Government tells Rohingya quality of life will improve in Bangladesh camps

The Foreign Ministry assured the Rohingya on Wednesday that the quality of life in Bangladesh camps will improve during its first visit after the new government came to power.

Bangladesh is hosting about 1.3 million Rohingya, mostly fleeing the Myanmar military crackdown in August 2017 and living in the overcrowded Cox’s Bazar camps.

The delegation, headed by State Minister Shama Obaed Islam, visited the camps to observe the humanitarian service delivery and learn about conditions on the ground.

The first high-level visit from the Foreign Office also visited the UN food program’s food distribution outlets, schools for Rohingya children, a hospital operated by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and activities run by Rohingya women.

Obaed also listened to elected representatives of the Rohingya community, including the youth and women, and assured them that the government will create “a congenial atmosphere for their dignified and safe return to Rakhine State.”

Later, she held a stakeholder consultation at the Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner in Cox's Bazar with officials and representatives from security agencies, the UN, NGOs and INGOs.

UNICEF Bangladesh, meanwhile, said Tuesday that it recently received an emergency grant of $8.5 million from the Bangladesh Humanitarian Fund.

UNICEF is delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance to more than 578,000 people in Rohingya refugee camps with the fund. A large portion of the assistance is being provided to women and children, including 5,500 people with special needs.

From nutritional screenings and the provision of essential nutritious food, to ensuring safe water and sanitation, the assistance has brought hope to those living in the camps, it said.