The Bangladesh government has pledged to improve living conditions for Rohingya refugees residing in camps in southeastern Bangladesh, following the first high-level visit by the Foreign Ministry since the country’s new administration took office.

A delegation led by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam visited the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday to assess humanitarian service delivery and evaluate conditions facing displaced communities.

Bangladesh currently hosts approximately 1.3 million Rohingya refugees, most of whom fled military operations in neighboring Myanmar following the August 2017 crackdown widely condemned internationally for alleged atrocities against civilians.

During the visit, the Foreign Ministry delegation toured humanitarian facilities and aid operations across the camps, including food distribution centers operated by the World Food Programme, educational programs for Rohingya children, healthcare services provided by Médecins Sans Frontières, and community-based initiatives led by Rohingya women.

Officials said the delegation aimed to gain a direct understanding of humanitarian conditions and operational challenges affecting both refugees and aid agencies working in the camps.

Obaed also met with elected representatives from the Rohingya community, including youth leaders and women representatives, where discussions focused on camp conditions, education, security concerns, and the future of repatriation efforts.

According to officials, the state minister assured the Rohingya community that the government remains committed to creating “a congenial atmosphere” for the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of refugees to Rakhine State in Myanmar.

Following the camp visit, the delegation held a stakeholder consultation meeting at the Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner in Cox’s Bazar. The meeting included representatives from Bangladeshi security agencies, United Nations organizations, national and international NGOs, and humanitarian partners involved in the refugee response.

Meanwhile, UNICEF announced that it recently received an emergency grant worth $8.5 million from the Bangladesh Humanitarian Fund to support ongoing humanitarian operations in the Rohingya camps.

According to UNICEF Bangladesh, the funding will help deliver life-saving assistance to more than 578,000 refugees, including women, children, and approximately 5,500 individuals with special needs.

The agency said the support includes nutrition screening, emergency food assistance, access to safe drinking water, sanitation services, and other essential humanitarian programs aimed at improving conditions inside the camps.

Humanitarian agencies continue to warn that despite ongoing support efforts, overcrowding, funding shortages, and uncertainty surrounding repatriation remain major challenges facing Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

 

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