Coast Foundation and the Coxs Bazar CSO-NGO Forum (CCNF) organised an international online seminar on Thursday in observance of World Refugee Day.
Participants highlighted that formal recognition of the Rohingyas as refugees would address numerous challenges. They praised Bangladeshs generous act of providing shelter to over a million Rohingyas and underscored the need for official refugee status.
The seminar, chaired by Shireen Haque of Naripokkho and moderated by Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of the Coast Foundation, featured national and international refugee experts. Notable speakers included Klaus Dick Nielsen and Hafsar Tamizuddin from the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN), Gopal Siwakoti of InHUREED International, John Quinley of Fortify Rights, Gawhar Naeem Wahra of Disaster Forum, refugee and migration expert Asif Munir, Arifur Rahman of YPSA, Fazlul Qader Chowdhury of the Coxs Bazar Zilla Press Club, and representatives from CCNF, Jahangir Alam and Muhammad Bin Abdullah.
Barkat Ullah Maruf from the Coast Foundation presented the keynote address to an audience of approximately five hundred humanitarian workers engaged in the Coxs Bazar region. During his presentation, Maruf noted that Rohingya children are receiving education, but their motivation is low due to the lack of internationally recognised certification.
He stressed that possessing travel documents would prevent Rohingyas from taking perilous journeys across the Andaman Sea for illegal entry into other countries. With proper documentation, they could seek legal employment abroad and support their families legally.
Klaus Dick Nielsen from APRRN emphasized the need for international agencies to fund local NGOs in Coxs Bazar to enhance their work with the Rohingya response. Hafsar Tamizuddin, APRRNs Secretary General and a Rohingya living in New Zealand, highlighted ongoing atrocities in Maungdaw and Buthidaung, Myanmar, and called for greater international awareness and transparency in discussions about the Rohingya situation.
John Quinley from Fortify Rights underscored the importance of upholding refugees rights to assembly and freedom of expression, which are often compromised. He argued that Rohingya families should have the right to relocate to avoid security risks within the camps.
Gawhar Naeem Wahra of Disaster Forum drew parallels with the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, where India recognised about ten million Bangladeshi refugees without being a signatory to the Geneva Convention. He suggested that Bangladesh could similarly recognise the Rohingyas, which would have benefits, such as allowing remittances through legal banking channels, thereby boosting foreign reserves.
Refugee and immigration expert Asif Munir discussed the prevailing negative perception of Rohingyas among Bangladeshi law enforcement, who often treat them as criminals.
He advocated for a comprehensive disarmament process in the camps, involving the Ministry of Defence alongside the Armed Police Battalion (APBN).
Gopal Siwakoti of InHUREED International commended Bangladeshs significant humanitarian effort as a Least Developed Country (LDC) in hosting such a large refugee population.
Shireen Haque from Naripokkho recounted her 2017 visit to the camps, noting a shift in the Rohingyas focus from recounting their ordeals in Myanmar to expressing their current struggles within the camps. She observed that the situation within the camps has become increasingly dire.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of the Coast Foundation emphasised that repatriation is the only viable solution to the Rohingya crisis and called on international agencies to take concrete steps towards this goal. He also suggested that the Rohingya diaspora could play a significant role in the repatriation process.
Fazlul Qader Chowdhury of the Coxs Bazar Zilla Press Club called for greater transparency regarding the BRAC-managed pool fund and the allocation of 25 percent of resources to the host community.
