The government has allocated funds for the rehabilitation of Rohingya refugees in the proposed budget, in spite of limited resources.
“Our government is actively trying to provide humanitarian assistance to the forcefully displaced Rohingyas of Myanmar,” said Finance Minister AMA Muhith during his budget speech on Thursday.
“We are providing housing, security, medical care to the Rohingya despite resource constraints and fiscal pressure,” he added.
He further said: “We are trying to send them (the Rohingya) back to their homeland soon. A ‘Joint Working Group’ has been formed to implement the practical aspects of repatriation.”
However, the finance minister also said the safe repatriation of the Rohingya people cannot be expedited without international initiative.
“We have continued our diplomatic engagements with international partners, including the United Nations, to create pressure on Myanmar,” he added.
Earlier on Monday, Finance Minister AMA Muhith had said that around Tk400 crore would be allocated as special funds for Rohingya rehabilitation in the budget for FY2018-19.
The allocation is mainly for building shelters for the Rohingya, according to the Finance Ministry.
The finance minister also said that World Bank will donate around Tk4,000 crore for Rohingya rehabilitation.
“Apart from the special allocation, ministries concerned may receive specific allocations to ensure health care, sanitation, and food supply for the Rohingya, as per the budget proposal,” a senior official of Finance Ministry previously confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune.
As a result, the Ministry of Health, Disaster Management and Relief, Ministry of Food are among those who may receive specific allocations.
In addition, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved Tk2,312 crore in funds to rehabilitate around 100,000 Rohingya on a temporary basis.
The project, titled “Ashrayon 3,” will be implemented at Bhasan Char, a remote island near Hatiya of Noyakhali district, by the Bangladesh Navy within the next year.
