Canadian Minister of International Development Karina Gould will begin her three-day virtual visit to Bangladesh on Tuesday evening.  Minister Gould will have the chance to meet with the government officials and key partners to discuss Bangladesh-Canada cooperation, the Rohingya refugee response. Read: Narayanganj fire: India, Canada deeply saddened by loss of lives She will have the chance to see firsthand how Canada’s development projects are being delivered, meet with affected populations, and hold bilateral discussions, said the Canadian High Commission in Dhaka.  With the upcoming 4th anniversary of the Rohingya refugee crisis later this month, the High Commission said, it is an important opportunity to recognize the people and the government of Bangladesh for continuing to generously host 889,000 Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar district. Canada said it remains committed to supporting both the refugees and affected Bangladeshi communities to deal with the impact of the crisis while the Rohingya refugees remain in need of safe refuge in Bangladesh.  Read: ASEAN countries urged to help expedite Rohingya repatriation efforts No one wants to be a refugee or to be forced to leave their home, said the High Commission.  "While the situation in their home country of Myanmar is not encouraging, Canada shares the Government of Bangladesh’s objective – and that of the Rohingya refugees themselves – that they are able to return home when it is possible to do so in a safe, dignified, and voluntary manner," reads a message shared by the High Commission. 

The United States has called upon Myanmar to create the conditions conducive for Rohingyas’ voluntary, safe, and dignified return but expressed concerns over their relocation to Bhasan Char. 

It significantly expands the nearly US$ 636 million in humanitarian assistance already committed so far in 2020 under the Bangladesh Joint Response Plan and the Myanmar Humanitarian Response Plan. The co-hosts of the conference on sustaining support for the Rohingya Refugee Response came up with the figures in a joint closing announcement on Thursday night. Since the outbreak of violence in August 2017, a t