New government body led by home minister to coordinate security, aid and repatriation for over one million Rohingya refugees in camps

Bangladesh has established a new national committee to coordinate government efforts related to Rohingya refugees living in camps across the country, as the protracted crisis continues to strain resources and administration.

The 16-member committee will be chaired by the home minister and includes senior officials such as the foreign minister, top bureaucrats, the police chief, and heads of intelligence and security agencies, according to an official gazette issued by the Cabinet Division on Tuesday.

The body has been tasked with improving coordination of all Rohingya-related activities, including maintaining law and order in the camps, strengthening management systems, and supporting repatriation efforts.

More than one million Rohingya refugees, most of whom fled violence in Myanmar in 2017, are currently living in camps in southeastern Bangladesh, making it one of the world’s largest refugee settlements.

Officials said the committee will also review and monitor the work of existing mechanisms, including the national task force on repatriation and authorities overseeing relocation efforts to Bhasan Char, and provide recommendations to improve safety, security, and living conditions.

The move is aimed at streamlining coordination among multiple government agencies involved in managing the refugee response, as authorities continue to deal with logistical, humanitarian and administrative challenges linked to the long-running crisis.

The Rohingya crisis, now entering its ninth year, remains a major policy challenge for Bangladesh, with limited progress on large-scale repatriation and continued reliance on international humanitarian support.

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