Bangladesh, albeit a resource-constraint country, continues to bear the burden of over one million Rohingyas from Rakhine state of Myanmar, as the World Refugee Day is being observed around the globe on Saturday.
The Rohingyas, often described as one of the world’s most persecuted communities, fled their homes and took shelter in Cox’s Bazar to escape from the unprecedented atrocities orchestrated by the Myanmar security forces, Buddhist mobs and people belonging to different ethnic groups in Rakhine.
Bangladesh is hosting this huge number of Rohingyas even without being a signatory to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.
Out of over a million Rohingyas, 80% of whom are women and children, nearly 33,000 are registered while the remaining people are not. Despite that, all of them are given almost all the privileges refugees deserve.
Despite the fact that everything has happened under their nose to make this people displaced, the United Nations and international community, especially the developed and powerful countries, failed to stop the atrocities and did not do the needful to end the plight of these persecuted people.
Myanmar, both in paper and verbally, pledged so many times to take their people back, but did not do so due to its unwillingness. Yet, the UN and international community did not do enough to compel Myanmar to take its people back.
To make the matter even worse for the Rohingyas, several large economies are investing anew in Myanmar.
As of today, no one really knows when the displaced Rohingyas will be able to return to their homes in Rakhine, although according to a bilateral instrument signed between Bangladesh and Myanmar the repatriation should have been complete by now.
According to a report released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on Thursday, 1% of the entire humanity is now displaced.
Forced displacement is now affecting more than 1% of humanity — 1 in every 97 people — and with fewer and fewer of those who flee being able to return home, it said.
In last decade, 100 million people — roughly the population of Egypt — had to flee their homes, added the report.
Things will get worse day by day, if the international movers and shakers do not act rising above the geopolitical and economic interests.
For the refugees
On December 4, 2000, the UN General Assembly in Resolution 55/76 had declared that June 20 would mark the commemoration of World Refugee Day.
In this resolution, the General Assembly noted that 2001 marked the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.
World Refugee Day is observed to honour the strength, courage, and resilience of millions of refugees around the planet.
Like the rest of the world, Bangladesh has also observed the day through different events over the years.
But this year, most of the events organized by the government and other organizations is commemorating the day virtually due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
The Inter-Sector Coordination Sector (ISCG) that coordinates UN agencies and NGOs engaged in humanitarian response to the Rohingya crisis are also observing the day virtually to honour the resilience and determination of the Rohingya people in Bangladesh, as well as refugees around the globe.
Every year on June 20, World Refugee Day is an occasion to express solidarity with refugees in Bangladesh and with the Bangladeshi communities that have hosted them.
Rohingya refugees fled horrific persecution and violence to seek protection in Bangladesh, and have made extraordinary efforts to survive after enduring long, dangerous and difficult journeys.
Local communities played a vital role as first responders, helping refugees upon their arrival, and they continue to do so today, sharing their limited resources with people who desperately need it.
“Partners continue to work with refugee and host communities to make humanitarian assistance more innovative and inclusive, and target resources where they are most needed,” said ISCG Senior Coordinator Nicole Epting.
“However, more international support is required to share the burden of responsibility and meet humanitarian challenges here in Bangladesh, particularly in this challenging time, when the Covid-19 pandemic is compounding the already difficult situation,” Epting added.
