Diplomatic missions in Dhaka on Monday called on all stakeholders to exercise “restraint, eschew violence and work together” to create the conditions for free, fair, participatory, and peaceful elections. The missions in a joint statement also expressed deep concern over the recent violence during political gatherings in Dhaka. “The governments of Australia, Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States are deeply concerned by the political violence during political gatherings in Dhaka on 28 October,” said the joint statement signed by the embassies and high commissions of the countries. The countries extended their condolences for the loss of life and to those injured. The statement came hours before the scheduled briefing of the government for the diplomats. The government will brief diplomats stationed in Dhaka, representatives of UN agencies and international organizations on the current situation in Bangladesh this afternoon. Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen will brief the diplomats at state guesthouse Jamuna at 4 pm. Senior Cabinet members and officials of the government will attend the briefing.

The government of Bangladesh will brief diplomats stationed in Dhaka, representatives of UN agencies and international organizations on the current situation in Bangladesh this afternoon (October 30, 2023). Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen will brief the diplomats at state guesthouse Jamuna at 4 pm. Senior Cabinet members and officials of the government will attend the briefing. Read more: EU, its Member States “deeply saddened” to see loss of life, violence in Dhaka

Ambassador of Bangladesh to Austria and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Agencies and other International Organizations in Vienna Muhammad Abdul Muhith has taken over the chairmanship of the Group of Aisa-Pacific States (APG) in Vienna. Read:Ambassador Ito sees 5 challenges ahead to elevate Dhaka-Tokyo ties In the 54-member group, the Chair plays a vital role in coordinating the positions of this unique and diverse group with regard to the UN agencies, conferences and processes based in Vienna, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday. Ambassador Muhith vowed to effectively promote the APG’s collective interests on important issues such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), innovative and peaceful use of nuclear technology, climate action, inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID), and to tackle global challenges such as transnational crimes including terrorism, narcotic drugs and corruption as well as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and resilient and green recovery. Read: Peter Haas nominated next US Ambassador to Bangladesh Bangladesh took over the Chairmanship from Afghanistan at a virtual handover ceremony recently which was attended by the Permanent Representatives and other diplomats of the APG member states in Vienna.

International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has said the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is a timely reminder of the problems and risks faced by over 700,000 Bangladeshis who choose to migrate abroad every year.   "Vulnerable migrants are often the target of traffickers and find themselves in situations that can result in debt bondage, forced labour, sexual exploitation, forced marriages and other forms of modern slavery," said IOM Chief of Mission in Bangladesh Giorgi Gigauri in a message marking the Day. Read:Deaths on maritime migration routes to Europe soar in first half of 2021: IOM Gigauri said they are working very closely with the government of Bangladesh, and are redoubling their efforts and looking at not only the whole of government but also the whole of society. "As the Bangladesh UN Network on Migration (BDUNNM), we are also bringing together civil society and UN agencies to do our utmost to assist these migrants in need," he said.   The Covid-19 situation has further aggravated problems, and migrants have become even more vulnerable as some have lost their jobs.   Read:IOM’s emergency director urges durable solutions to Rohingya Crisis Some are more desperate, looking for new jobs and new opportunities to feed their families. "Trafficking affects everyone. It affects people on an individual level, on a family level, and the level of society. And it’s our job to do something about it," said the IOM Mission chief in Bangladesh.   This year’s theme of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is “Listening to the Victims”.   Read:IOM ramps up health response as 2nd wave of COVID-19 hits Cox’s Baza "We must listen to the people who have been affected so that we can assist them better. We must listen to the survivors of trafficking to hear about their experiences, their stories, and not only learn from them but use that knowledge to improve our interventions and our response to stop trafficking," he said. "So please join me, and let’s come together to battle this heinous crime so that we can eradicate human trafficking in Bangladesh and beyond," he added.

Child labour has risen to 160 million worldwide, an increase of 8.4 million in the last four years as countries are trying to turn the corner and break the cycle of poverty and child labour, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Unicef. They also warn that 9 million more children are at risk as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and this number could rise to 46 million if they do not have access to critical social protection coverage.

Local NGOs working in Cox's Bazar sought transparency and localisation of Rohingya response management ahead of the launching of the Joint Response Plan (JRP) 2021 on May 18. The $943 million plan brings together the efforts of the government of Bangladesh, and 134 UN agencies and NGO partners, targeting 880,000 Rohingya refugees and 472,000 Bangladeshis in the surrounding host communities in Cox's Bazar, the UN said Friday. However, opinions of the locals had little reflection in the document prepared by UN agencies, Cox's Bazar CSO NGO Forum said Sunday. Read Bangladesh to demand 10pc of funds for Rohingyas in Bhasan Char: FM In the last four years, the Inter Sectoral Coordination Group (ISCG) rarely came up with any statistics on how much fund had gone to host communities, how much had been used for local procurement and the number of local staff employed, Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, co-chair of the CCNF, Rezaul Karim Chowdhury said. "During the preparation of JRP plan 2021, we provided written comments on behalf of local and national NGO representatives and also organised a virtual webinar on May 5, where lawmakers, local government and UN representatives had participated. But opinions of the locals have little reflection in the document." "Moreover there is no outline about response management if no repatriation takes place in the next five to 10 years," Rezaul added. Read EU scales up assistance for fire victims in Cox’s Bazar He was addressing the conference "Joint Response Plan 2021, Rohingya Response Management and Strategy: Hardly Fit for the Purpose and Futuristic" organised by CCNF. Bimal Chandra Dey Sarker, chief Executive Mukti Cox's Bazar, said: "The UN agencies prepared the Localization Task Force in 2019 to prepare a localisation road map. The report was finalised and submitted in November 2020, but yet to be published." Abu Morshed Chowdhury, the co-chair of CCNF, said: "There are three lines of coordination management – ISCG, Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner and Office of the Deputy Commissioner – now. But there should be a single line authority for coordination." Read Congressman Deutch lauds Hasina's role over Rohingya issue

United Nations agencies have stepped up their efforts to assist thousands of Rohingya refugee families left homeless after last week’s devastating fire at Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. The fire destroyed about 9,500 shelters and also reduced to ashes over 1,600 vital facilities, including hospitals, schools, and food and aid distribution centres.  As of Tuesday, at least 11 people are confirmed to have perished in the fire and over 300 are still missing, reports the UN News. Richard Ragan, UN World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director in Bangladesh, said the scale of the fire was “unprecedented” and that the agency is “determined” to help those affected get their lives back to normal as quickly as possible.  “WFP, together with our partners and thousands of volunteers, have supported the families since the start of the tragedy, in meeting their most urgent needs of food and water. Where two of our nutrition centres once stood, debris were cleared in record time, stocks were replenished, and services resumed for children and their mothers,” he said. Also read:Rohingya camp fire: Death toll climbs to 11 According to WFP, its top priority now is providing food to affected families, until they can have access to shelters and cooking stoves. It aims to reopen electronic voucher outlets to allow families to purchase staple and fish foods. The agency has also erected temporary structures, from which it is providing breastfeeding support and counselling to mothers, and additional food to children under five. “We’re determined to do what we can to help them get their lives back to normal as quickly as possible,” Ragan added.  Psychosocial support The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) have also upped their response, deploying mental health and psychosocial support teams to help refugees who lost everything in the fire. So far, over 5,000 people have been provided with emotional and psychosocial support, and more than 700 with psychological first aid.  Also read:UN releases US$14mn for Rohingyas left homeless by camp fire IOM also engaged over 11,500 cash-for-work laborers to help clear debris and support reconstruction.  UNHCR teams on the ground are monitoring the safety and security of refugees, and working to address the needs of separated children, spokesperson Andrej Mahecic said.  “Since the fire, together with our partners, we’ve identified more than 600 separated girls and boys who have been reunited with their families. Our protection partners also established two child protection helplines and four reunification help desks,” he added.  Also read:Maldives sends message of sympathy over Rohingya camp fire  Refugee volunteers supporting response  Refugee volunteers are also supporting affected families, according to the UNHCR spokesperson. They were among the first responders to help combat the fire and since then have been helping older refugees, children and pregnant women find shelters, escorting people to health care facilities, and identifying and referring refugees with specific needs to relevant services.  “They’re also running awareness sessions on child protection risks such as child-trafficking and gender-based violence, fire safety, first aid and general assistance,” Mahecic added.  The UNHCR spokesperson also called for additional resources to address the immediate aftermath of the catastrophic fire. “[We are] asking government and private sector donors to keep their contributions flexible, thus allowing their use across the overall operation.”  

With the latest reports that a vessel with Rohingya refugees is in distress in the Andaman Sea, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has called on countries in the region to meet their international obligations and ensure that all on board the vessel are immediately rescued and safely disembarked.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) together with the UN, specialised agencies and partners on Wednesday urged countries to develop and implement action plans to promote the timely dissemination of science-based information and prevent the spread of false information while respecting the freedom of expression. 

A network of 50 local NGOs, the Cox’s Bazar CSO NGO Forum (CCNF), on Tuesday insisted the government for strengthening its efforts to repatriate Rohingyas.