The European Union (EU) has announced additional Euro 3 million support for the Rohingyas in Bhasan Char. EU Commissioner for Home Affairs YIva Johansson announced the assistance at an event at the EU Embassy in the city’s Gulshan on Thursday. Ylva Johansson arrived in Dhaka this morning on a two-day official visit to discuss the issues of mutual interest with special focus on security matters. Read more: Dhaka seeks proactive role from Thailand, ASEAN to repatriate Rohingya At the event, State Minister for Disaster Management Enamur Rahman said, “We are happy to hear that the EU will provide € 3m as humanitarian aid for the Rohingyas in Bhasan Char. They also helped the Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar. The Government of Bangladesh expressed gratitude to the European Union for the support.” Enamur said the Bangladesh government is trying to ensure all kinds of humanitarian assistance to the Rohingyas. The nutrition situation among the Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char has improved a lot, the state minister said adding violence among the Rohingyas has already been brought under control. Read more: Elaborate scheme to provide Rohingya with NIDs at Tk 1 lakh each busted Bangladesh is currently hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas in camps in Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char. Most of them have come to this country since August 25, 2017, when the Myanmar military launched a brutal offensive targeting the Muslim ethnic minorities.

The Rohingyas in Bhasan Char have welcomed the decision of the United Nations (UN) to engage there in providing humanitarian support. On Sunday, they brought out a procession expressing their joy over the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Bangladesh government and the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency. They were seen joining the joyous procession peacefully holding placards that read "Welcome UN", "Welcome UNHCR", "Thank You UN," "We Are Happy at Bhasan Char 2021." Head Rohingya leaders led the procession from 2:30pm to 3pm joined by over a thousand Rohingyas, said a source at Bhasan Char. The procession that began from Shelter 9 ended at Rohingya Bazar, going through Hospital Road. Bangladesh and the UN signed the 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 Bangladesh Representative of UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, Johannes van der Klaauw, signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the Secretariat. Read: Crucial MoU on UN's operational engagement in Bhasan Char signed

State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam on Wednesday said Bhasan Char is now a settled issue and hoped that international agencies will get engaged taking responsibility of Rohingyas in Bhasan Char, the way they are doing in Cox’s Bazar Rohingya camps. “Bhasan Char isn’t an issue now. It's resolved,” he said, mentioning that the UN team and diplomats who have visited the Bhasan Char did not raise any “disagreement” but there are a few recommendations. Also read:2 years of Rohingya influx: 43 murders in camps, 32 killed in ... As of now, the government of Bangladesh has relocated over 18,500 Rohingya to Bhasan Char in several phases out of a planned relocation of 100,000 Rohingyas. “We’re managing their basic humanitarian needs from our own exchequer -- given that the UN is yet to commence their operation at the island,” said the State Minister while addressing a webinar as the chief guest. Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) organised the webinar on “The Rohingya Crisis: Response of the International Community and the Repatriation Process”. He said though Bangladesh is happy over the role of some friendly countries regarding the Rohingya issue but cannot express satisfaction over the position of other friendly countries. “UN is talking about it repeatedly but nothing effective is happening,” Shahriar said, adding that some countries are not spending much time repatriating Rohingyas. Also read: 1,700 more Rohingyas on their way to Bhashan Char Bangladesh also spent over USD 350 million from its own budget to develop Bhasan Char with better infrastructures and amenities to relocate a portion of Rohingyas from the over-congested and disaster-prone camps in Cox’s Bazar. The State Minister said the UN and other countries are yet to do what they were supposed to do towards Rohingya repatriation.

Bangladesh will demand 10 percent of the funds that the humanitarian agencies raise in the name of Bangladesh and Rohingyas if they do not provide services to 100,000 Rohingyas to be shifted to Bhasan Char gradually, says Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen. “Yes, they’ll have to pay because the funds are coming for Rohingyas. We’ll demand 10 percent of the fund if they don’t want to provide services to Rohingyas in Bhasan Char,” he told UNB in an interview at his residence on Friday. Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar district and the government has a plan to shift 100,000 Rohingyas to Bhasan Char gradually which has already started. The Foreign Minister said it should not be the headache of the humanitarian agencies where Rohingyas are living. Also read: Rohingyas want to return to Myanmar; happy with Bhasan Char facilities “It’s not a matter whether Rohingyas are living in Kutupalong, Cox’s Bazar, Barishal or in Bhasan Char. That shouldn’t be their headache. Their headache should be providing services to Rohingyas. They’re obligated to give them services wherever they stay,” Dr Momen said. If the humanitarian agencies do not provide services to Rohingyas, Member States will not give funds which will put them in hardship, he said. The Foreign Minister said they do not know how the UNHCR and other agencies spend the money though they raise funds in the name of Rohingyas and host communities. Responding to a question on the technical team’s observation on Bhasan Char, the Foreign Minister said, “They’ve a very good and positive observation. Concisely, they’ve given a positive observation.” He said they will hand over a 10-page report based on their observations and they have already submitted a two-page synopsis. An 18-member UN delegation visited Bhasan Char in March to have a firsthand view of the housing facility for 100,000 Rohingyas. Also read: Japan announces $1 million emergency aid for Rohingya camp fire victims In their two-page synopsis, the team pointed out three points – education for Rohingya children, increasing heights of the embankments and better communication system. Dr Momen said Bangladesh has no problem in providing education to Rohingyas but it has to be in Myanmar language. “Rohingyas will have to go back to Myanmar. So, education in Myanmar curriculum will help Rohingyas integrate in their society easily once they return home,” he said. About further increasing the heights of the embankments, Dr Momen said they will certainly do it for their own needs. Also read: UN agencies ramp up response for Rohingya refugees after ‘unprecedented’ fire

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Monday said the United Nations should help Rohingyas in Bhasan Char following the mandate on the basis of which the UN works in Bangladesh.