Arakan News Agency
On Tuesday, the Bangladeshi government granted preliminary approval to establish sustainable infrastructure aimed at improving the living conditions of Rohingya refugees during their temporary stay in Cox’s Bazar camps, according to the Economic Affairs Advisory Committee following a meeting chaired by Financial Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed at the Secretariat.
According to Daily Sun, under the initial plan, the government and the World Bank will jointly provide funding of 3,630 million Bangladeshi Taka (363 crore Taka, with one crore equal to 10 million) to enhance disaster resilience and improve living conditions for both the host community and the Rohingya, while the International Organization for Migration (IOM) will participate in project implementation.
Financial Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed emphasized that the legal status of the Rohingya has not changed and that they will continue to be considered “Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN)” until they are repatriated to their homeland at the appropriate time.
He stated that the government does not wish for the Rohingya to live in inhumane conditions and has therefore decided to work on improving their living environment, although he did not provide further details about the plan.
Bangladesh hosts over one million Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar camps, which the United Nations classifies as the largest refugee camp in the world. The refugees have been living in difficult humanitarian conditions since fleeing Myanmar in 2017 due to the “genocide” carried out by the Myanmar military against them. Waves of displacement to Bangladesh have continued since fighting broke out in Rakhine State between the Myanmar military and the Buddhist Arakan militias (Arakan Army) in November 2023.
