Japan: Lasting Rohingya solutions to help a free Indo-Pacific

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki has said finding lasting solutions of the Rohingya crisis will be conducive to their pursuit of “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”.

Japan will further cooperate with the relevant agencies for better living conditions of Rohingya refugees and host communities both in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char, while making efforts for early repatriation to Myanmar.

Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char island.

Recently, Ambassador Naoki visited Bhasan Char where over 25,000 “Rohingya” refugees reside. Yuho Hayakawa, Chief Representative of JICA Bangladesh also joined the two-day mission.

In January 2022, Japan funded as the first donor, US$ 2million to UNHCR and WFP to support their operations on Bhasan Char, said the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka on Wednesday.

This  visit was aimed to overview the ongoing activities under Japan’s funding as well as explore possible bilateral assistance by JICA in the future.

The delegation moved from Chattogram port to Bhasan Char in LCU of Bangladesh Navy, along with over 2,000 Rohingya who relocated to the island on the same day of Japan’s visit.

The team visited the hospitals, food distribution point, livelihood project, embankment, education centre and the community centres for women and children. They had discussions with A-RRRC, Shamsuddoga Nayan and Project Director of Ashrayam-3 project, Rashed Sattan.

Ambassador Naoki expressed his appreciation to the dedicated work of UN agencies, NGOs, Navy and the government of Bangladesh for delivering services to the refugees despite financial and resource constraints.

“It was truly eye opening to see the humanitarian responses and efforts of UNHCR, WFP and NGOs such as BRAC, Friendship, GK, Islamic Relief, BDRCS, Qatar Charity, and CODEC. The government of Bangladesh established solid facilities and infrastructure,” Ambassador Naoki said.

While moving with refugees from Chattogram to Bhasan Char, and talking with Rohingya people on the island, the ambassador recognized that they relocated from Cox’s Bazar to Bhasan Char in pursuit of better life, more livelihood opportunity and better security.

“Nevertheless, despite the initial US$ 2 million funding of Japan and the following support by the other donors, there seemed to be considerable gaps in services and additional funding requirements for further humanitarian responses,” he said.

The ambassador hoped the operations on the island will expand to provide more support to the refugee population, and Japan will continue supporting the UN and NGOs.