DHAKA : Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has called on the international community to urgently step up support for Rohingya refugees sheltered in Bangladesh, warning that declining global assistance is putting additional pressure on the humanitarian response.
Speaking during a meeting with Ivo Freijsen, Country Representative of the UNHCR, at the Secretariat, the minister expressed concern over a significant reduction in international funding.
He noted that Bangladesh, despite being one of the world’s most densely populated countries, has provided shelter to a large number of Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds.
However, he said, recent global developments have led to a decline in financial assistance, with contributions from key donors, including the United States, reportedly reduced.
“The time has come for the international community to enhance its support to ensure basic needs and improved living conditions for the Rohingya population,” the minister said.
He stressed that the long-term solution to the crisis lies in the safe, dignified, and voluntary repatriation of the Rohingyas to Myanmar, urging global actors to intensify diplomatic efforts toward that goal.
Ahmed also cautioned that ongoing global crises—including conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as rising tensions in the Middle East—should not divert attention from the Rohingya issue.
He called on the United Nations and relevant international agencies to keep the crisis high on the global agenda.
The meeting also discussed the current conditions in Rohingya camps, where overcrowding and limited resources continue to pose significant challenges.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs were present during the meeting.
