Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen has rejected any idea of Rohingya integration into Bangladesh and requested all humanitarian actors including UNHCR and IOM to facilitate the safe and voluntary return of Rohingyas to their homeland, Myanmar.
He reiterated Bangladesh's commitment in finding a durable solution to the protracted Rohingya crisis.
Masud made the statement at the launching ceremony of 2024 Joint Response Plan (JRP) for the Rohingyas, held in Geneva on Wednesday, according to a UNB report released Thursday.
The Foreign Secretary emphasized that without materialisation of the principle of equitable burden and responsibility sharing by the broader international community, host country Bangladesh, UNHCR, IOM and WFP would not be able to provide humanitarian assistance and protect the Rohingyas.
He urged the international community to increase their existing contributions and commit new pledges to reduce the ever-increasing funding gap for the Rohingyas.
The Foreign Secretary mentioned that despite having serious ramifications on the economy, environment, security, and socio-political stability, Bangladesh has been hosting more than 1.1 million Rohingyas for the last six years.
He cautioned that the threat stemming from risk of radicalisation and violent extremism among the Rohingyas may undermine regional stability.
The Foreign Secretary said that alternative pathways could be the supplementary efforts to ease the burden of Bangladesh. He informed the international community that each year 30,000 newborns are being added to the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
This year JRP has pledged an amount of USD 852 million for 1.35 Rohingyas and host communities through 195 projects.
Repatriation of Rohingyas has been determined as the first strategic objective of the JRP 2024.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, mentioned that safe, voluntary and dignified return of the Rohingyas to Myanmar will be the sustainable solution of this crisis and urged the international community to act in pursuit of it in his speech.
Besides, he appreciated the approach of the Government of Bangladesh to take grant and loan from the World Bank's IDA Credit for the well-being of the Rohingyas and affected host community.
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