Unless the UN supports the initiative to transfer the Rohingyas to Bhashanchar, Bangladesh won’t help the organisation to raise funds for the displaced people.
Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Huq made this clear at the Rohingya related task force meeting held at the foreign ministry on Thursday (Dec 26).
To meet the Rohingya support campaign, the UN has made an $880 million Giant Response Plan (GRP) and the matter will be raised next February in Geneva.
An official of the foreign ministry said: “The UN gave a presentation of the GRP and while the plan included safety, security of the Rohingyas, the matter of transfer to Bhashanchar was not mentioned, which irked the foreign secretary, who then asked for the matter to be included.”
Unless the efforts made by Bangladesh for the GRP was recorded, the government would not take part in collecting funds, said the official.
In 2018, GRP to the range of $ 950 million and $ 92 million were declared, of which 69% and 67% were collected respectively. State minister for foreign affairs Shahriar Alam helped in collecting the funds.
To transfer around 100,000 Rogingyas, the government has put up structures in Bhashanchar, spending Tk 25 billion.
A foreign office official said: “As per rules of UN, the GRP will be lower than the previous years. As time passes, assistance will fall. This year’s GRP will have special allocation for food assistance, water and sanitation.”
When the issue of education for the Rohingyas was raised, the UNICEF said that 315,000 Rohingya children were being taught at 3,200 learning centres in Cox’s Bazar.
One official said: “Rohingya children are getting proper education and at the schools they learn English, mathematics, science and other skills.”
Every learning centre has a Rohingya teacher supported by a Bangladeshi teacher and the Rohingyas are given lessons in Burmese.