Dhaka Asks OIC-UNHCR to Mobilize Robust Int’l Support for Rohingya Crisis

The only long-term solutions to the Rohingya crisis, according to Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, are prosecuting those guilty for the atrocities committed against the Rohingyas, the repatriation of the Rohingyas to Myanmar, or their resettlement in a third country.

He stated this during a meeting with a group from the OIC and UNHCR on Thursday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the discussion, the foreign secretary requested that the OIC-UNHCR joint team seek strong international support for a long-term solution to this tragic calamity and continue to provide humanitarian help until repatriation became a reality.

The UNHRC delegation, led by Khaled Khalifa, Senior Advisor to the High Commissioner and UNHCR's Representative for the GCC Countries, is in Bangladesh from August 6 to August 11 to assess the situation of Rohingyas. The OIC delegation is led by Ambassador Tarig Ali Bakheet, Assistant-Secretary General for Humanitarian, Cultural and Social Affairs.

According to the foreign secretary, the government of Bangladesh has given sanctuary and safety to the Rohingyas who were brutally ejected from their original homeland of Myanmar under the wise leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

He reaffirmed Bangladesh's resolve to work meaningfully with the UN, regional organizations, and other friendly countries to ensure the rights of the Rohingyas to return to their country of origin. He was grateful for the international community's humanitarian aid as well.

Masud welcomed the OIC-UNHCR delegation's visit to the Rohingya camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf, Cox's Bazar, and expressed his hope that the delegation would gain a firsthand understanding of the crisis and see firsthand the initiatives taken by the Bangladeshi government with the help of the international community to lessen the suffering of the Rohingyas through various programs.

He also informed the group about the Bhasan Char project, which is being carried out by the Bangladeshi government with a budget of US$350 million.

The foreign secretary praised the OIC Secretary-General for his serious efforts to keep the Rohingya issue at the forefront of various OIC fora and for his solid support of the ICJ lawsuit filed by The Gambia. He recalled the OIC Secretary-General's recent visit to Bangladesh.

Masud encouraged the OIC and the Gulf nations to expand their aid for Rohingyas, expressing worry about the lack of money for The Gambia's ICJ lawsuit and the lack of support for the humanitarian effort for the FDMNs.

The OIC Assistant Secretary-General congratulated Bangladesh's government and people during the call for giving the Rohingyas refuge, safety, and the support they needed.

He reaffirmed OIC's determination to continue actively participating in the Rohingya problem. Repatriation, he said, is the only effective way to end this situation.

Diversifying financing sources was recommended by the Senior Advisor to the High Commissioner and the UNHCR Representative for the GCC Countries.

On August 10, 2023, at the Prime Minister's Office, the OIC-UNHCR delegation met with Bangladesh's Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister.

During the meeting, the principal secretary highlighted to the visiting delegation the relocation of the Rohingyas from Cox’s Bazar to Bhashan Char and sought more contribution to the Joint Response Plan (JRP).

He requested the visiting delegation to jointly organise dedicated programmes for the Rohingyas and called for enhanced diplomatic efforts to keep the issue alive on the global agenda.

The OIC-UNHCR delegation also includes OIC Special Envoy to Myanmar Ambassador Ibrahim Ahdy Khairat, representatives from the Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF), Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), Kuwait’s Zakat House and Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED).