a storm as its passengers screamed for help. It has not been seen since. It was one of several distressed boats that the region’s coastal countries neglected to save, despite the UNHCR’s requests for those countries to launch search and rescue missions. “When no action is taken, lives are lost,” says UNHCR’s Baloch. “If there is no hope restored in Rohingya lives either in Myanmar or in Bangladesh, there are no rescue attempts, (then) sadly we could see more desperate people dying in Southeast Asian seas under the watch of coastal authorities who could act to save lives.” Six of Mohammed Taher’s family members were aboard the boat that vanished in November, including his 15-year-old brother, Mohammed Amin, and two of Taher’s nephews, aged 3 and 4. Their ultimate destination was Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country where many Rohingya seek relative safety. Taher and his parents now struggle to sleep or eat, and spend their days agonizing over what became of their loved ones. Taher’s mother saw a fortune teller who said her relatives were still alive. Taher, meanwhile, dreamed that the boat made it to shore, where his relatives took refuge in a school and were able to bathe in warm water. But he remains unconvinced their journey ended so happily. And so he has vowed to tell everyone to stay off the boats, no matter how unbearable life on land has become. “I will never leave by boat on this difficult journey,” Taher says. “All the people who reached their destination are saying that it’s horrific traveling by boat.” Yet such warnings are often futile. Ayub is now preparing to sell his daughter’s jewelry to help pay for his spot on a boat. While he is frightened by the stories of those who didn’t make it, he is motivated by the stories of those who did. “Nobody would consider taking a risk by boat on a dangerous journey if they had better opportunities,” he says. “Fortunately, some people did reach their destination and got a better life. I am staying positive that Allah will save us.” FM hopeful of Rohingya repatriation soon

In response to the recent fire in one of the refugee camps, hosting nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, the European Union has released €300 000 to assist the affected population. The incident left over 5 000 people without shelter. The funding will serve to provide immediate emergency assistance to address the most urgent needs, notably in terms of shelter, water and site development, said the EU Embassy in Dhaka on Tuesday. It will be implemented by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and complement efforts of other humanitarian partners. Read: Rohingya youth murdered over camp dominance in Cox’s Bazar  In the early hours of 7 January, a large fire broke out in one of the most congested camps, Camp 5, where it quickly spread. Close to 950 shelters burned down or were partially destroyed. The fire also damaged communal facilities, including one health centre, 15 learning centres, as well as numerous latrines and washrooms. Despite the extensive damage, no casualties have been reported so far, thanks to the rapid intervention of the fire brigade with the essential help of Rohingya community volunteers. Since fires are frequent in the congested camps, EU-funded disaster preparedness programmes have helped humanitarian partners strengthen camp structures and better prepare for such risks. Read: A fire in a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh guts more than 1,000 shelters  This new funding comes in addition to the over €38 million provided by the EU last year in humanitarian aid to Bangladesh, notably in response to the Rohingya refugee crisis, but also to reduce the impact of natural hazards. Last March, when another devastating fire caused substantial damage in Cox’s Bazar camps, the EU released €1 million to assist the affected refugees. 

Students in Indonesia's Aceh province rallied on Wednesday (December 27, 2023), demanding the government drive away Rohingya refugees who have been arriving by sea in growing numbers. The protest came as police named more suspects in human trafficking of refugees. Over 1,500 Rohingya — who fled violent attacks in Myanmar to subsequently leave overcrowded refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh in search of a better life elsewhere — have arrived in Aceh, on the tip of the island of Sumatra, since November. They have faced some hostility from fellow Muslims in Aceh. About 200 students protested in front of the provincial parliament in Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh, calling on lawmakers to turn away the Rohingyas, saying their presence would bring social and economic upheaval to the community. "Get out Rohingya," the protesters chanted. Many criticized the government and the U.N. refugee agency for failing to manage the refugee arrivals. Some protesters burned tires on the street. "We urged the parliament speaker to immediately take a firm action to remove all Rohingya refugees from Aceh," said Teuku Wariza, one of the protest organizers. The protesters marched to a local community hall in Banda Aceh, where about 137 Rohingya are taking shelter. The demonstrators threw out clothes and household items belonging to the refugees, forcing authorities to relocate them to another shelter. Also read: Hundreds of residents on Indonesian island protest the growing arrival of Rohingya refugees by sea Footages obtained by The Associated Press shows a large group of refugees, mostly women and children, crying and screaming as a mob, wearing university green jackets, is seen breaking through a police cordon and forcibly putting the Rohingya on the back of two trucks. The incident drew an outcry from human rights group and the UNHCR, which said the attack left the refugees shocked and traumatized. "UNHCR reminds everyone that desperate refugee children, women and men seeking shelter in Indonesia are victims of persecution and conflict, and are survivors of deadly sea journeys," the agency said in a statement released late Wednesday. The statement called on local authorities to urgently act to protect the refugees and humanitarian workers. Indonesia had once tolerated the refugees while Thailand and Malaysia pushed them away. But the growing hostility of some Indonesians toward the Rohingya has put pressure on President Joko Widodo's government to take action. Also read: US finds Rohingya situation a priority, pledges to increase number of resettled refugees from Bangladesh in 2024 Widodo earlier this month said the government suspected a surge in human trafficking for the increase in Rohingya arrivals. Also Wednesday, police in Banda Aceh named two more suspected human smugglers from Bangladesh and Myanmar, following the Dec. 10 arrival of another boat with refugees. One of the suspects, the boat's captain, himself a refugee, was charged with trafficking. "This is not an easy issue, this is an issue with enormous challenges," Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told reporters. About 740,000 Rohingya were resettled in Bangladesh after fleeing their homes in Myanmar to escape a brutal counterinsurgency campaign carried out in 2017 by security forces. Accusations of mass rape, murder and the burning of entire villages are well documented, and international courts are considering whether Myanmar authorities committed genocide and other grave human rights abuses. Efforts to repatriate the Rohingya have failed because of doubts their safety can be assured. The Rohingya are largely denied citizenship rights in Buddhist-majority Myanmar and face widespread social discrimination. Also read: Holy See to Bangladesh urged to encourage Myanmar for sustainable Rohingyas repatriation

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, together with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society actors in the Asia and the Pacific region, on Friday recommitted to enhanced collaboration to work towards sustainable solutions for the forcibly displaced and stateless. In collaboration with the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN), International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA) and the Asia Pacific Network of Refugees (APNOR), UNHCR’s Regional NGO Consultations for 2023 were held in Bangkok, Thailand on 14 and 15 September. The in-person and virtual event brought together over 180 participants, representing 161 organizations from 19 countries in the Asia and the Pacific to discuss topics around the central theme of “Promoting Inclusion for Sustainable Solutions.” 2 Rohingyas shot dead during gunfight at Ukhiya camp Currently, there are over 7 million refugees or asylum-seekers and 5 million conflict-affected internally displaced people (IDPs) in the region, as recorded at the end of 2022. Most of those displaced live in increasingly protracted situations in countries where they have found refuge. “Inclusion is a complex subject, often misinterpreted, but when dissected covers many of the key issues we collectively work on to find local solutions for refugees: education, livelihoods, skills and healthcare,” said Indrika Ratwatte, UNHCR Director for Asia and the Pacific. The consultations provided an opportunity for humanitarian partners in Asia and the Pacific to discuss best practices and approaches on how including displaced populations and stateless people in all aspects of life contributes to resilience and long-lasting solutions for the benefit of the whole society. UK to push for long-term solution to Rohingya crisis  “Meaningful inclusion requires a shift in thinking that those forcibly displaced are not beneficiaries of support but are assets. They make important contributions to the communities that they are a part of and by extension require supportive policies and protections to really enable their inclusion,” said Keya Saha Chaudhury, ICVA Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific. Among the specific topics discussed were how UNHCR, NGOs, and community-based organizations can cooperate with and support member States to promote inclusion in national systems. “Empowering refugee-led organizations is essential. These organizations possess an intimate understanding of the communities they represent and can serve as valuable intermediaries, bridging communication gaps, and facilitating community-driven solutions. Secondly, promoting gender balance is imperative. Member states should actively work to ensure equitable representation of women in decision-making processes at all levels, both within refugee communities and in engagements with government bodies,” said Najeeba Wazefadost, APNOR Executive Director. UN Assistant Secretary-General Kanni Wignaraja visits Ukhia Rohingya camp Throughout the Consultations, participants also acknowledged the important role that refugee-led organizations and civil society play in the refugee response; how to further encourage countries in the region to engage in resettlement and complementary pathways; social-economic inclusion as well as the need for predictable and equitable responsibility-sharing. “We need to think of innovative ways to incorporate the skills that refugees bring to the host communities. We need to ensure that refugees have a platform to utilize those skills and be able to contribute to society so that they can go from vulnerable groups to capable communities,” said Hafsar Tameesuddin, APRRN Co-Secretary General of Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network. Recommendations from the discussions will be presented at UNHCR Executive Committee in October 2023 and inform and support the global NGO consultations in Geneva in June 2024. The first UNHCR-NGO Regional Consultations were held in July 2021, and focused on the social-economic inclusion of refugees in the context of Covid-19.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has stopped providing food assistance to 23 Rohingya people belonging to four families in Cox’s Bazar. Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Md Mizanur Rahman confirmed the matter saying that their food aid has been stopped since Monday morning. “These 23 Rohingyas of four families have agreed over repatriation under a pilot project. Their food has been stopped since Monday morning. But UNHCR did not disclose why the food aid has been stopped," he said. Read: UNHCR ‘not involved’ in discussions on Bangladesh-Myanmar pilot project on Rohingya repatriation These Rohingyas are being provided with food assistance in an alternative way, he added. When contacted, Ikhtiyar Uddin Bayezid, deputy head of UNHCR's Cox's Bazar office, said that the higher officials can say the reason behind the discontinuation  of the food assistance. Bangladesh and Myanmar recently decided to undertake a pilot repatriation project under which a group of verified Myanmar nationals will return to their country of origin in the first batch. UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, said conditions in Myanmar’s Rakhine State are currently “not conducive” to the sustainable return of Rohingya refugees. Read: OIC members must share responsibility for sustainable solution to Rohingya crisis: Momen “UNHCR’s position on returns of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar remains unchanged,” said the UN agency sharing its assessment. The UN agency said it is aware of the visit of a Myanmar delegation to Bangladesh to meet with a group of Rohingya refugees — on a bilateral pilot project between the two countries on possible repatriation. “UNHCR is not involved in these discussions,” it said in a statement on Bangladesh, Myanmar pilot project on Rohingya returns. The statement was shared by the UNHCR Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific on Sunday (March 19, 2023) night. Read: FM calls on global community to raise their voices to ensure safe return of Rohingyas