Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed held a courtesy meeting with Ivo Freijsen, Country Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Bangladesh, at his office at the Secretariat in the capital on Tuesday.
During the meeting, they discussed the current situation of the Rohingya population sheltered in Bangladesh, including issues related to international funding and repatriation.
The home minister said that despite being one of the world’s most densely populated countries, Bangladesh has hosted a large number of Rohingya refugees on humanitarian grounds. Expressing concern over a significant decline in international assistance amid the current global situation, he noted that recent US funding allocations have been reduced by 50 per cent. He stressed that increased international support is now essential to improve living conditions and meet the humanitarian needs of the Rohingya.
Discussing conditions in the refugee camps, the UNHCR representative said refugees are facing severe challenges due to extreme population density in limited spaces. In response, the minister said expanding the camps is highly difficult given Bangladesh’s existing socio-economic and geographical constraints. He emphasised that a sustainable solution lies in ensuring the safe, dignified and voluntary repatriation of the Rohingya.
Highlighting the current geopolitical context, the minister warned that the Rohingya crisis must not be overshadowed by global issues such as the Gaza crisis, the war in Ukraine and tensions between Israel and Iran. He urged the United Nations and UNHCR to play a stronger role in keeping the Rohingya issue high on the agenda of international forums.
The UNHCR representative invited the minister to attend the presentation of the Joint Response Plan (JRP) on Rohingya refugees, scheduled for 20 May 2026.
At the beginning of the meeting, Ivo Freijsen congratulated the minister on assuming his new portfolio, and the minister welcomed him.
Additional Secretary (Political Division) Dr Ziauddin Ahmed, Joint Secretary (Political-1) Rebecca Khan, and Deputy Secretary Begum Minara Nazmin, among others, were also present at the meeting.
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