World
Rohingya | Dutch Support The Netherlands will provide $7.5 million for Rohingya refugees and host communities
Dhaka, November 29: The Netherlands has decided to provide $7.5 million through the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to the welfare of forcibly displaced Rohingya refugees and their host communities in Cox's Bazar district. An agreement has been signed between the Embassy of the Netherlands in Dhaka and the IOM for the implementation of the project titled 'Environmental restoration and strengthening tolerance of Rohingya refugees and host communities in Cox's Bazar'.
According to a press release, the project aims to provide multi-sectoral support to Rohingya refugees and host communities in Cox's Bazar. Dutch Deputy Ambassador in Charge of Affairs Thijs Woudstra and IOM Bangladesh Officer in Charge Fatima Nusrat Ghazzali signed the agreement on their respective behalf at the IOM office in Dhaka.
More than 1 million Rohingya refugees have taken shelter in Cox's Bazar district since 2017, facing the effects of natural disasters and climate change. Rohingya and refugee communities there are particularly vulnerable to landslides and floods during cyclones.
Ghazzali said the Rohingyas are living in overcrowded camps with limited opportunities and complex challenges. The suffering of host communities also increases as they face a range of problems, including limited resources, limited market access, limited employment opportunities, inadequate infrastructure and frequent environmental disasters. She said IOM with the support of the Netherlands will provide life-saving assistance to Rohingya and refugee groups that will contribute to social harmony and security.
Woudstra hoped her government's support would help improve the lives of both the Rohingya and Bangladeshi communities and reduce disaster risk. The project will be implemented in coordination with Bangladesh government and other partners.
