UN migration chief calls for urgent Rohingya funds during Bangladesh visit

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – UN migration chief Amy Pope concluded her four-day Bangladesh visit Thursday with a call for urgent funds for the persecuted Rohingya Muslims sheltering in the South Asian country.

The majority of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh fled a brutal military crackdown in Rakhine, Myanmar in 2017. Dhaka says their number has since reached 1.3 million with 35,000 children born every year.

Most of them are housed in overcrowded camps in the southeastern district of Cox's Bazar, but since late 2020 about 35,000 have been relocated to Bhasan Char, an islet in the Bay of Bengal, located some 30 kilometers (21 miles) from the mainland.

International Organization for Migration (IOM) Director-General Amy Pope’s visit involved “strategic engagements and significant initiatives aimed at addressing the pressing humanitarian needs of Rohingya refugees and advancing global migration discourse,” an IOM statement said Thursday.

On Tuesday, Pope met with Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who also called for finding new sources as funding for the Rohingyas continued to dwindle.

The IOM in March appealed for $119 million to support the Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar, in what has been called the world's largest refugee settlement.

A sharp decline in resources led to a reduction in the value of World Food Program (WFP) food vouchers in 2023. In March, the value was reduced from $12 to $10, before a further reduction – down to $8 – was implemented in June, according to the WFP.

The UN food program, however, geared up to restore its critical food assistance this January onwards, revising its monthly food vouchers from $8 to $10 per person.

IMO head Pope’s visit, in addition, saw donors pledge their support, which will significantly aid in addressing the pressing challenges faced by Rohingya refugees and other vulnerable communities in Bangladesh, said the IOM.

“Together, we are not only assisting Bangladesh but setting a powerful example for collaborative action in tackling migration challenges worldwide,” Pope said in a statement.

Meanwhile, in a step to preserve Rohingya cultural heritage, Pope inaugurated the World Tour of the Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre (RCMC). It would showcase, in several global locations, the rich cultural heritage of the Rohingya community and raise awareness of their plight.

During her visit to Dhaka, Pope also launched the IOM’s flagship World Migration Report 2024, the first time away from Geneva.